Report Training Ambassadors: Alliance of Volunteer Debt Assistance

June 29, 2026 by

SONECA

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On June 6, 2026, the SONECA Foundation, in collaboration with FSAN, organized a training day for ambassadors as part of the Wayfinder project. The goal of this meeting was to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and role of ambassadors who support residents with financial problems and debts within their own community. The SONECA Foundation is one of the organizations responsible on behalf of FSAN for the organization and execution of these training days for ambassadors.

Nine ambassadors with diverse backgrounds participated in the training, coming from countries including Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, and Egypt. The participants are active within their communities and regularly hold open office hours, support residents with practical questions, and help people find their way to appropriate assistance. From the beginning, it was clear that there was an engaged, motivated, and socially active group that wants to commit to their own constituents....

Opening by Ahmed Abdulwahab
The training day was opened by Ahmed Abdulwahab, coordinator of the SONECA Foundation. In his welcome speech, he elaborated on the importance of the training and the necessity of good support for status holders, refugees, and other vulnerable residents.

Ahmed emphasized that SONECA increasingly encounters residents during the daily open office hours who are struggling with debts, financial worries, issues with benefits, taxes, energy bills, and other complex problems. Many people do not know where to turn for help or only seek support when the problems have already become serious.

According to Ahmed, language barriers are one of the biggest challenges within the target group. Many status holders and refugees have difficulty understanding letters from municipalities, bailiffs, housing corporations, health insurers, and other agencies. Additionally, they often find it challenging to clearly explain their situation to helpers. This leads to misunderstandings, increases uncertainty, and sometimes causes people to lose trust in organizations that are meant to help them.

He emphasized that ambassadors play a crucial role in this. Because they speak the same language, understand the cultural background, and are close to the community, they enjoy trust. They are often the first point of contact for residents and can identify problems early before they grow into serious debts or social issues.

Presentation Alliance Voluntary Debt Assistance & Personal Story

After the opening, Driss Kaamouchi on behalf of SMN gave a presentation about the Alliance Voluntary Debt Assistance (AVS). He explained the objectives of the project and the collaboration between volunteer organizations, municipalities, and professional assistance agencies. Driss emphasized that volunteers and ambassadors are an important addition to regular assistance.

An important part of the training day was the presentation by Farley from BuroVAT. Using his personal life story, he provided insight into the impact of debt on people's daily lives. Farley spoke candidly about his own experiences with financial problems and the consequences for his health, relationships, and future perspective. He made it clear that debts often lead to chronic stress, shame, and social isolation.

Farley then explained how debts can arise and distinguished four types of debts:

• Adjustment debts;

• Compensation debts;

• Survival debts;

• Overspending debts.

Presentation Humanitas and Conclusion

After lunch, Kim Taconis and Irene Ammerlaan presented on behalf of Humanitas about the work of Humanitas and the role of the organization within the Alliance VVS. Kim Taconis provided an explanation of the objectives of the partnership and mentioned that Humanitas is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. For eight decades, Humanitas has stood for the power of human contact and support for people who temporarily need a helping hand.

The training day was experienced by all participants as very valuable, educational, and inspiring. The combination of expert presentations, practical experiences, interactive formats, and open discussions contributed to a successful meeting. With the knowledge and tools gained, the ambassadors can continue their important work within the community with even more confidence and expertise.