The Dutch middle class has been under pressure in recent years. People with a middle income, job or education find it more difficult to find a home and experience more insecurity on the labor market. Moreover, they often have limited financial knowledge and scope. To change this, in recent months, 20 participants in the National Think Tank focused on the question: how do we improve the perspective of this middle group? The result: eight specific solutions. And APG contributes to the elaboration of four of these ideas.
How do we strengthen well-being, prosperity and control for middle groups in the city and region, now and later? That question is central to the fifteenth 'edition' of the National Think Tank. Because although the Dutch economy (until the corona crisis) has grown in recent years, the position of people with a middle income, job or education has deteriorated. This group increasingly struggles with insecure employment relationships, few housing prospects and a limited financial buffer.
In discussion
Every year, the National Think Tank Foundation chooses a social topic and sets to work with specific solutions and ideas. Last week, the 'Think Tankers' presented eight specific proposals to Minister Koolmees of Social Affairs & Employment. APG has been closely involved in this edition as a theme partner and will soon enter into discussions with the initiators of four of the solutions presented.
Tools and documentaries
The initiatives involved? The first is the MomentCheck, a digital tool that supports people in making financially conscious choices at important moments in life. Nick: "This is very closely related to the activities of APG's GroeiFrabriek and Kandoor divisions. Here, we can be of value." The second solution is ZelfstandigBerekend, also a financial tool, but aimed at starting freelancers. Zie je mij?, an idea for, among other things, a documentary and a national campaign to raise the profile of essential professions, and MBO Talent Track, a talent development trajectory for MBO students, round off the list.
Financial fitness
"At first I thought APG would continue with two of the eight ideas," says Nick van de Sande-Korpershoek, a strategic policy officer at APG and in his capacity of point of contact for the Think Tank 2020, part of the process. "But internal enthusiasm was much greater than expected. Which, of course, isn't surprising. The middle group is the largest group of participants in the funds served by APG. All those teachers, police officers, construction workers and cleaners, for instance. In addition, financial fitness is an important theme at APG. That makes the issue surrounding middle groups extremely relevant to us."
Infectious enthusiasm
APG, together with Rabobank and three ministries, among others, is involved in the process in various ways. Nick: "As a financial partner, of course. But even more so as a sparring partner for the 20 Think Tankers. Some still wanted to learn more about pensions, for instance. Alwin Oerlemans, Raoul Wilmms and I, among others, intensively helped them with that in recent months." In the coming weeks, the Think Tankers will be talking with colleagues from GroeiFrabriek, HR and Asset Management, to find out how APG can help elaborate the four ideas. But also to explore what these initiatives can yield for APG.
Nick: "They are really good ideas that can actually take the middle group further. Conceived by people who take it seriously from the start, by involving the target group themselves. And, not unimportantly, they do so with particularly infectious enthusiasm."