Trust
Elisabeth has already coached two participants, who are now both in a stable financial situation. "As Africans, we tend to trust ourselves. We know how to communicate with each other. And I've been there. That allows the person to open up and tell me about their situation.
Where I come from, it is normal to spend your money on the things you need now, things may not be here tomorrow. As a budgetcoach we have to show people how to plan your money, how to save for the future."
Support system
The problems that people face are very diverse, for instance housing, residence status or the Dutch language. De Afri-Budgetmaatjes help people deal with these problems. "We try to achieve that the person is more involved. For example, I tell the person: 'bring all the letters, and your phone, this is what you do.' We call the organization together, and if the person is behind in paying bills, we make a payment arrangement. I work side by side with the person, so that they are learning and being aware, for the next time, when I am not here. We want someone to be financially stable and to be able to do their financial administration by him- or herself. We are just a support system."
Learning every day
Someone to teach you how thing work: Elisabeth didn't have that herself. About that he says: "I'm very inquisitive, so I tried to read more, I tried to listen to the Dutch news to get more information. Years back, I got into a situation where I was not able to pay my rent, while applying for my residence permit, but it didn't come in time and my benefits were stopped. I went to the housing association. Someone there told me that I could just call to hem and pay in installments. That was the information I needed, and I never knew that. I have learned to ask things. Now, after doing the budgetcoach training, I have more knowledge now. Even if I'm with a client, I'm still learning from that persons situation as well. Sometimes I find out new things that I can apply to other participants. So I still learn every day."