Poverty Interventions
About the research group
A large group of Dutch citizens live around the poverty line and/or have problematic debts. With its research, the research group Poverty Interventions has the mission to contribute to the reduction and prevention of poverty and debt among citizens. Based on scientific insights, we support social organisations and governments in designing and implementing effective solutions to poverty and debt problems.
Our approach
Poverty and debt have a major impact on people's well-being and lead to significant social costs. Living in poverty and having debts often means a accumulation of problems. It is not just about having too little money, but also about job insecurity or unemployment, poor prospects for the future, poor health, negative social and institutional treatment, and inequality of opportunity.
Professionals in the social domain are committed to reducing and preventing poverty and debt and their consequences for citizens. The research group investigates which types of interventions in the field of poverty and debt are effective and which are not, and for which citizens. A practical approach, researched and developed in collaboration with professionals from the service sector and people who experience poverty themselves, is central to this.
Research themes
Our research themes are debt problems and debt assistance, long-term poverty, child poverty, chain cooperation, the structure of the social security system and minimum income schemes. We also focus on cross-domain issues such as poverty and housing, poverty and care, and poverty and youth/young adults.
The increasing focus on financial self-reliance in society and the recognition that not everyone can be equally self-reliant are of great importance to the research group. In line with this social awareness, the research group focuses on promoting financial self-reliance to the best of their ability among more vulnerable groups. The research group plays an active role in disseminating knowledge from science and practice among practitioners and policymakers.
Social design
We start by formulating the right question: What exactly is needed and what should it look like? The research group increasingly uses social design in its approach. This approach ensures that the design of interventions and products better matches the needs and experiences of end users. Social design helps us to approach design and development assignments in an innovative way: only starting to develop and design when it is really clear what a new intervention, approach or project should look like.
Education
We work closely with the Bachelor's programmes in Social Legal Services and Social Work. In addition, the research group is involved in the development of cross-faculty minor programmes, in which knowledge about poverty and debt is combined with the content of courses from other faculties.
Partners
We work together with other knowledge institutions, governments, non-profit organisations, and companies. Some of our partners include: Buurtteams Amsterdam, Divosa, municipalities such as Amsterdam, Tilburg, and Zaanstad, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, Humanaid Now, Kansfonds, Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, Nationale Nederlanden, Nibud, NVVK, Oranje Fonds, Syncasso, University of Amsterdam, and Voedselbanken Nederland.