DUTCH

NATIONAL ACTION PLAN

AGAINST POVERTY AND SOCIAL

EXCLUSION

1 JUNE 2001

Table of contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 Trends and future challenges 2

Chapter 2 Strategy 15

Chapter 3 Measures 25

Chapter 4 Development and monitoring of indicators and targets 39

Annex 1 Research 40

Annex 2 Good practices 42

Annex 3 Urban policy indicators in Haarlem 50

Annex 4 EU-objectives on combating poverty and social exclusion(Nice, December 2000) 54

Annex 5 Endnotes 56

1

Introduction

The European Council of Lisbon in the spring of 2000 raised the profile of the internationaldimension of social protection. The Lisbon Summit made the promotion of social integration one ofthe main lines of EU strategy for the next decade to become the most competitive and dynamicknowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more andbetter jobs and greater social cohesion. Thereupon, the European Council of Nice in December 2000approved the objectives of combating poverty and social exclusion adopted by the Council(Employment and Social Policy.) In the years ahead social cohesion in the EU member states will bepromoted through the open method co-ordination. Before 1 June 2001, each member state will drawup a National Action Plan (NAP) to combat poverty and social exclusion, based on the four keyobjectives agreed in Nice. In the second half of 2001 the Council (Employment and Social Policy) andthe European Commission will draw up a comparison of the NAPs in a joint report, which willinclude recommendations and successful approaches. By means of benchmarking and peer review,members states can learn from each other and thus strengthen their policy on poverty, whilst retainingnational responsibility for that policy.

In order to facilitate comparison of the different national action plans, the member states draw up theirNAPs in accordance with a predetermined structure, consisting of descriptions of:• the current situation and the key policy tasks for the future (chapter 1);• the strategy employed to combat poverty and social exclusion (chapter 2);• the measures taken to realise that strategy (chapter 3);• (the development of) indicators which enable the trend in poverty and social exclusion to be

monitored over a period spanning several years (chapter 4).Combating poverty and social exclusion in the Netherlands is a joint effort by national governmentworking alongside local and regional government (municipal and provincial authorities). Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) also play an important role. The Association of NetherlandsMunicipalities (VNG), the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP), the social partners and NGOswere involved in the drawing up of the Dutch NAP. The Dutch government appreciates theirconstructive input, which made a major contribution to ensuring that the Dutch approach affords aprominent place for an initial set of targets (quantified where possible) (see chapter 2). This willenable the trends in poverty and social exclusion in the Netherlands to be monitored over severalyears. The formulation of quantified targets for combating poverty and social exclusion is in fact anew phenomenon in the Netherlands.A process is currently in full swing in the Netherlands aimed atrevealing the effects of all policy elements of the National Budget, as part of a programme initiated in2000, ‘From policy budgeting to policy accountability’ (‘Van Beleidsbegroting TotBeleidsverantwoording’-VBTB). The targets included in this first NAP can play a key role in thisnational process. The next NAP (2003) will report on the experiences gained in achieving the targets.

Since the Social Summit in Copenhagen (1995), there has been a growing awareness in theNetherlands of the fact that combating poverty and social exclusion requires an intensified andintegrated approach on several fronts. The completion of this NAP (2001) coincided with the drawingup of the ‘Poverty policy status’ (‘Balans van het armoedebeleid’) covering the period 1995-2000.Key results - an evaluation of the existing situation, a first step towards a strategy for the next periodof government (2002-2006; elections will take place in May 2002) and the development of targets -are incorporated in this NAP. This has accelerated the formation of ideas on combating poverty andsocial exclusion in the future. Together with the recently submitted NAP on employment, this NAPconstitutes a coherent whole for promoting social cohesion and employment in the Netherlands in thecoming period. The two National Action Plans should be read in conjunction with each other.

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CHAPTER 1:TRENDS AND FUTURE CHALLENGES1.1. Introduction

Despite an extensive system of social provisions, the Netherlands is not immune from real risks ofpoverty and social exclusion. Poverty should be seen here not so much as an absolute phenomenon,but as a complex of several dimensions. Perhaps the most distinctive aspect concerns the prospect of abetter future, particularly in situations where there is little or no prospect of employment or of achange in a person’s living situation. If on top of this that person’s immediate setting offers nocompensation, he or she is unable to ‘connect’ with modern society or the threshold to accessingprovisions proves to be too high, then poverty and social exclusion can become a reality. In keepingwith the spirit of this broad interpretation of poverty, government leaders and heads of state acceptedfour objectives to combat poverty and social exclusion during the European Summit in Nice(December 2000) (see Annex 4). These objectives focus on the following areas: social participation,income, housing, education, care, ICT, public transport, legal assistance, integration, homelessnessand ‘solidarity within the family’. This chapter describes the current situation in the Netherlands ineach of these focus areas, paying particular attention to the risks of poverty and social exclusion forvulnerable groups. These risks are generally characterised by their own dynamics, which can varyfrom one focus area to another and which are influenced over time by social trends, processes ofemancipation and government policy. Given the fact that the Dutch policy on poverty has beenintensified since 1995, the descriptions of the current situation mainly deal with facts, events andpolicy efforts in the period 1995-2001. In order to place these descriptions in the context of the Dutchsituation, a few key figures on the Dutch population are first presented.

The Netherlands currently has just under 16 million inhabitants, distributed among 7 millionhouseholds:

Table 1.1 Structure of Dutch households in 2001Total number 7 millionof whichLiving alone 2.3 millionCouples without children 2.2 millionTwo-parent families 2.1 millionSingle-parent families 0.35 million (85% single mother)of which households with children (0-17 yrs) 4.5 millionSource: Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

The average household size is 2.3 persons (1900:4.5 persons). The government definition offamily isthe living unit in which at least one child is cared for and/or brought up. Almost 100% of children and80% of 30-55 year-olds live in a family situation. In the 1970s, 80s and 90s two new phases appearedin addition to the traditional phase of life in which a family is formed immediately after leaving theparental home: a phase between the 20th and 30th year of life in which people alternate betweenliving alone or cohabiting, and a second phase from the 55th year in which parents remain at homeafter the children have left. The biggest growth in single people living alone is currently taking placeamong people in their twenties and those aged over 75.The Dutch population is divided as follows intoage categories:

Table 1.2 Dutch population by age (2000)0-19 yrs 20-39 yrs 40-64 yrs 65-79 yrs 80 yrs or older Total population

absolute 3,873,008 4,761,504 5,076,996 1,652,103 500,339 15,863,950

% 24.4 30.0 32.0 10.4 3.2 100

Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

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The table above presents a clear picture of the ageing of the Dutch population over the last 50 years.Whereas in 1950 7.7% of the population were aged over 65, by 2000 this figure had increased to13.6%, almost double. At the same time, the number of young people (0-19 yrs) fell from 37.3% in1950 to 24.4% in 2000.

There are 1.5 million persons ofethnic originin the Dutch population (2000). The relatively highbirth rate in this group, combined with immigration, means that the growth of the ethnic populationwill be much higher than the average population growth in the years ahead. According to calculationsby Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the number of persons of ethnic origin will have doubled by 2015.1

There are an estimated 450-660,0002 people living independently who have one or more severephysical disabilities. Between 850,000 and 1,500,000 people suffer from moderate physicaldisabilities. In view of the demographic changes (population growth and ageing), the number ofpeople with a physical disability or chronic illness is set to increase substantially.

1.2. Social participation

1.2.1. Participation in the labour processUnemployment fell sharply again in 2000, and currently amounts to less than 3% - the lowest figuresince the end of the 1970s. The growth in employment has boosted the activity rate sharply, from 54%in 1990 to 67% in 2000.3 However, labour market participation is not evenly divided: the participationrate of partially disabled persons4 and ethnic minorities in particular, is below the average. Theparticipation of older people (55-64 years) caught up strongly in 2000, but is still lower than theaverage. The labour market participation rate of women has also increased sharply over the last tenyears, from a net figure of 39% in 1990 to 52% net in 2000 (jobs for 12 hours or more per week). Inspite of this, the participation of women is still a low: on average 25 percentage points below theaverage labour market participation rate of men.

Table 1.3 Employment and unemployment, based on Dutch and European statistics5

1990 1995 1998 1999 2000StatNL

StatEU

StatNL

Stat.EU

StatNL

StatEU

StatNL

StatEU

StatNL

StatEU

Employment growth (persons) 3.0 2.4 2.4 1.7 3.3 2.5 3.0 2.5 2.3Employment rate (persons)6 54 62 58 64 62 68 64 71 67· men 71 77 72 74 75 80 76 80 77· women 39 47 44 53 49 57 51 61 52· older people (55-64) 26 29 26 29 29 33 31 35 34· ethnic minorities7 38 37 44 45· low-skilled 41 42 45 46Unemployment (% labour force) 7 6 8 7 5 4 4 4 4Source: CBS; Eurostat, EC (Employment in Europe); Labour Force Survey, various years

The activity rate of lower-skilled people in general (people who have attained no more than a pre-vocational education diploma) averaged 46% in 1999, compared with 64% of all people in work (15-64 years). The activity rate of the lowest-skilled (no more than primary education) is particularly low:in 1999 it was 36%, compared with 88% for those with the highest level of education. The prospect ofa further increase in labour market participation is clearly present: the low unemployment figures inthe Netherlands are accompanied by a persistently large untapped labour potential.Despite a strong decrease in the period 1995-2000, a relatively large portion of the labour force isdependent on some form of benefit:

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Table 1.4 Trend in number of benefit claimants in 1995-20001995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

National assistance (persons * 1000) 492 484 463 424 381 351Unemployment (benefit years*1000) 341 324 288 237 193 162Disablement (persons * 1000) 933 941 955 996 1021 1062

The total available labour supply amounted to 806,000 persons in 1999, set against a large number ofopen vacancies (almost 170,000). Filling the open vacancies alone can produce a growth inemployment of almost 3%. The Netherlands therefore faces the task of increasing the activity rate,particularly among the long-term unemployed, ethnic minorities, women and older people.

1.2.3. Participation in community organisations and voluntary workThe activity rate of the Dutch population can also be derived from the degree to which peopleorganise themselves and participate in voluntary work. In the Netherlands and the Scandinaviancountries, a relatively large number of people are members of community organisations in variousfields:

Table 1.5 Organisational membership, population aged 15 years and over, 1998 (in percent)8

S DK NL FI L A UK D IRL B F I E P EL

member of two or moreorganisations

58 56 47 34 28 24 23 20 20 16 12 8 6 6 4

member of one organisation 26 29 32 38 29 29 30 33 31 32 28 25 22 21 19not a member of any organisation 15 16 21 28 43 47 47 47 49 52 60 66 72 74 76

sports clubs 36 38 37 21 25 20 20 29 29 20 19 11 10 10 8organisations for the protection ofnature, animals and theenvironment

15 14 25 7 11 10 8 7 1 5 4 2 1 1 2

trade unions or political parties 51 51 18 37 11 11 11 8 6 8 4 4 3 3 3social organisations or religiousorganisations involved in charity

13 9 16 13 11 8 10 8 8 5 4 8 3 4 3

without charitable activities 5 5 16 8 5 10 11 6 8 4 3 7 3 4 2clubs or societies for hobbies orshared interests

19 18 16 16 4 9 11 11 11 4 2 1 0 1 1

cultural or artistic clubs 10 16 11 7 10 6 5 4 4 9 10 5 6 5 7consumer organisations 19 5 11 1 9 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0human rights organisations ormovements

7 5 5 2 3 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 0 0

youth organisations 4 5 3 6 9 5 5 2 5 6 2 1 2 2 1other societies or organisations 11 7 9 9 3 4 7 7 7 8 8 4 4 3 4

Voluntary work fulfils an essential function in the social cohesion of society. In addition, voluntarywork can prevent long-term unemployed people from becoming socially isolated, and act as a firststep on the way (back) to the labour market. The percentage of the population participating involuntary work has for years fluctuated between 35% and 38%: as unemployment rises, thispercentage increases slightly.9 The social activation policy begun in 1996 led thousands of long-termunemployed people to take part in voluntary work or other socially useful activities. Given the successof this policy in breaking through social isolation and leading people back to the labour market (seesection 2.2.2), the task facing the Netherlands is to develop this policy further.

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1.3. Income guarantee

1.3.1. Income system and trend in purchasing power in the NetherlandsThe Netherlands has a comprehensive system of social benefits which guarantees its citizens andadequate, relatively high minimum income.10 The minimum income (subsistence minimum) is derivedfrom the statutory minimum wage. Mechanisms have been used to create a differential between thenet minimum wage and the subsistence minimum in order to encourage people to leave the benefitssystem for paid work. The minimum income is differentiated by household type: 100% for marriedcouples,11 90% for single parents and 70% for people living alone. For persons aged 65 and over, ahigher minimum income has applied since 1998. The income policy for people on the subsistenceminimum is divided into three parts:1. The generic income policy for establishing the level of the statutory minimum wage, benefits and

tax and social insurance premium rates.2. Specific income provisions to cover specific items of expenditure. Examples include housing

benefit, child benefit, study allowances and provisions for the disabled and chronically ill. Specificincome provisions are usually income-dependent.

3. Municipal income support. This enables local authorities to provide specific assistance with coststhat are not met by other schemes.

Table 1.6 Structure and level of minimum income, in Dutch guilders, 2001living alone single parent couple

Subsistence minimum 19044 24648 26950Housing benefit 3540 5100 4860Exemption from municipal levies12 930 930 1290Other municipal income support policy13 2260 2260 2260

The Netherlands has always devoted a great deal of attention to the trend in the purchasing power ofthose on minimum incomes. This attention is reflected both in the generic income policy and in thespecific provisions and municipal income support. Measuring the trend in purchasing power inconstant prices of those on the subsistence minimum presents a picture of the efforts to improve theincome position of the most vulnerable groups via the generic, specific and municipal policy efforts:

Table 1.7 Trend in real income of households at or around the subsistence minimum1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Benefit for under-65s-generic 100 100 100 102 102 104 108-specific 100 100 102 104 104 104 104-municipal 100 101 103 105 106 107 108-total 100 101 105 111 112 115 121

Benefit for over-65s-generic 100 100 102 107 107 108 112-specific 100 100 101 102 102 102 102-municipal 100 102 103 105 105 106 106- total 100 102 106 114 115 117 122

Generic average wage 100 101 101 103 103 103 109Source: Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment

As a result of the generic measures, the income of benefit claimants aged over 65 has increasedproportionately more than that of benefit claimants aged under 65. This has been the case since 1998especially, owing to the increase in the older persons’ tax allowance. The introduction of a revised taxsystem in 2001 has a positive effect on the purchasing power of people on a minimum income.

Between 1995 and 2000 housing benefit was increased, the opportunities for exemption from locallevies were increased and the municipal income support policy was intensified. These measures have

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helped to contribute to an improvement in the income position of those on a minimum income. Theabove table shows average income effects; schemes in individual municipalities may vary. Moreover,not all people on minimum incomes make use of these provisions, though the extent of non-take-up isfar from easy to determine. The non-take-up of special assistance and other municipal schemes,despite the measures that have been taken to date, is still around 30% of the target group. To someextent this has to do with the fact that the target group regards the schemes as stigmatising and/orbureaucratic. In the case of housing benefit, several studies indicate a decline in non-take-up as aresult of publicity campaigns, active identification of non-users and simplification of the regulationsand implementation. In the 1997-1998 subsidy year, the non-take-up of housing benefit was between18.6% and 26.8%. Publicfamiliarity with the concept of housing benefit fluctuated between 97% and98%.14 Familiarity with the study allowances and student finance schemes is currently around 97%.

1.3.2 The poverty trapMaking paid employment financially attractive is an important cornerstone of Dutch policy onpoverty. One indicator for this is the increase in income which occurs when a person transfers fromsocial security benefit to a job with a minimum wage: see table 1.8. The second column in this tableshows the percentage increase in income when transferring from benefit to a full-time job at minimumwage level. The subsequent columns show what remains of this increase when allowance is made forthe loss of more and more income-dependent benefits. The final column takes account of an averagepercentage for occupational expenses associated with performing work. It should be borne in mindthat not everyone makes use of all the income-dependent schemes mentioned.

Table 1.8 Net income change on transition from subsistence minimum to 100% minimum wage (as % ofthe subsistence minimum)

Subsistenceminimum(I)

Net wage

(II)

II + Housingbenefit(III)

III + Exemptionfrom levies(IV)

IV + Min. incomesupport policy (V)

V+ Occupationalexpenses(VI)

Single person1995 15540 31.6% 17.1% 15.3% 11.6% 5.0%2000 17770 30.2% 15.1% 10.6% -0.6% -7.2%2001 19090 35.7% 21.1% 16.9% 5.0% -1.7%Single-parent family1995 19980 14.1% 14.1% 11.1% 8.3% 2.6%2000 22850 17.0% 17.0% 13.6% 4.8% -1.0%2001 25030 22.2% 22.2% 18.9% 9.8% 3.7%Single earner1995 21820 1.6% 1.6% 1.6% -1.0% -6.1%2000 24890 2.5% 2.8% 2.8% -5.3% -10.4%2001 27400 8.0% 8.0% 5.4% -2.8% -8.2%

Source: Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW)

As a result of improvements in the specific income provisions and municipal income support in 1995-2000, the increase in income on finding paid employment has reduced. The introduction of a new taxsystem in 2001 has widened the gap again between the minimum wage and social security benefit.Even if allowance is made for various income-dependent benefit schemes and occupational expenses,there is still a considerable increase in all cases compared with 2000.

1.3.3. Number of households with a minimum incomeHaving to rely on a minimum income does not automatically imply poverty. Of equal importance isthe length of timethat people spend at or around the subsistence minimum. As a criterion, a long-termdependence on a minimum income15 provides a good picture of the extent and structure of the mostvulnerable groups:

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Table 1.9 Households with a (long-term) dependence on minimum income, as a percentage of the totalnumber of households

1995 1996 1997 199816

Total 10.3 10.5 10.2 10.5-self-employed 0.9 1.1 1.0 1.1-employee 0.8 1.1 1.2 1.6-benefit (<65) 5.9 5.6 5.3 5.2-benefit (65+) 2.6 2.6 2.5 2.5

Long-term 4.1 3.9 3.9 3.8- self-employed 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1- employee 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1- benefit (<65) 2.2 2.2 2.1 2.0- benefit (65+) 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.6

Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

The proportion of benefit claimants aged under 65 has decreased substantially, partly due tofavourable developments on the labour market. The number of households with along-termdependence on minimum income fell slightly between 1995 and 1998, particularly among the benefitclaimants aged under 65. This group also benefited from the favourable labour market situation.Women aged over 65 form the largest group among the people with a long-term dependence onminimum income:

Table 1.10 Households with a long-term dependence on minimum income, as a percentage of total numberof households

1995 1996 1997 1998Long-term 4.1 3.9 3.9 3.8-single man <65 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5-single woman <65 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6-single-parent family 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.6-cohabiting 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5-single man >65 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1-single woman >65 1.2 1.1 1.1 1.1-couple >65 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3

Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

So far we have looked at the proportion of households with a minimum income. Table 1.11 showswhat proportion of individual persons have to live (long-term) from a minimum household income.

Table 1.11 Persons in households with (long-term) minimum income, as a percentage of the groupconcerned

1995 1996 1997 1998Total 8.5 8.4 8.3 8.5-children <18 yrs 11.2 11.0 10.8 10.6-men >18 yrs 6.3 6.3 6.2 6.5-women >18 yrs 9.2 9.0 8.9 9.2

Long-term 3.0 2.8 2.8 2.8-children <18 yrs 3.4 3.3 3.3 3.1-men >18 yrs 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8-women >18 yrs 3.8 3.6 3.6 3.5

Source: Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

The risk of poverty among children is 2% above the average, but does gradually decrease. This is dueto the reduction in the number of single-parent families with a minimum income. In the populationaged over 18, the chance of women having a minimum income is 2.7% higher than for men.

1.3.4. Financial poverty

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An increase in the minimum income does not lead to a reduction in the number of households that areforced to live on the minimum income. This is because, apart from the actual income of thehouseholds concerned, the definition of minimum income is also adjusted upwards. Nevertheless, anincrease in the real minimum income does contribute to combating poverty. In order to make thisvisible, (the index of) the trend in the number of minimum incomes and the trend in the level of realincome can be combined to form a single indicator, the financial poverty index. According to thisindicator, poverty halves when the number of households with a minimum income halves or when thepurchasing power of the minimum income doubles. The financial poverty index gives atotal pictureof the development of financial poverty.

Table 1.12 Trend in financial poverty, excluding municipal policy1995 1996 1997 1998 199917 200018 200119

Benefit (<65)share of households 100 94 90 88 79 73 71real disposable income 100 100 102 106 106 107 112financial poverty index 100 95 89 83 75 68 64

Benefit (> 65)share of households 100 100 96 96 95 94 94ditto real disposable income 100 100 103 109 110 111 115financial poverty index 100 100 93 88 87 85 82

Source: Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW)

The share of benefit claimants aged under 65 with a minimum income in the total number ofhouseholds fell by 29% in 1995-2001. At the same time, the real income of this group rose by 12%after 1995. The result of these two developments is that the financial poverty index fell by 36%. Theshare of benefit claimants aged over 65 fell less rapidly. By contrast, their real income rose slightlymore strongly; the result is a decrease in the financial poverty index of 18%. All these figures excludethe influence of municipal income support policy. The task for the Netherlands is to sustain thedownward trend in financial poverty.

1.3.5. Problematic debtDebts become problematic when households are unable to (continue to) meet the financialcommitments they have entered into without professional help. In recent years it has proved anythingbut simple to estimate the number of households burdened with problematic debt. Research hasshown20 that in 1997, more than 230,000 households held a highrisk of getting into debt. Theresearchers indicated that only a quarter of high-risk households are visible for policymakers. TheNetherlands therefore faces the task of obtaining a better insight into the total size of the group withproblematic debt. The infrastructure for debt assistance in the Netherlands creates good opportunitiesfor this. Virtually all municipalities have some form of debt assistance; the general social services anddebt assistance bureaus offer help and supervision in restructuring debt. These local organisationswork closely with the approximately 35 municipal credit organisations, which have traditionallymediated between debtors and creditors in devising a repayment plan and restructuring debts. Privateorganisations also offer help with debt. Apart from debt assistance in which an amicable agreement isarranged with the creditors, the Netherlands has also had a statutory route since 1998 whereby thecourts can apply debt restructuring orders. In order to protect the consumer and prevent excessiveborrowing, loans and payment arrears are recorded at the Central Credit Registration Office (BKR),which can be consulted by affiliated credit institutions.

1.4. Provisions

1.4.1. Housing

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An extensive stock of social rented homes increases the freedom of choice of the less well-off. Incomparison with the rest of Europe, the Dutch housing stock is characterised by a relatively largeshare of such dwellings:

Table 1.13 Top three EU share of social rented homes in total housing stockCountry Share of rented homes in total housing stock1. Netherlands 41%2. Denmark 27%3. United Kingdom 25%Source: The Netherlands in a European Perspective (SCP 2000)

Compared with other countries, the Dutch housing stock is relatively young and is therefore of goodquality.21 Although low-income households in the Netherlands more often live in homes of lesserquality and in less attractive neighbourhoods, the differences compared with households with anaverage income are not great. Moreover, a large majority of low-income households are satisfied withtheir accommodation.22 Within this context, the task for the Netherlands is to increase further thefreedom of choice of the less well-off on the housing market. This task extends not only to the rentedsegment, but also to the owner-occupied segment.

Housing benefit gives households with lower incomes accessed to good quality housing atacceptablehousing costs. A good indicator for the trend in housing costs is the net proportion of income spent onrent. The net income index (ninki) is another useful indicator; this shows the trend in what remains ofa household’s income after deduction of housing costs and addition of the housing benefit. Unlike thenet proportion of income spent on rent, the ‘ninki’ is less sensitive to changes in the tax system. Thetrend in the net proportion of income spent on rent and the ‘ninki’ in recent years is as follows:

Table 1.14 Trend in average net proportion of income spent on rent (‘ninki’ between brackets)Subsidy year 1996/97 Subsidy year 1997/98 Subsidy year 1998/99

Multiple-person households: total 20.0% (115.1) 18.4% (120.6) 18.5% (123.3)

Multiple-person households > 2 19.7% (111.8) 17.8% (118.1) 17.8% (120.7)

Single-person households 27.1% (73.5) 24.6% (82.0) 24.7% (83.7)

Minimum income recipients 23.2% (86.7) 20.6% (94.7) 20.7% (96.6)

Over-65s 25.4% (90.1) 22.3% (101.8) 22.4% (104.2)

Total population 23.8% (93.1) 21.7% (100.0) 21.8% (102.1)Source: housing benefit data for the periods 1996/97, 1997/98 and 1998/99

For all household types the net proportion of income spent on rent has fallen, while the ninki hasincreased. The fall in the net proportion of income spent on rent indicates that the mix of measures toreduce housing costs, in the form of rent ceilings and housing benefit, has worked out well for thevarious groups of households.

People with a physical disability or chronic illness are able to remain living independently for longerin the Netherlands as result ofspecial housing provisions(e.g. adaptation of their present home orhelp with the costs of moving), sometimes combined with tailored care provision.

Dutch legislation protects tenants against unlawfulevictionby defining very precisely the specificconditions under which a tenancy agreement may be ended by the courts (for example in the event oflarge rent arrears). If a tenant does not agree with the cancellation of a tenancy agreement by thelandlord, the landlord will have to seek to have the agreement terminated by the subdistrict court.Partly thanks to this protection, the number of evictions has remained virtually constant for years.23 Intotal, evictions were carried out in 0.28% of the approximately 6.5 million homes in the Netherlandsin 1999. In 1998 the figure was 0.27% and in 1997 0.28%. In absolute terms, there are approximately6,500 evictions each year. Most evictions are the formal result of rent arrears for which a settlementcan no longer be arranged. However, there is often more than one reason for an eviction. Given this

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situation, the Netherlands faces the task of maintaining the number of lawful evictions at its presentlow level by identifying rent arrears and psycho-social problems at an early stage and reducing theiroccurrence.

1.4.2. EducationInternationalisation, the growth of the information society and increasing economic dynamics meanthat knowledge is becoming more and more important. The increased participation in education hasled to a further rise in the educational level of the Dutch population in recent years. Unequaleducational opportunities between pupils from different social backgrounds manifest themselves rightfrom their entry into primary education. Some children already have alanguage and developmentaldisadvantagewhen they enter primary school at the age of four; this applies particularly for childrenfrom ethnic minorities. These disadvantages are difficult to make up, and form a risk forunemployment and social exclusion in later life. The number of primary schools with 70% or moredisadavantaged children is decreasing.

Table 1.15 Primary schools with 70% or more disadvantaged pupilsNumber of schools Ditto in percentages

Municipality category 1991 1995 1999 1991 1995 1999In the G424 404 335 288 61% 56% 48%In the G2125 338 203 153 33% 25% 19%In the other municipalities 871 374 155 13% 6% 3%Total 1.613 912 596 19% 12% 8%

The task facing the Netherlands is to vigorously sustain this downward trend. In addition, a number ofpupils leave school whilst still of school age and/or before having completed their education. The netdrop-out rate has however been reduced in recent years as result of measures to re-placeprematureschool-leavers:

Table 1.16 Number of premature school-leavers reported to regional reporting centres1998 1999 2000

Number of reported premature school-leavers (x 1,000) 41.2 39.4 39.9Number of re-placements (x 1,000) 14.6 16.2 18.1Net drop-out (x 1,000) 26.6 23.2 21.8Source: Regional Reporting Centre reports 1998, 1999 and 2000, Sardes analyses 2000, Participant Censuses(Ministry of Education, Culture and Science)

The task facing the Netherlands is to vigorously sustain this downward trend.

Theaccessibility of educationfor disabled and less well-off pupils is guaranteed in the Netherlandsthrough specific provisions such as study allowances, travel expenses and facilities enabling schoolsto support disabled pupils. These national provisions are partly implemented by local authorities, andpartly by a national organisation, the Information Management Group - (IB-Groep).

1.4.3. CareThe Netherlands has a wide and varied range ofprovisionsfor preventive and curative physical andmental health care and care for the disabled. In principle, the provisions are accessible to every personrequiring care. As demand exceeds supply, however, there are waiting lists for access. In addition,there is a system of youth welfare provisions, consisting of youth assistance, youth protection andyouth mental health care. In recent years efforts have been made to ensure better and more centralisedaccess to youth welfare services, mainly through the formation of Youth Welfare Bureaus in eachprovince. This enlarged provision has also lead to greater demand for care, leading to waiting listproblems.

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All residents of the Netherlands, regardless of their income, are legallyinsuredagainst ‘uninsurable’health risks and the need for long-term nursing and care. In some cases people are required to maketheir own (income-dependent) contribution towards certain provisions. There are various forms ofinsurance for ‘normal’ health risks and illnesses, obtainable both through private health insurers andthrough health insurance funds under a national system (the Dutch National Health Service.) Peopleon an average income or lower - including benefit claimants - are ‘automatically’ insured via thisservice. In 1999 9.9 million people were insured via the Dutch National Health Service, while 5.6million people had private insurance. 0.2 million people were registered as not insured. For those onminimum incomes, a wide range of compensation schemes have been created, some at municipallevel.

The various studies ofsocio-economic differencesin the access to andtake-upof healthcareprovisions show that these differences are not significantly large. Recent research (AlbedaCommittee) has however shown that the differences in health status and perceived health haveincreased in recent decades between groups of people with divergent socio-economic backgrounds.This increase is partially caused by the fact that the health of people with higher socio-economicbackgrounds has increased faster than that of people with lower socio-economic status. People with alow education level spend an average of 12 years less in good health and live an average of 3.5 yearsless than people with a higher education.26 There are three known causes for this:1. Behavioural factors, in particular smoking, excessive use of alcohol, lack of physical exercise,

obesity and low consumption of vegetables and fruit;2. Psycho-social factors;3. Material or structural factors such as a low income and/or poor working conditions and/or living in

a disadvantaged area.The task facing the Netherlands is to radically reverse the rising trend insocio-economically inducedhealth differences. Permanent attention to ensure adequate financial and geographical accessibility ofhealth care facilities is essential here.

1.4.4. ICTThe form, intensity and direction in which ICT is developing mean that the use of computers, digitalnetworks and the Internet will become an increasing part of people’s lives and work. At present 6million people have access to the Internet at home and/or at work, and 2.5 million of them log in everyday. However, Internet use is strongly correlated to age, education level and income; older people, forexample, still make relatively little use of the Internet:

Table 1.17 Internet use by different age categories

66,674,8

65,4

55,2

16,3

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55+

%

Source: Pro Active 2000

Internet use is increasing less rapidly among people on low incomes than in the higher incomebrackets. In 2000 19% of all people with an average or lower income were ‘on-line’, compared with15% in 1999. In the higher income brackets (over twice the average wage), the increase was muchgreater: from 44% in 1999 to 73% in 2000. Trends in the United States show that the disadvantage ofvulnerable groups as regards Internet use is reducing. In addition, the market is currently providing

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low prices, thus bringing physical connection to the digital highway within reach even of those on lowincomes.

The market does not yet provide accessible support for everyone when it comes to ICTskills. Thisapplies in particular for the long-term unemployed, the disabled, children of less wealthy parents,older people and the homeless. The Netherlands therefore needs to make efforts not only to promotefurther accessibility of the Internet for everyone, but also to promote the development of ICT skillsamong vulnerable groups. This will be a way of combating the formation of a digital decide insociety.

1.4.5. Public transportThe ability to be mobile is an essential condition for participation in today’s society. Public transportplays a key role in this respect. Compared with other EU member states, the Netherlands has a dense,modern public transport network. Fare increases on the railways have been below inflation in recentyears, while a moderate policy has also been pursued with regard to fare increases in urban andregional bus transport:

Table 1.18 Fare increases in public transport 1997-2001Year 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001Fare increase 2.5% 2.5% 2.5% 2% 3.89%27

Source: Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management

The task facing the Netherlands is to sustain the trend of modest fare increases in public transport.

Physical disabilities can limit people’s mobility. In order to remove barriers to participation in society,transport provisionsexist focusing on facilitating transport to work, school, doctors, hospitals andsocial activities. The ageing of the population means that the percentage of the population with severeor very severe functional limitations is likely to increase from 11.5% in 1988 to 15.9% in 2030.28 Theaccessibility of public transport for people with a physical disability must therefore be increasedfurther; generic provisions are preferred to specific provisions.

1.4.6. Provisions for newcomers and oldcomersSince 1998 allnewcomersto the Netherlands who are in danger of falling into a disadvantagedposition take part in a compulsory integration programme which includes instruction in the Dutchlanguage and way of life. This programme forms the basis for independence and integration intoDutch society. To prevent newcomers ending up in a disadvantaged position, the Netherlands needs tomake extra efforts in the area of integration programmes for eligible newcomers.

Oldcomersare immigrants who settled in the Netherlands in the 1960s, 70s and 80s. A substantial partof this group are still in a disadvantaged position; a combination of a high average level of benefitdependence, an inadequate command of the Dutch language and a generally low level of education aretypical characteristics of a significant proportion of this group. The Netherlands faces the task ofpromoting the integration of oldcomers through language education, support with bringing up childrenand health information.

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1.4.7. Legal assistanceThe less well-off can apply for subsidised legal assistance in the form of a free half-hour consultationat a Legal Assistance Bureau.29 If necessary, an addition may be prescribed for obtaining subsidisedlegal assistance, whereby the consumer pays a limited, income-related contribution to the partyproviding the legal assistance. Asylum-seekers can obtain free legal assistance through one of thethree Asylum Seekers Legal Advice Centres (SRA).

In addition, locally subsidised Social Councillors can provide help with social/legal questions. Theygive advice, provide extensive services to support members of the public in obtaining their rights andcan also refer them to other (income) provisions.

1.4.8. Provisions for the homelessHomeless people are a vulnerable group who due to a combination of problems are forced to leavetheir home situation and who are (temporarily) not able to support themselves independently. Theyare the most visible group of socially excluded individuals in society. There are no reliable figures onthe total number of homeless people in the Netherlands; the most usual estimate is between 20,000and 30,000. Currently, 74% of those using shelters for the homeless are men, and many of them havepsychological and/or addiction problems. The number of women using homeless shelters hasincreased from 5% in 1994 to 26% in 2000. The number of homeless young people aged under 18 hasincreased over the same period from 0% to 10%. It is difficult to obtain a clear picture of the total sizeof the group and the various subgroups, because many homeless people regularly move from shelter toshelter and/or municipality to municipality. The registration system of homeless shelters currentlyprovides no reliable or relevant information. The task for the Netherlands in the coming years istherefore to improve the registration of homeless people in shelters in order to be able to foster a moreeffective (national and local policy for) social integration of the homeless.

1.4.9. Provisions to combat domestic violenceMost victims of domestic violence, particularly as regards the physical and psychological forms ofdomestic violence, are aged between 10 and 25. The consequences of domestic violence on thedevelopment of children are far-reaching, even in cases where children have ‘only’ witnessed violenceagainst one of their parents. The task for the Netherlands is therefore to combat domestic violence asfar as possible, particularly where children are involved.

1.5. Vulnerable regionsThere has been a trend in recent years, particularly in the medium-sized and large cities, whereby low-income households are increasingly located in the same neighbourhoods. The spatial segregation ofhouseholds by income increased considerably in the period 1994-1998, especially in medium-sizedand large municipalities.30 The average unemployment rate in these cities has fallen in recent years toa level which approaches the national average.31 However, vulnerable groups such as nationalassistance benefit claimants and members of ethnic minorities have benefited less from this fall. Ingeneral, the risks of social exclusion in the Netherlands are greatest in disadvantaged areas in largeand medium-sized cities. Many of these areas are faced with a range of different but interrelatedproblems, such as long-term unemployment, feelings of lack of safety, ageing housing stock orbusiness premises and a low-quality living environment. The Netherlands faces the challenge ofdeveloping the recently integrated approach to this problem through the urban policy (see section2.5.1), further in the years ahead in co-operation with the cities concerned.

In contrast to cities (where poverty is largely associated with unemployment), poverty in rural areas islargely attributable to economic activities in the farming industry which have become less profitable.Research shows that around 23% of agricultural households exist at or around the subsistenceminimum.32 Ranged against the low-income group is a group with a high income: the spread inincomes in the farming industry is particularly wide. In a European context, the Netherlands is one ofthe leading countries in terms of agricultural incomes. However, in some segments of the industry - in

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particular arable farming and stock farming - income levels are likely to remain under pressure in thecoming years. It may be difficult for farmers to decide between further development or closing thebusiness. The task for the Netherlands is therefore to create a framework for the decision betweenadjustment and termination of the company.33

1.6. Policy tasks for the futureIn the light of the trends described in this chapter, the Netherlands faces the following policy tasks:• increasing theactivity rateof the long-term unemployed, ethnic minorities, women and older

people;• increasing the number ofsocial activation programmes, in particular for long-term unemployed

people who are very remote from the labour market.;• guaranteeingincome securitythrough the threefold income system (generic and specific income

policy and municipal income support policy) and optimising this system by means of specificmeasures for vulnerable groups;

• increasing theactivating operation of the social security system;• maximising theawareness of provisionsamong people on minimum income, particularly the long-

term unemployed, ethnic minorities, young people and older people;• promoting the uniform registration of alldebt assistance programmesand reducing the number of

households with problematic debts through preventive and curative measures;• building on the basis of the wide availability of good-quality, affordablehomesfor the less well-

off, and maintaining the low number of lawfulevictions;• continuing the downward trend inlearning disadvantageof vulnerable children and the falling

trend in the number ofpremature school-leavers, and fostering theaccessibility of educationfordisabled and less well-off pupils;

• vigorously turning the tide of risingsocio-economically induced health differencesand promotingpermanent attention for theaccessibility of carefor vulnerable groups;

• promoting theaccessibility of the Internetand increasingICT skillsamong the long-termunemployed, (children from) lower income groups, the disabled, older people and the homeless;

• sustaining the trend of modest fare increases in public transport and increasing theaccessibility ofpublic transportfor people with a physical disability;

• promoting the integration ofoldcomersand investing extra effort in integration programmes foreligible newcomers;

• permanently guaranteeing theaccess to legal remedyof the less well-off and asylum-seekers;• improving theregistration of homeless people in shelters, creating a cohesive local package of

provisions for the homeless and reducing the number of involuntarily homeless people, inparticular young people;

• combatingdomestic violence, particularly where children are present;• adopting an integrated approach to themultiple problems in disadvantaged areas in medium-sized

and large cities;• creating a framework for individualfarmerswho are in difficulties, to help them decide between

adapting or closing their business.34

In chapter 2 the Netherlands presents the strategy to achieve these policy aims in the years ahead.Chapter 3 presents concrete measures for this. In both chapters attention will also be focused on theway in which the Netherlands encourages co-operation between the various stakeholders in combatingpoverty and social exclusion and co-ordinates the policy on poverty. Chapter 4 looks at the monitoringand further development of indicators (see this chapter) and targets (see next chapter) relating topoverty and social exclusion.

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CHAPTER 2 STRATEGY

2.1. IntroductionThe Dutch strategy for combating poverty and social exclusion is based on four principles:1. Promotion of social participation in the form of paid employment or - where people are very

remote from the labour market - by means of social activation (see section 2.2);2. Guaranteeingsecurity of incomefor people who are not able to support themselves independently.

This guarantee is put into practice in a balanced, threefold system of income provisions (seesection 2.3);

3. Promotion ofaccessibility of provisionsin the areas of housing, education, care, ICT, publictransport, legal assistance, integration, care for the homeless and ‘solidarity within the family’.This further reduces the risks of poverty and social exclusion (see section 2.4);

4. Encouraging active input by and close co-operation between allstakeholdersin combating povertyand social exclusion. To ensure the success of the comprehensive approach to poverty and socialexclusion, the Government encourages (a) partnership between the various public authorities andcommunity organisations involved; (b) involvement of (organisations of) vulnerable groups; and(c) socially responsible business (see section 2.5).

The policy on poverty is directed primarily towards combating a long-term lack of future prospectsfor vulnerable individuals, households and groups. In elaborating this policy, the Government givespriority to preventive measures above curative measures. Given the multi-dimensional nature ofpoverty and social exclusion, the Government encourages measures which are based around anintegrated approach. This applies in particular for approaches which take the needs of the citizen as astarting point, rather than the available provisions. Where vulnerable groups can be reached moreeffectively, this method of working will be given an additional boost in the years ahead. Initiatives bymembers of the public which reinforce the social cohesion of the community need to be vigorouslysupported.

Each of the four principles of the Dutch strategy is discussed in more detail below; in each case, anindication is given of which targets - quantified where possible - the Government has set for thecoming years with regard to combating poverty and social exclusion. It is important to realise thatusing quantified targets is a new phenomenon in Dutch policy on poverty. A process is currently infull swing in the Netherlands aimed at making visible the effects of elements of national policy, aspart of a programme initiated in 2000, ‘From policy budgeting to policy accountability’ (‘VanBeleidsbegroting tot beleidsverantwoording’). The targets included in this first NAP can play a keyrole in this national process. The next NAP (2003) will report on the experiences gained in achievingthe targets. The selection and formulation of the targets is based on the priorities of Dutch policy onpoverty as mentioned above, as well as on the consideration that striking a balance between ambitionand reality has a motivating effect in the realisation of the targets by all concerned. Local authoritiesand intermediary organisations have a key role to play in meeting targets on the various fronts. In2001 the Government will therefore intensify its consultations with the various stakeholders with aview to securing optimum achievement of the targets. The next NAP (2003) will report on theexperiences gained with this approach. Before then, when the national budget 2003 is submitted inSeptember 2002, an indication will be given of how successful the Netherlands has been in achievingthe targets referred to. By embedding the actual trend in poverty and social exclusion in themainstream budgeting process in this way (following on from ‘From policy budgeting to policyaccountability’), permanent monitoring of poverty and social exclusion is assured. As regards theevaluation of the results obtained, it will be clear that the relationship between means and ends issometimes a complex one: in addition to effects of policy, exogenous factors can also play a role, inparticular the development of the economy.

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2.2 Social participation

2.2.1. Participation in the labour processThe favourable economic climate has meant that the opportunities for helping (long-term)unemployed people into the labour market have steadily increased in recent years. The Governmentbelieves that, for people who are able to work, paid employment offers the best means of escapingfrom poverty and social exclusion: it provides income, social contacts, independence, resilience andopportunities for development. The Government’s policy tasks with regard to employment are asfollows:• To bring about a structural reduction in (long-term) benefit dependency;• To increase the activity rate of older people, women,35 ethnic minorities36 and the low-skilled;• To bring about a structural increase in the quality of the available work;• To support the modernisation of working patterns.In line with European agreements, the Government has set concrete targets for the achievement ofthese tasks:

Table 2.1. Targets on employmentTopic/target group TargetLabour marketparticipation in general

The Netherlands wishes to increase the activity rate further in order to become one ofthe leading group in the EU37

Women Increasing the activity rate to 65% by 2010Benefit claimants - Local authorities will make efforts to achieve a comprehensive approach for new

benefit claimants in 2001- Local authorities will make efforts to screen existing ranks of unemployed no laterthan the end of 2002, and if possible contiguously offer a programme- At least two-thirds of municipalities will have set up the working processes in 2003for a comprehensive reintegration chain, also aimed at non-benefit claimants-The integrated approach of the comprehensive chain, combating fraud andderegulation will be used as a means of bringing about a macro-fall in the number ofbenefit claimants of around 10% per annum

Ethnic minorities Halving the unemployment rate differential by 2002Older people (55-64 yr) Increasing the activity rate by 0.75 percentage points per annumQualifications of labourforce

Bringing the number of people aged 25-64 participating in some form of (adult)education - whether or not related to a specific occupation or employment - as closeas possible to the level of the two best-performing EU member states.

2.2.2. Social activationThe Government has pursued a special policy since 1996 aimed at long-term unemployed people whofall under the responsibility of local authorities and who are sufficiently remote from the labourmarket that there is currently no prospect of them leaving the benefit system and moving intomainstream or subsidised employment. The Government believes that this vulnerable group must notbe allowed to become socially isolated, and has therefore set itself the goal of creating the conditionsfor social participation by this group through social activation programmes. These programmesencourage people to take part in voluntary work or other activities which are useful to the community;this reinstates a work routine and boosts the participants’ social skills. Individually targeted activitiescreate new perspectives and enable talents to be developed further. Social activation can also make apositive contribution to the liveability of neighbourhoods and districts.

Based on experiences gained in recent years, which without exception are positive,38 the Netherlandshas now set itself the goal of further developing the policy pursued to date. The target group reach isgood: in total 10,000 participants took part in the first experiments, and in mid-1999 6,300participants were engaged in social activation programmes. Of the 3,700 participants who had left theexperiments, more than half went on to paid employment, a follow-up programme, training or regularvoluntary work. The participants feel more appreciated in the community, have the feeling that theycount more, have developed more self-confidence and confidence in the future, and feel less lonely.

17

Two-thirds of the participants stated that they would like to be in paid employment. A recentevaluation showed that 35% of the participants went on to paid work, an unexpectedly high score. Inthe years ahead the Government will reinforce the dual function of social activation - preventingsocial isolation and increasing people’s perspectives. The number of long-term unemployed peoplefalling under the responsibility of local authorities and who are reached by social activationprogrammes will be increased through recently made administrative agreements between centralgovernment and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) as part of the ‘Agenda for thefuture’. Steps will be taken to determine whether social activation could also be a feasible option forpeople with an employment disability.

Table 2.2 Targets on social activationTopic/target group TargetLong-term unemployed - Local authorities will make efforts to achieve a comprehensive approach for new

benefit claimants in 2001- Local authorities will make efforts to screen existing ranks of unemployed no laterthan the end of 2002, and if possible contiguously offer a programme- At least two-thirds of municipalities will have set up the working processes in2003 for a comprehensive reintegration chain, also aimed at non-benefit claimants- People who are very remote from the labour market will be offered a socialactivation programme

People with anemployment disability

Steps will be taken to determine whether social activation could also be a feasibleoption for people with an employment disability

Social activationinstruments

Promotion of optimum deployment of social activation by local authorities,including through dissemination of successful approaches and methods

2.2.3. Participation in voluntary workVoluntary work is an expression of solidarity and involvement, as the opposites of social exclusion. In2001, the UN International Year of Volunteers, the Government again underlines its greatappreciation of voluntary work. The government facilitates voluntary work by creating the conditionsfor voluntary work in general and social activation in particular.

2.3. Income guaranteeSocial protection systems need to be set up in such a way that they help ensure that people who areunable to support themselves independently are assured of a guaranteed income. This gives them thenecessary means to live in dignity. It is important that members of the public are aware of the variousschemes and that the administrative thresholds are no higher than is strictly necessary to enable themto be implemented fairly.

2.3.1. Income policyIncome policy in the Netherlands is pursued by the government on three fronts: through genericincome policy, specific income policy and municipal income support policy.

An important principle of thegeneric income policyis that the minimum wage and social securitybenefits are increased each year in line with the general trend in pay. This enables households whichare forced to rely on a minimum income to participate in the general increase in prosperity. Thisstatutory linkage39 is conditional on modest pay trends and a good balance between the number ofsocial security benefit claimants and the number of people in work.40 In addition, when setting theannual tax and social insurance premium rates, allowance is made for the impact on the incomedevelopment of the various groups, particularly people living at or around the subsistence minimum.Changes in the system of premium and tax levies, combined with an adjustment of the rates, areintended to counter undesirable trends in purchasing power as far as possible. In recent years thistargeted method has been used with success to improve the purchasing power of older people inparticular. In addition to the general measures in the form of the subsistence minimum,specificschemesprovide additional income support for groups facing specific costs, particularly in relation to

18

housing, children and disability or chronic illness.Local authoritieshave also been given a key role;they are expected to tailor their income support and activation measures specifically to individual andlocal circumstances (‘customisation’).

The Government believes that this threefold approach provides the right basis for its income policy,and therefore intends to continue pursuing this policy from that basis in the years ahead. On the onehand the policy contributes to maintaining employment, while on the other offering an adequate andindividualised income guarantee, thus maintaining the purchasing power of people on a minimumincome.

At the same time, the Government places the activating effect of its income policy high on the agenda.Where the individual concerned has the opportunity to accept full or part-time work or to participatein a social activation programme, the Government is prepared to provide financial incentives toencourage them to do so. Where these opportunities are not present, the Government is willing tooffer supplementary income support to people who have lived on a minimum income for a longperiod. To this end, the Government will continue to seek to make working more attractive by meansof fiscal measures. The recently introduced premium (NLG 4,000/EUR 1,818) which is payable whena person accepts work following a period of long-term unemployment is another way of achievingthis. The Government is also investigating the possibility of making part-time work financially moreattractive for single parents. The Government considers it vital to combat the poverty trap. This traparises when people transfer from a benefit situation to employment, and takes the form of a drop inincome caused by the loss or reduction of specific and/or municipal income support. The Governmentmaintains the principle that combating the poverty trap must not have a negative impact on thepurchasing power of people on a minimum income, and to this end introduced the aforementionedpremium payable on acceptance of employment. A scheme will also be implemented relating to theincome position of people who have existed on a minimum income for a long period.41 Administrativeagreements will be made with local authorities on reducing the volume of national assistance benefits.

An important instrument aimed at self-employed people is the payment - unique in Europe - ofassistance for maintenance and/or business capital to those who are unable to continue their businesswithout financial support from the government (depending on the equity in the business, theassistance may take the form of a gift or a loan). More than three-quarters of these self-employedpeople are able to continue their business with this support.

Table 2.3 Targets on income guaranteesTopic/target group TargetCoverage of theminimum income

Maintain coverage in full (100%)

Minimum income Link benefits to the general pay trend on the basis of the Conditional Indexation Act(WKA)

Activating effect ofsocial security

Increase the activating effect of social security by increasing the improvement inincome on acceptance of work (reducing the poverty trap)

2.3.2. Take-up of schemesIt is essential that vulnerable groups should be aware of the relevant income provisions. The wide andpositive experiences gained in the Netherlands in recent years in combating non-take-up show thatclose interaction between central government, the other public authorities and the implementingorganisations in the field of legislation, regulations and implementation is essential. Public authoritiesare increasingly taking the demands of the citizen as the starting point rather than the - often overlynarrow - range of provisions available. This demand-led approach is intended to increase still furtherthe public awareness of the various schemes. Actively approaching benefit claimants, with thequalities of those benefit claimants being the central focus, also plays a key role in preventing abuseand improper use of provisions. This is also important in ensuring that public support for theseprovisions is maintained.

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Table 2.4 Targets on take-up of income schemesTopic/target group TargetFamiliarity Familiarity with income schemes needs to be maximised

2.3.3. Problematic debtsAn integral approach needs to be taken to tackling problematic debts based on close co-operationbetween all concerned, in particular the social services, social workers, debt assistance organisationsand credit institutions. In seeking to prevent problematic debt, special attention needs to be given torisk groups such as young people, ethnic minorities, self-employed people with small businesses andthe homeless. In the first instance the Netherlands has set itself the target of achieving a uniformregistration of all debt assistance programmes in 2003. In 2005 the number of problematic debts musthave been reduced by 10% through preventive and curative measures.

Table 2.5 Targets on problematic debtTopic/target group TargetNumber of problematicdebts

- uniform registration in 2003 of all debt assistance programmes- 10% reduction in the number of problematic debts in 2005

2.4. ProvisionsIn addition to policy regarding work and income, provisions in the fields of housing, education, care,ICT, public transport, legal assistance, integration, care for the homeless and ‘solidarity within thefamily’ are essential for combating the risks of poverty and social exclusion.

2.4.1 HousingIn order to provide support in the area of housing for people in a financially vulnerable position, theGovernment pursues a targeted policy of promotingfreedom of choicefor people looking for a homeand of ensuringacceptable housing costs. Local authorities have a range of instruments at theirdisposal for this, such as housing benefit, purchasing subsidies, rent policy and controlling theavailability of affordable homes. These instruments also contribute to increasing the quality ofneighbourhoods and districts.

The Government regards it as essential that older people and the disabled, in particular, should be ableto continue living independently for as long as possible. Adaptation of the home or (premiums for)moving to an adapted home can enable older and disabled people to retain their independence forlonger. The less well-off can count on financial support from the government here.

The Government policy is aimed at minimising the number of lawful evictions by preventing andcombating problematic debt and through early identification of rent arrears and psycho-socialproblems.

Table 2.6 Targets on housingTopic/target group TargetShare of net rent costs in net income Trend is monitored each yearNet income after payment of basic rent Trend is monitored each yearLawful evictions Prevent through measures targeting debts and psycho-

social problems

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2.4.2. EducationThe Netherlands is committed to the optimum development of all pupils’ talents through increased co-operation between all stakeholders. The educational opportunities of children must be increased by:• countering the negative effects of social, economic and cultural conditions on learning and

development opportunities through early identification of learning and developmentaldisadvantage and the deployment of specific programmes in this area;

• pursuing an educational opportunities policy, comprising a school-specific approach and a broadaction programme for all schools with 70% or more disadvantaged pupils;

• combating premature school drop-out through adequate registration and special action plans;• guaranteeing the accessibility of education by removing financial thresholds for less well-off

(parents of) pupils;• guaranteeing the accessibility of education for disabled pupils by providing customised education

and travel facilities.Adults are also an important target group of the education policy. The Government is seeking toreduce adult illiteracy by 10% in 2003 through mainstream education, adult education and publicitycampaigns. For working people, the Government has formulated an objective whereby the share of thepopulation aged between 25 and 64 who participate in some form of training (related to theiroccupation/work or not) comes as close as possible to that of the two best-performing EU memberstates.42

An unsafe climate in or around the schoolcan lead to exclusion and thus to a ‘false start’. Safety istherefore being given more and more attention within schools.43 The national policy is gearedprimarily to creating the conditions for a safe school climate for both pupils and teachers, andperiodically testing school safety. Close co-operation with all stakeholders at local level (police andsocial workers) is indispensable for the creation of a safe school climate.

Table 2.7 Targets on educationTopic/target group TargetsChildren with majorlearningdisadvantages44

Reduce these learning disadvantages from 2 to 1.5 years in 2006

Premature school-leavers

Halve the number of premature school-leavers by 2010

Accessibility ofeducation

Guarantee the accessibility of education for less well-off and disabled pupils

Illiteracy Reduce the number of illiterate people aged 18 or over by 10% in 2003Training of people inwork

Bring the number of people aged between 25 and 64 who participate in some formof training (related to their occupation/work or not) as close as possible to the levelof the two best-performing EU member states.

Safety at school Optimise school safety

2.4.3. CareThe Government has set itself the goal of promoting the accessibility of care using existing provisions(see section 1.4.3) plus extra measures for people of ethnic origin requiring care. In addition, policyfocuses on improving the health of people in lower socio-economic groups, through an overallapproach, concerning health care, as well as education, work and housing.

Through the youth welfare services, a wide range of specialist provisions needs to be created forchildren and parents with (severe) developmental and upbringing problems. Both voluntary help andcompulsory intervention in the interests of the young persons concerned (youth protection) should bepossible in this context. In 1999 an average of 2,000 young people were waiting for longer than 30days for youth welfare services. These waiting lists will be reduced through (a) performanceagreements with the youth welfare organisations; (b) improved registration; and (c) independentresearch into the causes and backgrounds of the differences between provinces.

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Table 2.8 Targets on careTopic/target group TargetsInsurance againstexceptional medicalexpenses

Maintain coverage in full (100%)

Socio-economicallyinduced healthdifferences

Increase the number of healthy years of life of people with a low socio-economic status by 25% in 2020

Youth welfare Reduce waiting lists in (youth) care services

2.4.4. ICTIn order to counter the digital divide, the government pursues a mix of policies aimed at promotingaccess to the Internet, increasing ICT knowledge and skills, responding effectively to the possibilitiesand limitations of new technology for vulnerable groups and making government provisions availableto members of the public via the Internet. This approach is in line with the strategy chosen in theaction planeEurope 2002(adopted in June 2000 in Feira (Portugal)).

Table 2.9 Targets on ICTTopic/target group TargetEducation All education establishments are connected to the Internet in 2001Libraries All public libraries are connected to the Internet in 2001Government services - All municipal services are on the Internet in 2002

- 25% of municipal services are provided electronically in 2002

2.4.5. Public transportIn principle, railway companies are free to fix their own fairs. Agreements have been made withDutch Railways (NS) to allow limited fare increases on the core network. The fairs for regional railtransport and for urban and regional bus transport are the responsibility of decentralised authorities; ingeneral, these take the average increase in wages and prices as a guideline. A policy of objectives andmeasures imposed by central government would not fit well with the decentralisation of powers.

For people with a physical disability, an accessible public transport system is an essential condition ifthey are to be able to participate in society. The Government’s accessibility policy with respect totransport is characterised by a twin-pronged approach: urban and regional bus transport must be fullyaccessible in 2010, rail transport by 2030. It must be borne in mind here that there will always bepeople who, because of the nature of their disability, can never be helped sufficiently by accessiblepublic transport. Specific provision will have to be made for these people. As a result of thesemeasures, the percentage of the population who are not able to make independent use of trains(11.4%) or buses/trams (13.5%) is likely to have reduced to 7.2% and 8.7%, respectively, in 2030.

Table 2.10 Targets on public transportTopic/target group TargetRail fares Fare increases depend on transport performance deliveredUrban and regional busfares

Moderate fare increases

Accessibility of urban andregional bus transport

100% in 2010

Accessibility of railtransport

100% in 2030

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2.4.6. Provisions for newcomers and oldcomersThe Government has set itself the goal of offering every eligiblenewcomeran integration programme.As part of the comprehensive approach to employment, all unemployedoldcomerswill be offered anappropriate programme which where possible will seek to help them into the jobs market. Forunemployed people for whomdirect preparation for the labour market is not the most appropriateoption, another suitable programme will be offered, in the first instance geared to social activation.Language courses will also need to be offered as part of the reintegration programme where aninadequate command of the Dutch language presents an obstacle to entering the labour market. Aprogramme for parents will aim to combine language acquisition with support in bringing up childrenand information on upbringing, education and health.

Table 2.12 Targets on newcomers and oldcomersTopic/target group TargetNewcomers Every eligible newcomer will be offered an integration programme45

Unemployed oldcomers Every unemployed oldcomer will be offered a suitable programme (seetable 2.1 and 2.2)

Parents among oldcomers Every eligible parent will be offered a programme consisting of a course in theDutch language plus information on upbringing, education and health

2.4.7. Legal assistanceCitizens must be able to obtain the expert legal assistance they require in order to obtain their rights.The emergence of a ‘legal vacuum’ anywhere in society must be avoided. Preventive policy andsubsidised legal assistance should be used as a means of preventing people being put off by financialreasons from seeking a legal resolution to conflicts.

Table 2.13 Targets on legal assistanceTopic/target group TargetAccessibility of the law The accessibility of the law for the less well-off and asylum-seekers must be

guaranteed

2.4.8. Provisions for the homelessThe Government is seeking to achieve a cohesive local package of provisions relating to:• prevention:preventing vulnerable people from ‘falling through the net’ and preventing repetition

or recidivism which causes people to return to shelter facilities• asylum/shelters: providing a hot bath, bed and food;• enforcement: preventing people from becoming ever more dependent and providing guidance,

support and help to people to enable them to function at their own level;• recovery: all activities which promote people’s ability to live independently and which restore

people to some level of independent functioning in the community.In addition the Government is making efforts to promote the gathering of reliable data on homelesspeople who use shelters, and to reduce the number of involuntarily homeless people, in particularyoung people.

Table 2.14 Targets on the homelessTopic/target group TargetMonitoring of homelesspeople in shelters

Comprehensive monitoring in 2006 of homeless people in shelters, based on anumber of objective key indicators

Provisions Create a cohesive local packageInvoluntarily homelesspeople

Reduce the number of involuntarily homeless people, particularly the young

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2.4.9. Provisions to combat domestic violenceThe Government is seeking to tackle domestic violence on a national level through a national networkof Child Abuse Advisory and Reporting Centres plus a series of national projects/pilots. Preventingand combating child abuse is a particular focus of attention. Private initiatives against domesticviolence also play a role in this approach.46

Table 2.15 Targets on domestic violenceTopic/target group TargetDomestic violence Reduce domestic violence by tackling child abuse and other forms of domestic

violence

2.5. Active input by and close co-operation between stakeholdersIn order to ensure the success of the comprehensive approach to tackling poverty and social exclusion,the Government encourages (1) partnership between the various public authorities and communityorganisations involved; (2) involvement of (organisations of) vulnerable groups; and (3) sociallyresponsible business.

2.5.1. Partnership between the public authorities and community organisations involvedSeveral public authorities and community organisations have worked together for a long time intackling poverty and social exclusion. Since the publication of the policy document ‘The other face ofthe Netherlands’ (‘De andere kant van Nederland’) in 1995, the Minister of Social Affairs andEmployment has come forward as the co-ordinating Minister in this field.47 Annual progress reportsare published by an interdepartmental working group to chart the progress of the various actions andmeasures taken.48 The same working group compiled this National Action Plan, supported by advicefrom the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and the Social and Cultural PlanningOffice (SCP). The social partners and community organisations were also involved (see Introduction).

Safeguarding and strengthening social cohesion in society demands coherence of policy andimplementation. To this end, local authorities develop policy and implementation techniques invarious fields, geared to local circumstances. The national government provides financial resourcesand sets the parameters through legislation and regulations. A new form of co-operation launched in1999 between central government and medium-sized and large cities as part of the urban policydemands special mention here. The aim is to prevent social divisions along socio-economic, ethnicand community lines by means of an integrated, interactive and innovative approach. Economic,social and physical policy domains are approached simultaneously and in mutual correlation, with aparticular focus on the often multiple problems facing disadvantaged areas in these cities. The resultsof urban policy must have an impact both on the city as a whole (the complete city) and on thedistricts and neighbourhoods which are in the greatest need. The ‘Urban Policy Monitor’ (2000)demonstrates that steps are being taken in the right direction in these neighbourhoods, which areshowing above-average improvements in the areas of liveability, safety and unemployment. 30medium-sized and large cities have formulated measurable targets in 2001, which are gearedcompletely to their own needs and level of ambition (see Annex 4 for the measurable targets set bythe city of Haarlem):

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Table 2.16 Targets on urban policyTopic/target group TargetUnemployment Reduce (structural) unemployment and promote an increase in the number of jobs in

the city and designated neighbourhoodsEconomic position - Strengthen the economic competitiveness of the city

- Improve the match between education and labour market in the city and designatedneighbourhoods

Urban residentialsettings

Strengthen the position of urban residential settings in the regional labour market

Liveability Improve the living environment/liveability, particularly in the designatedneighbourhoods

Accessibility Increase the accessibility of economic activitiesSafety Improve safety, including at schoolsVulnerable groups Strengthen the social infrastructure (social participation and policy on vulnerable

groups) in designated neighbourhoodsVulnerableneighbourhoods

Improve the self-restorative capacity of vulnerable neighbourhoods

2.5.2. Involvement of (organisations of) vulnerable groupsThe Netherlands has wide experience in involving (organisations of) vulnerable groups in policypreparation and implementation. From this year, representatives of the ‘Alliance for Social Justice’ -consisting of representatives of benefit claimants, churches, humanists and trade unions - hold twice-yearly talks with the government and administrators of municipalities and provinces on combatingpoverty and preventing social exclusion. In the area of national assistance, all local authorities havenow put in place some form of client participation structure. Within the social security sector and inother areas of government service-provision, growing efforts are being made to involve thestakeholders. For example, tenants’ associations have since 1998 had a statutory right to receiveinformation from landlords on their letting and allocation policy as well as on general provisions fromthe tenancy agreement and on the rents policy. The Netherlands attaches a great deal of importance topermanent input from stakeholders in policy formation and implementation. The opportunities for co-operation in the field of national assistance and housing must be maintained, while in other areasefforts must be redoubled.

Table 2.17 Targets on involving stakeholdersTopic/target group TargetBenefit claimants, churches,humanists and trade unions

Twice-yearly consultations between the ‘Alliance for Social Justice’ andthe public authorities

Benefit claimants Maintain opportunities for client participation in all municipalitiesTenants Maintain right to information from large landlordsPeople with physical disabilities In 2002 all municipalities involve the target group of the Services for the

Disabled Act in policy amendments and implementation (1999: 95%)The homeless Increase the input in shelters from 33% (1999) to 50% in 2003

2.5.3. Social responsibility of companiesCompanies are showing an increasingly willingness to invest in the local environment in which theyoperate. Sometimes companies facilitate voluntary work by their employees, something whichimproves the motivation of the employees concerned and promotes social cohesion in thecommunity.49 The Government welcomes this development. The combination of individual initiativeand diversity has led the Government to opt for an approach which facilitates ‘customisation’:bringing parties together, developing and disseminating knowledge and promoting transparency. Atlocal level, municipalities can encourage co-operative alliances between members of the public,companies and community organisations.

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CHAPTER 3: MEASURES

3.1. IntroductionIn order to achieve the aims formulated in the last chapter with respect to combating poverty andsocial exclusion, the Netherlands employs a wide range of measures.

3.2. Social participation

3.2.1. Participation in the labour processThe Government pursues a mix of policies in order to achieve its policy aims in the area ofemployment:• Investment in the economy: ensuring the sustainability of government finances and investing in the

economic structure promotes growth in employment and productivity. Concrete measures in thiscontext include:

� Making the tax system ‘employment-friendly’. On 1 January 2001 a new tax system cameinto operation, containing measures that make work a more attractive option.50

� A range of policy measures aimed at strengthening the economic structure,including extrainvestments in education and knowledge, strengthening the economic structure through theintroduction of market forces and innovation51 and measures to promote accessibility andmobility in the ‘Randstad’ (the densely populated urban region in the west of theNetherlands containing the four major cities Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague andUtrecht).

• Encouraging participation in employment to promote people’s independence and broaden thefinancial basis for funding public provisions. The following are the main actions here:

� Social activation policy. Various Government measures are aimed at activating theuntapped labour potential in society. These measures vary from providing incentives in thetax and benefit systems (tackling the poverty trap) to extending the comprehensiveapproach aimed at the existing ranks of long-term unemployed.52

� Promoting the participation of specific groups in employment.In March 2000 Governmentadopted a raft of measures designed to make it attractive for older people to continueworking for longer.53 The Government continues to invest in policy aimed at increasing theparticipation of women, for example by making it easier to combine paid work with caretasks.54 The Government is also making efforts to reduce unemployment among ethnicminorities. To this end an action plan was presented to the Government in June 2000, inwhich a large number of measures were announced.55 The labour market position of thelow-skilled is also something which demands continuous government attention. Thegovernment has introduced concrete measures aimed at promoting the labour marketparticipation of these groups.56

� Promoting permanent employment.The Government wishes to prevent early departurefrom the labour market by encouraging a switch from early retirement to ‘pre-retirement’,and to prevent or reduce drop-out by devoting extra attention to the operation of financialincentives, strengthening the preventive measures and applying a more effective benefitsaccess selection.57

� Improving the operation of the reintegration market.In setting out the proposed review ofthe social security system, in the form of the Employment Services and Social SecurityImplementation Structure (SUWI), the Government is seeking to achieve a more efficientimplementation of its reintegration policy.58

• New social agenda: The Government wishes to work together with employers’ and employees’representatives (the ‘social partners’) in the coming years to develop a new social agenda for thefuture, in which the emphasis will be on quality, flexibility and customisation. Talks were heldwith the social partners in the autumn of 2000 on the following topics:

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� Investment in training and (vocational) education.Together with the social partners, theGovernment is working on a strategy directed towards investments in the quality of work,training and a good personnel and recruitment policy.59

� Modernisation of the pay policy.The social partners and the government have jointlyrecommended that more emphasis be placed on collective result-dependent pay systemswhich are linked to developments in the economy.

• Government policy is aimed at modernising labour relations.60 Among the measures being taken inorder to achieve greater diversity in combinations of work, learning, care and leisure time, theaccess to childcare facilities is being improved and new leave arrangements are being developedand combined. This will enable the interests of employers (production time) and employees(combining work and care tasks) to be matched more effectively. This will also without doubtbenefit single mothers living on benefit. In 2001 agreement will be made with local authorities toprovide support to all single parents in the form of an appropriate package consisting of (part-time)employment, training, social activation, a care programme, or a combination of all of these, ifnecessary incorporating childcare facilities.

3.2.2. Social activation61

The Netherlands is also taking measures to reach more long-term unemployed people who are veryremote from the labour market, viasocial activation programmes:• In 2000 the government set up a temporary national Information and Service Point for Social

Activation (ISSA) to support the development and implementation of social activation policy atlocal and regional level. ISSA also establishes a link between policy development andimplementation. In order to accentuate the importance of support for social activation by localauthorities, ISSA’s existence is to be extended for a further year, until 31 December 2002.

• The ‘Social activation incentive scheme’ came into force in early 2000; this scheme is designed tointensify local authority policy on social activation. 448 municipalities received total subsidies ofmore than NLG 39 million (EUR 17.7 million). The activities for which subsidies have beengranted must be completed before 1 July 2002. The incentive scheme is expected to give a strongboost to the embedding of social activation in the ‘structural’ policy of local authorities.

• With effect from 1 June 2001 local authorities have the power to grant temporary exemption fromthe compulsory job application duty to benefit claimants who participate in social activationactivities. This will enable participants to devote their attention fully to the social activationprogrammes. This measure is expected to have a motivating effect on potential participants.

• Within the context of the ‘Agenda for the future’, performance agreements have been negotiated in2001 with the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) regarding the provision of socialactivation programmes. The aim is to achieve a comprehensive approach in which everyone who isin receipt of national assistance benefit has the prospect of being able to participate.

• A special scheme has been in existence since 1996 for single parents who enter training or areintegration programme, or who wish to begin working: the ‘General and out-of-school childcarescheme for single parents on benefit’ (KOA). Research into the take-up of this scheme62 shows thatit is being utilised more and more intensively. The increase in the KOA budget as of 1 January2000 opened up the scheme for under-age single parents and single parents participating in socialactivation programmes.

3.2.3. Participation in voluntary work 63

The government facilitates voluntary work by creating the right conditions and supporting voluntarywork and social activation at local and regional level:• Local authorities subsidise the activities of voluntary organisations and other organisations

working with volunteers, on the basis of the Welfare Act. They may also subsidise professionalorganisations, such as socio-cultural workers, to enable them to offer facilities to theseorganisations such as accommodation, professional and administrative support, etc. In 2001 anational committee will be installed to support local authorities in developing and strengtheningtheir policy on volunteers.

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• In order to encourage participation in voluntary activities, the National Assistance Act wasamended from 1 January 1999 so that, provided they do not exceed a certain maximum, premiumspaid for the performance of voluntary work will not affect the volunteer’s national assistancebenefit. In addition, volunteers may be paid a tax-free fixed reimbursement for expenses. Since 1January 2001, this payment amounts to NLG 1,980 (EUR 900) per annum.

• During the World Conference in Amsterdam in January 2001 the United Nations heralded the year2001 as the International Year of Volunteers. The aim is to encourage voluntary work byincreasing society’s appreciation of voluntary work and to encourage new groups to take part in it.A number of national events are taking place on this theme in the Netherlands this year. Otheractions include a TV series on voluntary work, an ideas fair for innovations in voluntary work, apostage stamp campaign, a poster campaign, a recruitment day a for volunteers and a closing eventduring International Volunteers Day on 7 December 2001. Local committees will be responsiblefor activities in several municipalities.

3.3. Income guarantee

3.3.1. Income policyFor people who are unable to support themselves independently, security of income is guaranteedthrough generic, specific and municipal income policy measures:• Generic income policy:

� As a result of the overhaul of the Dutch tax system in 2001, the purchasing power ofhouseholds with a minimum income has improved further.64.For families with children anextra improvement in purchasing power has been achieved through the introduction of the(supplementary) child discount from 2001.

� In addition, the introduction of the employment discount (for all people in work) and thecombination discount (for all working people with children) provide a furtherimprovement in the income of working people on low incomes. The combination discountmeets the additional costs families with children have to incur if the parents go out towork.

� In accordance with the principles of the Conditional Indexation Act, social securitybenefits and the minimum wage will be linked to the average trend in wages.

• Specific income policy:� For the Government period 1990-2002, additional resources have been set aside for

specific income support measures. These include extra resources for housing benefit (NLG125 million/EUR 56.8 million), provisions for the disabled and chronically ill (NLG 225million/EUR 102.3 million) and assistance with study fees (NLG 250 million/EUR 113.8million). In putting these measures into practice, poverty trap effects will be avoided as faras possible.

� An interdepartmental working group is currently studying the income position of thechronically ill and disabled. The results of this study is to be expected in June 2001.

� A high proportion of separated single mothers live on national assistance benefit onaccount of the continuation of the traditional division of tasks between breadwinner andhousewife which existed before the separation. As a result, single mothers often have amuch lower earning capacity than the former (main) breadwinner. The question iscurrently being studied of whether better compliance by former breadwinners with theirmaintenance obligations towards their children prevents poverty in these children andhelps the single parent to leave the benefit system more rapidly via a part-time job.Concrete proposals in this area are expected in the middle of the summer 2001.

• Municipal income support policy:� Municipal income support policy uses a wide variety of instruments, such as special

assistance, exemption from local levies, discounts on cultural activities and variousspecific allowances. In addition many municipalities operate a policy of premium

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payments for training, voluntary work or part-time work. To activate these measures, anadditional NLG 400 million (EUR 182 million) has been made available for the period1998-2002, taking the total amount being spent on special assistance and combatingpoverty in 2002 to NLG 830 million:

Table 3.1 Total amount in the Municipal Fund for special assistance and combating poverty (x NLG million)

Year Addition to Municipal Fund Total budget,excl. Increase65

Total budget, incl. increase

1998 250 680 7391999 100 780 8812000 066 780 9302001 25 805 9812002 25 830 not yet knownSource: Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations

� In 2001 the government and local authorities are looking to create a new framework formunicipal income support policy. Improving the effectiveness of this policy without thisinterfering with the activation policy is an important element in the dialogue betweennational and local government. Defining the boundaries between generic (government)policy and specific municipal policy is also a topic of discussion, as well as reducing thepoverty trap.67

� Special assistance is related to the Social Services/National Assistance and Care clusters inthe Municipal Fund. The administrators of the Fund have developed a maintenanceconcept which gears the distribution of the Municipal Fund to differences betweenmunicipal needs. One current development here is a study of the possible restructuring ofmunicipal tasks across the two clusters, possibly followed by a redistribution of fundsamong municipalities.

3.3.2. Take-up of schemesLocal authorities are increasingly promoting the take-up of (income) provisions through activeinformation provision and adaptation of the public service-provision68

• Active information provision� The focus of active information provision is often a specific group (the elderly, ethnic

minorities, young people, the homeless). The aim is to reach both benefit claimants andnon-claimants. To ensure the success of this approach, local authorities often involve(organisations of) vulnerable groups in policy amendments and implementation.

� Local authorities take initiatives aimed at specific neighbourhoods. Specially trainedteams go into an area and go from house to house drawing people’s attention to the variousincome support and activation provisions.69

• Adaptation of public service-provision� Municipal public services are increasingly being tailored to the needs of the citizen.

Contact points are staffed by generalists who can offer help in a range of areas.With effect from 2002, the employment and income guarantee services provided in the new Centresfor Work and Income (CWI) will as far as possible be divided into a desk for members of public and adesk for companies.The Government is taking the following actions to stimulate the take-up of provisions:• The recently launched ‘EOS’ programme is designed to increase the take-up of housing benefit by

modernising the agency responsible for implementing the scheme.70

• In 2000 the government initiated pilot projects involving the setting up of ‘Care and Welfare’ and’Social Axis’ desks. These two desks are designed to provide integrated information and servicesto members of the public in the areas of ‘care and welfare’ and ‘poverty and social exclusion’.They not only provide information on government agencies and services, but also information andservices from other public institutions.71

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3.3.3 Problematic debtsThe Government is taking the following measures aimed at combating and preventing problematicdebts:• A Monitor will be set up in the next few years to compile an inventory of all available debt

assistance schemes. The Government will also commission periodic studies of problematic debtand the demand for debt assistance. The Government will consult on this issue with localauthorities, municipal credit organisations, intermediary organisations and research institutes.

• The Debt Repayment (Natural Persons) Act was recently evaluated72. In the autumn of 2001 theGovernment, after hearing the implementing organisations involved, will adopt a standpoint onproposed measures ensuing from the evaluation. Focus areas include the (lack of) co-ordinationbetween the amicable and statutory approaches and the high percentage of self-employed peoplewith debts. The payment of assistance benefits to the self-employed will be optimised with a viewto reaching self-employed people who are in financial difficulties more effectively.

• In both the amicable and the statutory approaches, some people are not being helped, and are‘falling through the net’. The National Platform for Integral Debt Assistance is compiling aninventory of these groups.

• The quality of the amicable approach is being improved by an integral approach to debt assistanceat local level. The government-subsidised National Platform for Integral Debt Assistance isworking to build up local support for an improvement in the quality of integral debt assistance. Areview will be carried out in 2003 to determine whether the envisaged quality improvement hasbeen achieved.

• The possibilities for private debt mediation are being increased in 2001.• A study is under way to ascertain whether certain types of debt, such as debts to social services,

rent arrears owed to housing associations, etc., can be prevented by including them in the creditrecords of the Central Credit Registration Office (BKR).

3.4. Provisions

3.4.1. Housing73

In order to give the less well-off greater choice on the housing market, the government is takingmeasures relating to the rent policy, measures to increase the stock of affordable homes, and measuresto enable people to continue living independently for as long as possible:• Creation of affordable housing for the less well-off:

� The future rent policy will aim to ensure that rent increases track the average inflation rate,with ceilings being set for (the annual increase in) rents in relation to the quality of thedwelling.

• Promotion of freedom of choice for the less well-off in the owner-occupier market� The Home Ownership (Promotion) Act (BEW) came into force on 1 January 2001. The

aim of this Act is to enable people on low incomes to own their own home by paying anannual contribution to the mortgage costs. Where necessary this contribution can besupplemented with a contribution to the property transfer tax which is payable on homepurchases in the Netherlands.

• Enabling people to continue living independently for as long as possible:� The temporary ‘Home & Care Incentive Scheme’ which came into effect in October 2000

promotes innovative combinations of housing, care and service-provision. This enablespeople in need of care to continue living independently for a longer period, thus promotingthe independence of vulnerable groups such as the elderly, the disabled, the (former)homeless, ex-prisoners and former and existing psychiatric patients and addicts.

Building on the foundations of the system of rent protection in the Netherlands, the Government isencouraging local authorities take action to prevent evictions:

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� Where psycho-social problems and/or rent arrears are identified early, targeted help canprevent these leading to eviction. Within the context of the Public Mental Health Policy,local authorities carry out projects involving the use of identification teams, reportingpoints for problematic tenants and projects to prevent eviction.

� The prevention and combating of problematic debts (see section 3.3.3) also helps toprevent evictions.

3.4.2. Education74

The Government employs the following measures to increase the educational opportunities ofchildren:• Combating learning disadvantage through early identification, cure and prevention

� Since 1 August 1998, local authorities have been responsible for the policy on educationaldisadvantage.75 Practical implementation takes the form of a policy plan which is drawn upin consultation with schools. An annual budget of NLG 160 million (EUR 73 million) isavailable for this policy. Central elements of the policy include broad implementation ofintensive programmes, better identification of disadvantage, and guidance into pre-schoolprovisions by child welfare centres. Children with a disadvantage will be offered intensivelanguage and general development programmes at playschool and during the first twoyears of primary school.

� Based on a policy document formulated in 2000 (‘Setting to work for educationalopportunity’/‘Aan de slag met onderwijskansen’), the educational opportunities ofdisadvantaged pupils are being increased by making available financial resources andsupport for special educational opportunity schools, with a view to improving the qualityof education and the performance of pupils.

� Local authorities in various locations throughout the Netherlands have introduced theconcept of a ‘broad school’, aimed at combining mainstream school activities with care forchildren outside school hours.76

� A school-specific approach is being adopted in order to address specific problems at anumber of individual schools, beginning with the ‘G4 municipalities’;77 the project willlater be extended to take in the ‘G21 municipalities78 with more than 100,000 inhabitants,and then the remaining municipalities. An agreement was entered into with the G4municipalities in October 2000. The agreement with the ‘G21/100.000+’ is likely to besigned in May 2001.

• Combating premature school-leaving:� The government coalition agreement sets aside around NLG 60 million (EUR 27 million)

extra up to and including 2002 to combat the problem of early school drop-out. The‘Actieplan leerplicht’ (‘Compulsory schooling action plan’) and ‘Plan van aanpakVoortijdig Schoolverlaters’ (‘Early School-leavers Action Plan’) are examples of plans toreduce the number of premature school-leavers.

� The Regional Reporting and Co-ordination Act (RMC), which was adopted in 2000,obliges schools to report premature school-leavers, including those who are no longer ofcompulsory school age. Since that time, a better record has been kept of this group. Anincrease in re-placements has led to a reduction in the net drop-out rate (see section 1.4.2.)The measures are intended to help bring about a halving of the number of prematureschool-leavers by 2010.

• Guaranteeing accessibility of education for less well-off (parents of) pupils:� The Student Finance Act 2000 (WSF 2000) came into force on 1 September 2000. The Act

seeks to guarantee the accessibility of vocational and higher education. A structuralincrease of NLG 100/EUR 45 per month is being applied to the study budget from 1September 2000. The simultaneous increase in the student finance eligibility age limitfrom 27 to 30 is of particular benefit to refugee students.

� Additional resources were made available in the Coalition Agreement to extend the StudyCosts Allowances Act (WTS), which guarantees the accessibility of secondary education,

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(secondary) special education and vocational education. From the 1999/2000 academicyear, (the income thresholds for) these allowances have been increased. With effect from 1August 2001, the allowance for parents of pupils in secondary vocational education andthe second phase of general secondary education will be increased again. The replacementof the hard income thresholds with a sliding scale will soften the impact of the povertytrap.

• Guaranteeing the accessibility of education for disabled pupils:� Following the introduction of the Individual Pupil Funding scheme on 1 August 2000,

parents now have a choice between placing their child in a special school or opting for aplace in a mainstream school with a sum of money with which the school can make specialadaptations for the child.

Adults are also an important target group of the education policy. In addition to the launch of theLifelong Learning strategy,79 combating illiteracy is also of crucial importance. An illiteracycampaign will be launched in 2001 with the aim of raising public awareness of the opportunities foradditional education. The target group consists of approximately one million adults who have little orno ability to read and write. Illiteracy will be reduced by 10% by 2003 by:

� improving the understanding of the backgrounds of functional illiterates;� making detailed agreements with local authorities on combating illiteracy;� evaluating the deployment of resources to combat illiteracy as part of the urban policy.

In order to promote a safe living and educational climate in and around schools, the Government hastaken the following measures:

� A special ‘young people, school and safety’ transfer point was recently created in order tooffer specialist help and support to schools and municipalities on issues relating to safety.

� In addition to the transfer point and legislation, there are also additional supportinginitiatives, such as the National Education Protocol against Bullying, the Bullying Test(parent organisations), school adoption (the police), the Checklist for becoming a ‘GoldenSchool’ ((LAKS, 1995; 1999), obtainable via www.laks.nl, and the ‘Tips for a safe school’(‘Aanwijzingen voor een veilige school’) in the Education Charter (Onderwijsgids).

3.4.3 CareThe Government is taking additional measures to promote the accessibility of care for those in need ofit who are of ethnic origin, and also to take a decisive step towards reversing the rising trend of socio-economically induced health differences:• Promoting the accessibility of care for ethnic minorities

� Over the next four years a special government-led project organisation will seek toachieve a structural embedding of the interculturalisation of care, among other thingsthrough the deployment of care consultants, promotion of knowledge exchange andencouragement of the interculturalisation of management.

• Reversing the rising trend in socio-economically induced health differences� The proposed amendment of the Public Health (Prevention) Act (WCPV) extends and

strengthens the role of local authorities in carrying out preventive tasks and co-ordinatingprevention and care. This will enable local authorities to pursue a more effective policy toreduce socio-economically induced health differences. Local authorities are required toadopt a health policy document every four years.

� In the context of the Exploratory Surveys on Public Health, a project was carried out in2001 to examine the status of public health in the major cities. Recommendations forfuture policy will be formulated on the basis of the findings.

� In March 2001 the government, the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) andthe Municipal Health Services (GGD) entered into a ‘National contract for public healthcare’, which is aimed at encouraging public authorities, organisations, institutions andpractitioners at national and local level to help reduce socio-economically induced healthdifferences.

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� In April 2001 the Albeda Committee (second phase of the Socio-economically inducedhealth differences programme) published its final report with policy recommendations. AGovernment response will indicate how efforts will be made in the various policy fieldsto reduce socio-economically induced health differences. The ‘Healthy Living’programme was set up partly for this purpose in 2000.

In addition, two studies are currently being carried out by the government to assess whetherprovisions for people with a physical disability in the care and welfare systems are adequately gearedto social developments such as increasing individualisation and double ageing. The findings areexpected in the course of 2001 and will lead to an optimum match of care and welfare provisions tothe needs of people with physical disabilities. The development of a service-provision system is oneoption that is being examined.In the area of youth welfare, the Government is aiming to reduce waiting lists and increase thecohesion of the available provisions.• Cutting waiting lists in youth welfare

� Waiting lists and waiting times vary widely from one province to another. This calls for atargeted approach at this level. Concrete performance agreements are being made in eachprovince on reducing waiting lists and waiting times and on the further development of theYouth Welfare Bureaus.

� The registration function of the Youth Welfare Bureaus will be improved in the nearfuture so that a realistic and objective insight can be quickly obtained into the demand foryouth welfare services, the match between supply and demand and any waiting lists andwaiting times.

� Independent research will be carried out to provide an insight into the causes andbackgrounds of the waiting lists, in particular as regards differences in waiting listsbetween provinces.

• Increasing the cohesion of the available provisionsThe ‘Communities that care’ programme targets parents of children who display upbringingproblems and who are at risk of dropping out of the community. In the period 1999-2002 pilotprogrammes will be implemented and evaluated in several locations. In addition parents in manymunicipalities can obtain information on or receive support with bringing up their children. Childwelfare centres and other institutions organise activities such as parenting courses and discussiongroups.

3.4.4. ICTIn mid-2001 the Government will publish a policy document on the impact of ICT on employment andsocial integration. Concrete actions which are already under way in this field include:• Increasing access to the Internet:

� ‘Digital Playgrounds’. At public locations in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, localresidents have access to the Internet and have an opportunity to the gain ICT skills undersupervision. The Government set aside NLG 20 million (EUR 9.1 million) for this projectin 2000 as part of the urban policy. The number of locations is currently around 300.

� www.seniorweb.nl: The Stichting SeniorWeb foundation, which receives financial supportfrom the government, provides ICT activities specifically aimed at older people, such asthe introduction of Internet cafes in care homes and computer courses aimed at olderpeople.80

� ‘Knowledge Neighbourhood’: With financial support from the government, a number ofDutch municipalities are experimenting with the introduction of ICT infrastructure andapplications in neighbourhoods.81

� www.kennisnet.nl : All educational establishments will have access to the Internet in 2001via the Kennisnet knowledge network.82

• Promoting ICT skills and preventing ‘digital disadvantage’� The emphasis in primary education is moving away from the purchase of computers to the

introduction of ICT in day-to-day teaching practice.83

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� Risseeuw Committee: in the period 2000-2001, the government is spending NLG 17million on projects which among other things will provide training in ICT skills fordisadvantaged groups.84

� Preventing digital disadvantage: Various programmes have been set in motion, partly withgovernment funding, aimed at increasing the digital skills of disadvantaged groups andthus implementing the ‘e-Europe action plan’. Examples include:

∗ The Digital Vocational School pilot project: This project provides retraining forlow-skilled job-seekers to enable them to obtain ICT qualifications.

∗ Benefit claimants can be trained in ICT as part of the activation and reintegrationpolicy. Within the programmes organised by the employment foundation StichtingNedwerk, for example, benefit claimants can be given a PC with Internetconnection. Responsibility for the design of such programmes lies with theimplementing organisations (local authorities, benefit agencies and Centres forWork and Income).

• Matching new technology to the needs of the disabled:� The government recently launched the ‘Removing thresholds’ project to encourage

businesses, institutions and public authorities to make the Internet andcommunications technology more accessible for people with a physical disability.85

• Opening up government agencies to the public via the Internet:� The government created the portal site www.overheid.nl in September 1999. This

site, which was renewed in 2001, offers user-friendly access to all governmentwebsites.

� In order to create a national network of (electronic) public contact points wheremembers of the public and businesses can go 24 hours a day for public productsand services, the national bureau ‘Government Desk 2000’ (Overheidsloket 2000)encourages the various public authorities in the design and creation of virtual‘desks’. The focus is currently on creating virtual contact points in the areas of‘Care and Welfare’, ‘Construction and Housing’ and ‘Business’.

• Using technology to promote social integration:� With the programme ‘Technology and Society’ (T&S), the government is

challenging the public and private sector to make better use of ICT for solvingsocial problems. There are currently four constituent programmes active within theT&S programme: ‘Crime prevention’, ‘(Re)integration of people with anemployment disability’, ‘Social integration’ and ‘Projects for the prevention ofemployment drop-out’.

� With the ‘Social integration’ programme the government supports projects whichuse technology in an innovative way to contribute to social integration and socialcohesion. Projects must be aligned with the one of the focus areas: ‘thecommunicating citizen’ (members of the public who adopt an active stance in theirimmediate living environment) or ‘liveability of neighbourhoods’ (strengtheningsocial cohesion in neighbourhoods). Further information can be found atwww.senter.nl. The T&S programme runs from 2000 to 2002.

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3.4.5. Public transportAs part of the ‘twin-pronged policy’ (see section 2.4.5) the Government is taking the followingadditional measures:• Promoting accessibility of public transport:

� In order to make rail and regional bus transport 100% accessible in 2010 and 2030,respectively, the government is energetically pursuing accessibility measures relating torolling stock, stations, platforms, bus stops, timetables, ticket offices and automatic ticketmachines.

� In the Public Transport Accessibility Platform, which was installed in 2000,representatives of local and regional government, public transport organisations andpassengers agree steps to improve and accelerate accessibility measures.

� The Passenger Transport Act 2000, stipulates that when awarding public transportcontracts, the government must include the issue of accessibility as part of the Programmeof Requirements.

� In the second half of 2001 a General Order in Council will be tabled in Parliament settingout the minimum requirements for accessibility of public transport.

• Special provisions for persons with a physical disability� The government is currently examining ways in which the special provisions for people

with physical disabilities can be better integrated into the public transport system. Thefindings are expected in 2001.

3.4.6. Provisions for newcomers and oldcomers86

In order to reduce the risks of poverty and social exclusion among ethnic minorities, the Governmentis taking the following measures aimed at newcomers and oldcomers:• Newcomers:

� In order to make it easier for newcomers to go on to further education or the labour marketthe Government, under the auspices of the Integration Taskforce, launched a series of pilotprojects the end of 2000 in the form of dual programmes which seek to combine theintegration programme and vocational training or employment.

• Oldcomers:� As part of the comprehensive approach to employment,87 all unemployed oldcomers will

be offered an appropriate programme which where possible will seek to help them into thejobs market. The programme will target both benefit claimants and people not receivingbenefit. To ensure that the provision meets the needs of oldcomers as closely as possible,language courses will be offered as part of the reintegration programme where aninadequate command of the Dutch language presents an obstacle to entering the labourmarket. For unemployed people for whomdirect preparation for the labour market is notthe most appropriate option, another suitable programme will be offered, such as socialactivation. A programme for parents will aim to combine language acquisition withsupport in bringing up children and information on health. By speaking Dutch at home,parents can support their children’s efforts to learn the Dutch language.

� In consultation with the Social Insurance Bank (SVB), the government will look in 2001 athow clients with a shortfall in their state pension entitlements can be advised of theirpotential right to supplementary assistance.

3.4.7. Legal assistanceThe Government is employing the following measures aimed at guaranteeing access to legalassistance:• The Government is promoting alternative means of resolving disputes by:

� carrying out experiments within the judicial infrastructure (e.g. in the area of separationand contact mediation);

� providing financial support for projects in the area of administrative law;� granting incentive subsidies for market initiatives.88

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• Based on an exploratory survey of subsidised legal assistance carried out by the Legal AssistanceBoards, ways will be sought of guaranteeing the availability of legal assistance providers, and ofimproving the accessibility of legal assistance for consumers

3.4.8. Provisions for the homeless89

The Government is taking generic and specific measures aimed at young and older homeless people:• Generic measures

� The Monitor on sheltering the homeless will be developed further to provide a betterinsight into the total group of homeless people in shelters and the various subgroups withinthat total. In line with this, a new registration system will be developed by the Federationof Shelter Facilities (Federatie Opvang).

� In early 2000 a national platform was launched to provide support to local authorities instructuring their policy on shelters and mental health. The aim is to offer a chain ofassistance to people who are in acute psychological need and/or who are ‘down and out’.The chain consists of crisis shelters, supplementary assistance and intervention care.

� 43 carefully selected ‘central municipalities’ will receive targeted payments from thegovernment for the realisation of a cohesive local package of measures relating toprevention, asylum/reception, enforcement and recovery. The functioning of the system oftargeted payments will be evaluated in 2001.

� The study on ‘people without care’ will be completed in 2001. The findings of this studycould lead to an adjustment of the policy of regional and national partners.

� An evaluation will take place in 2001 of a national covenant which is aimed at creating aregional basic provision (identification, reception and help) for people in acute crisis andfor ‘down and outs at home’

� The study on ‘down and outs’ will be completed in 2002. The aim is to gain a betterinsight into the extent and causes of the problem of people who fall into degeneration andisolation at home.

� An interdepartmental working group recently began consultations aimed at finding jointsolutions to the often multi-faceted problem of homeless people.

• Specific measures for young homeless people90

� In 2001 a review will be carried out of what policy support ‘central municipalities’ need inorder adequately to take on the municipal steering role on the issue of homeless youngpeople. An inventory will also be compiled of effective demand-led (collaborative)projects for homeless young people in the Netherlands.

� The aim is to sign a national covenant on homeless young people with nationalstakeholders in 2002, aimed to provide a comprehensive package of reception and helpfacilities for homeless young people at regional level.

� To ensure better co-ordination between local youth policy and youth welfare, theGovernment has made available additional resources (rising to NLG 110 million/EUR 50million from 2002). Among other things this money will be used to provide assistance tohomeless young people.

• Specific measure for older homeless people:� In 2001, in consultation with national umbrella organisations, the government will examine

how the mainstream nursing and personal care provision for older people can be madeavailable to older homeless people.

3.4.9. Provisions to combat domestic violenceThe Government has recently taken the following measures to combat domestic violence:• Since January 2000 the Netherlands has had a national network of Child Abuse Advisory and

Reporting Centres (AMKs), which can be contacted by anyone suspecting child abuse. The AMKshave been given statutory powers to launch investigations on their own authority, i.e. without

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having to wait for a complaint from a victim. A national hotline has also been set up for reportingchild abuse.

• A national project was launched on 1 October 2000 in which the government, local authorities anda range of organisations will work together to develop national activities such as training sessionsfor the police, aid workers and public prosecution officers, and projects for perpetrator assistanceand model protocols to promote co-operation between the various stakeholders at national andlocal level.

• The government has set up a website (www.huiselijkgeweld.nl) containing all relevant informationon existing and new projects and organisations which may be of interest to aid workers, victimsand perpetrators.

3.5. Active contribution and close co-operation between stakeholders

3.5.1 Partnership between public authorities and community organisations91

• Since the intensification of the policy on poverty in 1995, national and local government have beenin virtually constant dialogue on the best way to tackle the various dimensions of poverty andsocial exclusion. Following the publication of the first policy document on the subject (‘The otherside of the Netherlands’/’De andere kant van Nederland’ (1995), an annual progress report hasbeen published by an interdepartmental working group, charting the progress of the various actionsand measures taken.92 The same working group put together this National Action Plan (NAP),supported by advice from the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and the Social andCultural Planning Office (SCP). In view of the essential role played by local authorities andintermediary organisations in achieving thetargetsset out in chapter 2, the Government willintensify the consultations with all stakeholders in 2001 (see also section 2.1). There are plans togive the interdepartmental working group a structural position in co-ordinating the efforts tocombat poverty and social exclusion in the Netherlands, under the auspices of the Ministry ofSocial Affairs and Employment. The working group plays a special role in this connection in thenational and international follow-up of the NAP, including the development of a set of commonindicators for monitoring poverty and social exclusion in the EU (see chapter 4).

• In 1999 a start was made on setting up a government-subsidised transfer point for combatingpoverty (www.transferpunt.nl) in order to bring successful municipal projects to the attention ofother municipalities. The efforts made in respect of this transfer point will be evaluated in 2002.

• Based on the ‘Disadvantage Budget’, local authorities and institutions can apply for subsidies forinnovative approaches to tackling poverty and social exclusion.

• In order to provide a regular external and independent impulse for the efforts to combat povertyand social exclusion, the government intends to set up an independent think tank in 2001. Thethink tank will be able to put forward ideas for research, experiments and restructuring of thesocial debate on poverty and social exclusion. In the future this debate will be encouraged throughthe holding of thematic conferences, which will provide an opportunity for the exchange of(innovative) ideas.

• As part of the national urban policy, the Government has entered into a covenant with 30 citiesaimed at strengthening the economic, physical and social infrastructure of the urbanarea/disadvantaged neighbourhoods in the period 1999-2003. During this period the cities inquestion will receive NLG 19 billion (EUR 8.8 billion).

• The Urban Renewal Investment Budget (ISV)93 is a key physical element of the urban policy.Under this initiative, the government is allocating around NLG 4.2 billion (approx. EUR 1.9billion) in targeted funding to bring about desired ‘physical’ processes of change. Among otherthings this involves utilising the potential at neighbourhood level, increasing the economicparticipation of residents, encouraging more economic activity in or near the neighbourhood,creating a clean and safe environment, setting up environmental quality standards, and putting inplace provisions which improve the quality of life of the neighbourhood and promote theindependence of residents.

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• Under the terms of the Community initiative Urban II, nine medium-sized and large cities in theNetherlands will receive NLG 22 million (EUR 192 million) to stimulate economic activity andpromote socio-economic potential. The emphasis is on an innovative approach, and projects mustset an example for other municipalities.

• The government is strengthening the social function of sport via the Sports Incentive Scheme. Thistemporary scheme, which came into effect on 1 September 1999, enables local authorities todevelop projects that involve vulnerable groups more in the community through sporting activities.Sport is seen here as a means of integration.

3.5.2. Involvement of (organisations of) vulnerable groupsThe Government involves citizens, businesses and (organisations of) vulnerable groups in thefollowing ways in combating poverty and social exclusion:• In 2000 benefit claimants, churches, humanists and trade unions joined forces in the ‘Alliance for

Social Justice’. The Government welcomes this development. Twice a year a Governmentdelegation led by the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment holds talks with the Alliance, theAssociation of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and the Association of Provincial Authorities(IPO) on aspects which reach the core of the fight against poverty and social exclusion. Thefollowing topics are on the agenda in 2001:1. opportunities for benefit claimants to play a part in the community;2. income position of those on minimum income (tax review and income policy);3. the municipal income support policy;4. the position of pensioners;5. the effects of poverty on children and young people;6. client participation;7. the ‘colour’ of poverty;8. non-take-up and abuse of provisions;9. poverty and health.

• The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sport holds talks annually with the Federation of ShelterFacilities (Federatie Opvang) and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) ondevelopments and bottlenecks in relation to community reception facilities.

• Under the terms of the declaration of intent signed in 2000 on ‘A common agenda for the future’,the government and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) will make detailedarrangements for the period 2001-2004 on the creation of an optimally functioning system of clientparticipation in all municipalities. The agenda points are being worked up into a concrete actionplan.

• As part of the overhaul of the social security system (Employment Services and Social SecurityImplementation Structure, SUWI), benefit claimants will be given a prominent position both interms of the service provided by the implementing organisations and in guaranteeing the quality ofthe implementation. The national implementing bodies will be required by law to adopt aprogramme for the realisation and structuring of adequate client participation.

• In 1998 the government-subsidised National Client Participation Expertise Centre (LEC) wasfounded to encourage local client participation and provide information to the people andorganisations involved. A review will be carried out in 2001 to decide whether the LEC initiativeis to be continued.

3.5.3. Social responsibility of businessesThe Government has opted for an approach which facilitates customisation: bringing parties together,developing and disseminating knowledge and promoting transparency. At local level, municipalitiescan encourage the formation of co-operative alliances between citizens, businesses and communityorganisations.• The government has taken the initiative to set up ‘Society & Business’, a national knowledge

network operated by and for businesses which practice socially responsible enterprise. A numberof the ‘leaders’ in this government-subsidised network have set up the ‘Society & Business

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foundation’ (Stichting Samenleving & Bedrijf ), creating an expanding network of businesseswhich seeks to convince other businesses of the need for socially responsible enterprise.

• Under the terms of a covenant on regional economic policy and regional co-operation between theGovernment, the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) and the Association ofProvincial Authorities (IPO), a study is planned which is intended to provide the government andbusiness community with material which will give a further boost to their activities. Based onpractical examples, knowledge and insights will be made available to companies.

The Dutch Voluntary Work Organisation (NOV) has developed a government-subsidised projectaimed at developing sustainable partnerships between the profit and non-profit sectors through thedeployment of staff (employees/voluntary work) or with material support from the company.

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CHAPTER 4: DEVELOPMENT AND MONITORING OFINDICATORS AND TARGETS

Over the last few years several studies and monitors have provided valuable insights into themanifestations and causes of poverty and social exclusion in the Netherlands. This applies inparticular for the ‘Poverty Monitor’ (Armoedemonitor) and ‘The Netherlands in a EuropeanPerspective’, both published by the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP), and the annual reportspublished in the series ‘Poverty in the Netherlands’ (Arm Nederland) (see Annex 1.) Chapter 1presents a description of the current situation in the Netherlands based on a number of relevantindicators, which to some extent are derived from these publications. This description, which is basedon the objectives as set out at the Nice Summit, acknowledges the fact that poverty is a complex,multidimensional problem, which can only be understood by using several indicators.In chapter 2targets- quantified where possible - are set for these indicators in various areas; thisclearly lays down the Government’s ambitions with respect to combating poverty and social exclusionin the years ahead.In chapter 3measuresare formulated with which the Government will seek to achieve the varioustargets. Local authorities and intermediary organisations play a key role here, and in 2001 theGovernment will accordingly intensify its consultations with the various stakeholders.

The development of indicators and targets is in full swing in the Netherlands. The effects of all policyelements from the national budget are being made visible in a programme initiated in 2000, ‘Frompolicy budgeting to policy accountability’ (‘Van Beleidsbegroting tot beleidsverantwoording’ -VTBT.) The indicators (chapter 1) and targets (chapter 2) set out in this first NAP can play a leadingrole in this national process. Over the next few years the basis laid in this NAP will be furtherdeveloped, and will also take in data gathering, a process that needs to be completed for indicators forwhich no reference measurement is currently available - for example the number of problematic debtsand the number of homeless people in the Netherlands using shelters. Given the importance of theneed for a proper scientific and statistical substantiation of indicators, expert-organisations such as theSocial and Cultural Planning Office (SCP), will be intensively involved in working out a new set ofindicatorsfor the next NAP (2003).The next NAP will report on the experiences gained in meeting the targets. In the meantime, anindication will be given when the national budget for 2003 is submitted in September 2002 of theextent to which the targets have been attained. By embedding the actual trend in poverty and socialexclusion in the mainstream budgetary process in this way, permanent monitoring of poverty andsocial exclusion is assured. As regards the evaluation of the results achieved, it is clear that therelationship between ends and means is sometimes a complex one: in addition to policy effects,exogenous factors can also play a role, in particular the development of the economy.In parallel with the development of indicators at national level, the Netherlands is also working atEuropean level on the development of common indicators which can be used to monitor poverty andsocial exclusion in the EU. The main focus here is on performance indicators, which will be gearedprimarily towards results (output). The Netherlands sees a strong need for refinement of the‘structural indicators’ in the fields of income, employment, health care, housing and education, whichare currently being discussed in a sub-working group of the Social Protection Committee. In additiona broad set of financial and non-financial indicators needs to be developed, which will enable thevarious dimensions of poverty and social exclusion in the EU to be tracked over several years. Along-term lack of future perspectives is an important focus for attention here. The Netherlands will makeefforts in the years ahead to provide new impulses for this process, based on experiences in its owncountry and taking into account the divergent circumstances under which poverty and social exclusionare being tackled throughout the EU. The indicators developed at national level and which are gearedto the national situation can be seen here as a refinement and augmentation of the common set ofindicators for monitoring poverty and social exclusion in the EU.

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Annex 1: Research

The Netherlands in a European Perspective94

In ‘The Netherlands in a European Perspective’, the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP)compares the Netherlands with the other countries in the European Union in a large number of areas,including demography, economy, public administration, political participation, the climate of opinion,health, social security, education, and how people spend their leisure time.

Poverty MonitorSince 1997 Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) havejointly published an annual Poverty Monitor (Armoedemonitor) containing statistical data andanalyses. The fourth Poverty Monitor will be published in the autumn of 2001.

Annual reports on poverty in the NetherlandsThese scientific reports present an in-depth analysis of facts and figures presented by the Social andCultural Planning Office (SCP) and Statistics Netherlands (CBS). The fifth and final report (2000) isdivided into three parts: (1) an inventory of the knowledge which has been built up on poverty; (2) thefindings of the research project ‘Landscapes of poverty’; and (3) a review of the status of the policyon poverty.

Municipal Poverty Policy Monitor (MGA)This Monitor, which was first published in 1999, is an aid at national level for making the povertypolicies of the various municipalities visible. It can also be used to measure the effectiveness of theavailable resources for combating poverty. Data on income and expenditure are received direct frommunicipalities and other sources for inclusion in this Monitor. The second Monitor, covering theperiod 1995-1998, was published in July 2000. The third MGA will appear in early 2002, covering1999 and 2000.

Amenities & Services Utilisation Survey (AVO)The Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) commissions research to quantify the actual take-up ofamenities and services in the fields of health care, education, legal aid and assistance, leisure time,recreation, sport, culture and public safety. An AVO survey was carried out in 1999 which also tookin the access to these amenities and services. The result of this survey, including data on non-take-up,will be available shortly.

Emancipation MonitorThe first Emancipation Monitor appeared in November 2000.95 The Monitor, which will be publishedevery two years, provides an insight into the status of the emancipation process in relation to thepolicy pursued. The first Monitor focuses on four central themes of the emancipation policy:employment, care and income; education; power and decision-making; violence against women. Thethemes of time structuring and the information society will be covered in the next edition, which isdue to appear in 2002. This will look not only at the actual position in terms of numbers, extent ordistribution, but also at views on the position of women and men in the fields covered.

Shelters Monitor (MMO)The Lower House of the Dutch parliament received the first report of the Shelters Monitor (MMO),covering the year 1999, in early 2000. The purpose of the MMO is to obtain a periodic and systematicinsight into general shelters and women’s shelters in the Netherlands. The findings of the Monitor areused for the evaluation and adjustment of the policy pursued by local government, sectororganisations and the national government.

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Housing Needs SurveyThe Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, in conjunction with StatisticsNetherlands (CBS), has conducted a Housing Needs Survey since 1977. Respondents are asked abouttheir housing situation, family situation, desired housing, frequency of moving house, residentialneighbourhood, income and work, isolation, satisfaction with their home and their housing costs. Acore publication comes out each year.

Monitoring the position of ethnic minoritiesA new system for providing information was set up in 1999, comprising two elements: an IntegrationMonitor and a Policy Impact Report. The Integration Monitor is published every two years, with aPolicy Impact Report being published in the intervening years.

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Annex 2: Good Practices

This annex presents a detailed look at a number of examples of successful approaches, by way of anillustration of the various measures; reference is made to the relevant sections.

Good practice 1:. Pathways to Employment for minorities (Ruim Baan voor minderheden)See sections 3.2.1, 3.4.6, 3.5.3

In June 2000 the government negotiated agreements with a number of large companies (beginningwith 14 with plans to increase this number to a minimum of 100) on additional efforts to be made bythese companies in the areas of intercultural management, inflow, transfer and retention of membersof ethnic minorities. The arrangements set out in the framework agreement underlined the importanceattached by all parties to labour market participation and integration of ethnic minorities. Interculturalmanagement is an instrument for fleshing out the social dimension of Socially Responsible Enterprise.It involves the optimum utilisation of the possibilities for cultural diversity in the workforce (with aninward focus) and an acknowledgement of the cultural diversity of the clients (the environment inwhich the company operates). The government facilitates the preparation and implementation of thisframework agreement via the project organisation ‘Ruim Baan voor Minderheden’ (‘Pathways toEmployment for Minorities’). The tasks of the project group are:• to provide a platform for the exchange of best practices;• product development;• to implement innovative trial projects;• to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks.The postal service-provider TNT Post Groep (TPG) is one of the participants in this agreement.Among other things TPG is developing the following activities:• internal integration programmes at six locations with 15 participants per location;• instruction in the Dutch language in combination with training as a postman;• appointment and training of mentors to supervise on the shop floor.

Good practice 2: Neighbourhood social activation (Buurtgerichte sociale activering)See section 3.2.2

The project ‘Neighbourhood social activation’ (‘Buurtgerichte sociale activering’) involvesexperiments aimed at promoting social activation in the municipalities of Klazienaveen,Hengelo and Rotterdam Noord. The project targets all unemployed persons in a given area,regardless of the benefit they are receiving. The target group is encouraged to participate incommunity life again. A demand-led approach has been chosen based on the capacities andqualities of the people concerned. What is special about this project is that the neighbourhoodis the starting point: that is where people are sought out and that is where the activation takesplace. Alignment is sought with the existing range of organisations, associations, etc. atneighbourhood and district level. The project encourages formal and informal organisations tocontribute to the activation and increased participation of local residents. The programmes canlead to all kinds of participation: neighbourhood management, from club and communitycentre work, maintenance of the landscape, work at school, in the playground, to paidemployment. The aim of the project is to develop methods and strategies to help the partnersworking together in local social policy. The Netherlands Institute for Health and Welfare(NIZW) is supervising the experiment, while the Social Sciences department of the SocialAffairs and Employment Department in Rotterdam is carrying out the evaluation study.

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Good practice 3: LETS Swap Shops in Rotterdam (LETS Ruilwinkels in Rotterdam)See sections 3.2.2, 3.2.3, 3.5.1

A LETS (Local Economic Transaction System) swap shop is an amenity at district level whichfacilitates and encourages the exchange of goods and services between private individuals. The swapshop offers all manner of goods and services which people can carry out for each other. Payment isnot made in money but in points which people can earn by taking goods to the shop or performingservices or jobs for other people. The aim is to achieve a multicultural structure, and maximum co-operation is sought with voluntary and other organisations in the municipality or borough. Theprojects are paid for from the municipal budgets for combating poverty and social activation. Theswap shops are situated in disadvantaged areas, which are largely characterised by a relatively highunemployment rate and a relatively large percentage of members of ethnic minorities.

The LETS swap shops offer an opportunity for building up a social network. Long-term unemployedpeople are directly involved in their social setting because they are offered a framework within whichthey can play an active part and thus enlarge their own network. By offering services, people candevelop skills and learn from others. This creates new employment perspectives. The shops aremanaged by people employed under the Jobseekers Employment Act (WIW.) For preference, theycome from the target group: unemployed people, people with a minimum income, older people andthe disabled. At present a number of LETS swap shops in Rotterdam are being established by theRotterdam volunteers’ association Stichting Vrijwilligerswerk Rotterdam (SVR.) So far three swapshops have been opened in different boroughs of Rotterdam. The shops come under the responsibilityof the welfare services in Rotterdam, as part of the social activation process. Five projects arecurrently being developed, including a mobile variant.

Good practice 4: Talent activated (Talent geactiveerd)See sections 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.3

The ‘Talent shop’ (‘Talentenwinkel’) project in The Hague, the ‘Green Apprenticeship’ (‘De GroeneLeerwerkplaats’) in Haarlem and the ‘Work and Attention’ (‘Werk en Aandacht’) project inAmsterdam are all focused on activating people who are far removed from the labour market and whoare socially isolated. These projects have proved to be effective in practice in activating andreinforcing the talents of participants. Most of the participants come from voluntary work, shelteredemployment places, vocational training courses, subsidised jobs or mainstream jobs. Each of the threeprojects has its own method for promoting the social participation of socially and economicallyexcluded people. However, the various working principles and methods form a logical whole andhave been brought together in the ‘Talent activated’ (‘Talent geactiveerd’) project. The intention isthat the activities developed will be incorporated in mainstream local policy

Good practice 5: Stichting Voilà foundation for the homeless in Amsterdam: the homelessworking for the homelessSee sections 3.2.1, 3.2.3, 3.4.8

The Stichting Voilà foundation in Amsterdam is a voluntary organisation of present and formerhomeless people working for other homeless people. The aim of the foundation is to ensure thathomeless people help each other by developing ideas and initiating and launching (work experience)projectsfor and byhomeless people, thus boosting their independence. Among other things there is atemporary employment agency for jobs, a walk round areas for the homeless led by a practical expertfrom the field, and a bureau offering expertise on the issue of homelessness.

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Good practice 6: Tilburg Tuition Fees foundation (Stichting Leergeld Tilburg)See sections 3.2.3, 3.4.2, 3.5.1

Every child should be able to participate in extra-curricular activities such as school project weeks,excursions, school camps, football clubs or musical training. In practice, however, children of lesswell-off parents are often excluded from activities of this sort. The Tilburg Tuition Fees foundation(Stichting Leergeld Tilburg) was set up in 1996 to help these children. The aim of the foundation is tohelp not only the children, but indirectly their parents as well, to participate in society. The foundationseeks to prevent social exclusion by giving children an opportunity to take part in normal extra-curricular activities. Children learn and develop in the class, sports club or association; however, thatcosts money, hence the name of the foundation. The foundation promotes the participation of thesechildren in social life outside school. It also mediates between parents and aid organisations. It useslocal volunteers, putting it close to the target group of children and families.

Good practice 7: Information at home in Heerenveen(Voorlichting aan huis in Heerenveen)See sections 3.3.2, 3.4.1, 3.4.3 and 3.5.1

Older people sometimes fail to take (sufficient) advantage of financial schemes which are aimed atthem (among others). Welfare organisations, the social services and older people themselves worktogether on this project to create a permanent and structural system for providing information at hometo the over-70s in Heerenveen, so as to encourage the take-up of these schemes. The aim of the projectis to inform older people at home about provisions and schemes relating to housing, care and welfarewhich are currently not being taken up. Secondary objectives are to identify the need for help, careand services, to identify bottlenecks in policy, administration and implementation, and to enable olderpeople to play an active part in the community. Specific attention is devoted to older people fromethnic minorities.

Good practice 8: ‘Eos’: modernisation of housing benefit (‘Eos’: modernisering huursubsidie)See sections 3.3.2 and 3.4.1

The government-subsidised ‘Eos’ programme is aimed at modernising the implementation of housingbenefit. The ‘Eos’ programme is based on three objectives, viz.:• improving efficiency;• increasing customer-friendliness;• improving the provision of information for the development of policy.The main instruments used are as follows:• Abolition of the repeat application formThis means that housing benefit recipients no longer need to reapply annually; this is known as‘automatic continuation’. In the new situation the entitlement to and level of benefit are set for thenew period on the basis of information obtained direct from the tax authorities, the MunicipalPersonal Records Database (GBA) and the landlords of housing benefit recipients.• Response to a first application for housing benefit within four weeksAs with repeat applications, it will be possible to deal with new applications automatically within fourweeks. Only where the necessary information is not available within this period, or where furtherassessment is required, will a longer period apply.• Setting up of low-threshold client contact pointsThe setting up of low-threshold client contact points is another planned step. The structuring anddevelopment of these client contact points is still in preparation. To ensure the continuity andmanageability of the change process, the ‘Eos’ programme will be gradually phased in the period upto 1 July 2002.

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Good practice 9: Social Axis Desk: integrated service-provision (Loket Sociale As: integraledienstverlening)See sections 3.3.2, 3.5.1

The government will be launching the ‘Social Axis Desk’ (‘Loket Sociale As’) in 2001. It is anexperiment which is intended to ascertain how and with what resources local health care, incomesupport and housing services can be offered in a more integrated way. It is hoped that the experimentwill make clear how developments relating to the ‘care contact point’, the Centre for Work andIncome (CWI), the construction and housing contact point and the other municipal contact points forhousing benefit, tax exemptions, policy on minimum incomes and national assistance can be broughttogether in a practical manner, where this is necessary from the perspective of the client. Instrumentsthat increase the knowledge of consultants will be sought, as well as a virtual environment in whichclients can explore their situation and their need for services. Knowledge of the application ofnational schemes must be made accessible for this purpose, in combination with knowledge of theapplication of locally varying schemes. The experiment will begin in a small number ofmunicipalities, to be followed in 2001 and 2002 by a test of its repeatability and usability in othermunicipalities. The approach and results will be documented, and on the basis of this a decision willbe taken at the end of 2002 on whether it is useful to offer a national model (a systematic and standardsupply of knowledge), and possibly to create a facilitating organisation for the nationalimplementation of the system based on the formula for integrating service-provision. The experimentwas preceded in 2000 by a study of the practical feasibility and desirability of the concept of demand-led integration of services. The experience gained in the municipality of Vught with the integration ofhealth care, housing and income support services were used as an aid here.

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Good practice 10: Broad School policy: Open Neighbourhood Schools in Nijmegen (BredeSchool beleid: Open wijk scholen in Nijmegen)See sections 3.4.2 and 3.5.1

The Broad School policy is an initiative of the Dutch government. Many municipalities see the ‘BroadSchool’ as an effective instrument for developing an integrated youth policy. The term Broad Schoolincludes all initiatives in which provisions are linked to the school. As a result, the school becomesthe heart of a neighbourhood, offering a wide range of activities for children, parents and other localresidents. An example of a Broad School initiative is the Open Neighbourhood Schools (Open WijkScholen) initiative in Nijmegen.

An Open Neighbourhood School is a facility which brings together existing educational, welfare andhealth care functions in order to strengthen and improve them. The aim of the Open NeighbourhoodSchools is to engender greater cohesion in the activities of the various organisations, so as to increasethe development opportunities of children. The intention is that the various organisations will worktogether at a central point in the neighbourhood - the school building - with the aim of creating acoherent package of activities focusing on the education and development of local children. Thismeans that the education sector will begin working more closely with, for example, socio-culturalservices, educational support services, childcare facilities, social work, art education establishments,the police, sports clubs and youth welfare services. Open Neighbourhood Schools address botheducational and developmental disadvantage. Parents have a primary responsibility for the upbringingand development of their children, and are therefore also an important target group. The aim is toinvolve parents, as the primary carers, more than at present in all manner of activities in and aroundthe school.The municipality of Nijmegen has opted to begin applying the Open Neighbourhood School initiativein primary schools in disadvantaged parts of the city, in view of the multitude of problems faced byschools in these neighbourhoods. An Open Neighbourhood School is a means of promoting thecohesion and liveability of a neighbourhood and is thus a means of avoiding social divisions. InNovember 2000 there were 11 Open Neighbourhood Schools in Nijmegen.

Good practice 11: Internet in combined housing & care centres for the elderlySee section 3.4.4

The national project ‘Internet in combined housing & care centres’ was launched in the spring of2000. Internet cafés have been set up in 48 combined housing & care centres for the elderlythroughout the country, with the aim of enabling older people to become acquainted with computersand the Internet. In addition all 1,355 housing & care centres for the elderly in the Netherlands havereceived a manual to help them in setting up an Internet café or PC learning

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centre

. The intention is to introduce Internet accessfacilities on a structural basis in locations which combine housing, service-provision and carefacilities for the elderly. It is hoped that the experiences gained will help ensure that each of theremaining housing & care centres for the elderly is capable of starting an Internet café with relativelylimited resources.These Internet cafés expand the communication options for older people. And this extends beyondICT-related communication: in addition to older people, local residents can also use the Internet cafés,giving the café a function as a meeting place and a place for exchanging ideas. The café is also a PClearning centre. The Internet cafés are created with the help of voluntary instructors. The StichtingSeniorweb foundation is the formal implementer of the project and is responsible for realising theproject activities. More information can be found at the website www.seniorweb.nl.

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Good practice 12: Knowledge Neighbourhood: ICT in the neighbourhood (Kenniswijk: ICT inde buurt)See section 3.4.4

The Dutch government is supporting experimental projects designed to bring ICT facilities closer tothe citizen. An example is the Knowledge Neighbourhood (Kenniswijk) project which has beenlaunched in Eindhoven and Helmond. This project provides around 84,000 inhabitants of thesemunicipalities, mainly from disadvantaged neighbourhoods, with access to a range of innovativeelectronic services via high-quality ICT infrastructures. These services must be accessible to everyonewithin the neighbourhood, and must be user-friendly and innovative. The consumer must see theadded value of the services. Training in the use of computers and the Internet is being expandedwithin the Knowledge Neighbourhood project and facilities such as help desks and information pointsare provided. Implementation of the project is planned to start in early 2001, and must be completedwithin two years.

Good practice 13: Removing thresholds: Internet and the disabled (Drempels weg: Internet engehandicapten)See section 3.4.4

The introduction of new information- and communication technologies is of great significance forpeople with a disability, helping them to function in the community more independently. However,many Internet sites are difficult to access for disabled people. The Dutch government has launched theproject ‘Removing thresholds’ (‘Drempels weg’) with the intention of increasing access to theInternet for these citizens. Within this project companies, organisations and of course the governmentitself are encouraged to make the functionalities of the Internet and communication technology moreeasily accessible to people with disabilities. As part of the project, adapted Internet access stationshave been set up at four public locations in the Netherlands. This pilot project brings togetherdisabled people, experts, staff and suppliers of aids for the disabled. A basic package has beeninstalled at each location comprising a mouse replacement, modified keyboard and software forreading and enlarging on-screen text. More information on this project can be found at the websitewww.drempelsweg.nl.

Good practice 14: Pension Maaszicht: young homeless people on their way to a new place in thecommunity (Pension Maaszicht: dakloze jongeren op weg naar een nieuwe plek in desamenleving)See section 3.4.8

Pension Maaszicht in Rotterdam is a halfway house that offers accommodation and guidance to younghomeless people in order to make it easier for them to return to ‘normal’ society. The young peoplereceive help from social workers and participate in work experience projects and trainingprogrammes. The launch of their own restaurant deserves special mention: the youngsters drew up abusiness plan for this and argued their case at the bank (Rabobank), which then contributed to theinvestment costs. The youngsters learn to cook, wait on table and compile menus in the restaurant.They also learn about mutual co-operation and the use of social skills. Pension Maaszicht has been inexistence for eight years and offers places to 32 young people. More than 70% of those leaving thefacility do so with a positive result: they can be regarded as able to look after themselves, they have ajob and are able to support themselves, and they have somewhere to live.

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Good practice 15: A virtual home for the homeless (Dak- en thuislozen virtueel onder dak)See sections 3.4.4, 3.4.8

Homeless people are at a clear disadvantage when it comes to developments in the field of ICT, rarelyvisiting the existing amenities. Future ICT developments could lead to increase in the social exclusionof the homeless. This project aims to increase the opportunities for integrating homeless people intothe community by enabling them to become familiar at their own pace with the many opportunitiesoffered by ICT. The aims of the project are as follows:• to reduce the distance between the ongoing information society and the homeless, by enabling

homeless people to become acquainted with the possibilities offered by ICT and encouragingthem to use it;

• to discover which traditional information and communication channels with the homeless must bekept open, and how, in order to ensure that developments in ICT do not lead to the ‘digitalexclusion’ of this group.

The means for achieving these aims are:• providing e-mail addresses for homeless people;• installing and managing computers in a number of community reception centres;• upgrading skills by offering tailored courses;• interactive communication between the homeless and agencies, for example for reserving sleeping

accommodation in the night shelters;• a literature study to ascertain the experience and limits of ICT use by the homeless.In the town of Groningen, a PC with Internet connection for e-mail is being installed in every shelterand related organisation. During the project a very careful note will be made of the conditions whichare necessary for success. At the end of 2001 the level of use of ICT resources by homeless peoplewill be measured. The experience and gained in providing courses to this target group will also bedocument.

Good practice 16: Social Investment Plan: Overtoomse Veld Noord in Amsterdam (Sociaalinvesteringsplan Overtoomse Veld Noord in Amsterdam)See sections 3.5.1 and 3.5.3

This consultative platform enables local government, housing associations and other organisations tocontribute to the enhancement of the investment climate in the district. The involvement of localbusinesses is a very important aspect here. A strong local economy with suitable housing stock willlead to new investments in the area. An example of a district with a social investment plan is theOvertoomse Veld Noord area of Amsterdam. This neighbourhood forms part of the WestelijkeTuinsteden district of Amsterdam, where around 80% of the population are of ethnic origin. Thequality of the housing is poor and the unemployment rate is high. The local borough council andhousing associations have therefore decided that, as well as investing in ‘bricks and mortar’, it is alsoessential that there should be ‘an investment in people’. The aim of the social investment plan is tobring about a structural improvement in people’s social position and their mutual relationships in theneighbourhood, based on a radical approach to the problems. The core of the approach is that allrelevant problems of all people in the area are tackled as an integrated whole. The approach is alsodemand-led: based on individual situations and needs, a customised package of coherent measures canbe put together.

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Good practice 17: ‘Handholds for recovery’ (Handvatten voor herstel) in EindhovenSee section 3.5.3

The ‘Handholds for Recovery’ project in Eindhoven is a collaborative ‘chain’ whose links are madeup of night shelters, day centres, clinical and peripatetic care facilities, the criminal justice system,care facilities, day structuring, route counselling, warden-assisted housing, social integration andenforcement for around 300 long-term addicts. An interesting side effect of the project is the ‘unusualcoalitions’ that have arisen, such as the agreement between companies on a business park on theemployment of addicts for the maintenance and management of the park. The organisation andimplementation of this chain is a complex process spanning several years, which is monitoredintensively via annual evaluations. The results were presented at a two-day international conference inEindhoven in May 2001. The conference provided a ‘toolkit’ for large cities in the Netherlands for thefurther fleshing out of their social policy

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Annex 3: Urban policy indicators in Haarlem

In the Long-term Development Programme (Meerjaren ontwikkelingsprogramma) for the town ofHaarlem, the following core aims and associated indicators for urban policy are adopted. Wherepossible the reference situation is described, i.e. the situation at the start of the DevelopmentProgramme. The combination of the reference situation and the envisaged results reveals Haarlem’sambitions for the year 2004 for each of the objectives.

• Reduce (structural) unemployment and promote jobs

Indicator 1: In 2004, the percentage of registered unemployed is 0.5% below the national average. Theoverrepresentation of members of ethnic minorities among job seekers in Haarlem has fallen by 20%in 2004.Reference situation: In 1998 the difference was 0.3%. In 1998 27.1% of job seekers in Haarlem wereof foreign origin; this is 1.33 times higher than would be expected on the basis of the populationprofile of Haarlem (20.3%).

Indicator 2: In 2004 the share of non-working job seekers in the potential labour force is equivalent tothe urban average in the five designated zones.Reference situation: The five zones have yet to be specified in detail. Once in this has been done, thefigures can be filled in. The reference situation will then be published as soon as possible.

Indicator 3: In 2004 the number of jobs in Haarlem has increased by 6%..Reference situation: In 1998 there were 61,299 jobs in Haarlem. An increase of 6% is equivalent to3,677 extra jobs. The growth rate was 1% per annum; the commitment is to growth of 1.2% per year.A person who works for more than 15 hours per week is counted as one job. A person who works forless than 15 hours per week counts as 1/3 job.

Attention within these objectives is focused primarily on residents of Haarlem who have been out ofwork for more than three years; the aim of this positive discrimination is to reach a more thanproportionate share of these groups for the three objectives.• Strengthen the economic position of Haarlem

Indicator 4: In 2004 the average score for the business climate in Haarlem has risen by 0.2 percentagepoints.Reference situation: At present Haarlem scores 5.5%, compared with a national average of 5.7%.

Indicator 5: In 2004 the number of business starters in Haarlem has increased by …%.Reference situation: The number of new businesses in Haarlem is currently not known. Furtherresearch will be needed to decide how the number of new businesses can be measured, how manythere are at present and what order of growth is possible.

Indicator 6: In 2004 the number of business locations in Haarlem has increased by 10%.Reference situation: the present the rate of growth is 1.5% per annum. For the period up to 2004 thetarget is 2% per annum. In 1998 there were 9,880 business locations in Haarlem. The target is that thisnumber should grow by 988 in the period to 2004, to 10,868.

Indicator 7: In 2004 the number of tourist businesses has increased by 17% and employment in thissector has risen by 27.5%. The number of companies providing business services has increased by37.5%, and employment in this sector by 35%.Reference situation:

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Tourism(SBI-codes 55 en 92)

Business Services(SBI-codes 70-74)

LocationsNumber of locations in 1998 1,111 2,381Number of locations in 1986 823Number of locations in 1995 2,002Annual growth in no of locations 2.9% 6.3%Annual growth target 3.4% 7.5%Growth target in 5 years 17% 37.5%

JobsNumber of jobs in 1998 3,533 8,241Number of jobs in 1986 2,282Number of jobs in 1995 7,145Annual growth in number of jobs 4.5% 6.3%Annual growth target 5.5% 7.5%Growth target in 5 years 27.5% 35%

• Improve the match between education and the labour market

Indicator 8: Based on the ratio ‘total number of students versus number of school leavers withoutinitial qualifications’, the number of students leaving school without an initial qualification has fallenby 10% in 2004.Reference situation:

Type of student Students Drop-outs Present drop-out % Target drop-out % for 2004Compulsory school age 35,433 90 0.254 0.229Partial comp. school age 3,729 34 0.9 0.82Not school-age 13,790 298 2.16 1.94Total 52,952 422 0.797 0.717

Example: target percentage for students in full-time compulsory education:90/354.33=0.254*0.9=0.229.

• Strengthen the position of urban residential areas on the regional housing market

Indicator 9: In 2004 the percentage of low-income households in the 12 districts of Haarlem where in1996 at least 50% of households had a low income (proportion of households falling below the fourthdecile according to the Regional Income Survey (RIO) has fallen by 2 percentage points comparedwith the national average.Reference situation: According to RIO96, 40% of Dutch households had a disposable income of nomore than NLG 38,970 per annum. In Haarlem the average percentage was 44%. However, there weresome neighbourhoods with a much higher percentage of low incomes: in 12 neighbourhoods thefigure was 50% or higher in 1996.

• Improve the (physical) living environment/liveability

Indicator 10: In 2004 the average score for the residential environment in Haarlem has increased by0.2 points.Reference situation: The figure was 7.3 in 1997 and will be 7.5 in 2004.

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Indicator 11: In 2004 the number of inhabitants of Haarlem who are (very) satisfied with the level of‘green amenities’ in their neighbourhood has increased by 0.3 points.Reference situation: The figure was 6.9 in 1997 and will be 7.2 in 2004.

Indicator 12: In 2004 the indicator ‘urban decay’ in Haarlem has fallen by 0.2 points.Reference situation: The figure was 3.9 in 1997 and will be 3.7 in 2004.

As far as possible, efforts to achieve these objectives will be concentrated in the five designatedzones.

• Increase the accessibility of economic activities

Indicator 13: In 2004 the evaluation of Haarlem businesses of the accessibility of the town is at thesame level as in 2000.Reference situation: Criterion has still to be developed.

• Strengthen the social infrastructure

Indicator 14: Compared with 2000, the indicator ‘social quality of the residential environment’ inHaarlem has increased by 0.2 points in 2004.Reference situation: The figure was 6.1 in 1997 and will be 6.3 in 2004.

Indicator 15: Increase in a score based on a battery of questions (still to be developed) on take-up ofsupplementary amenities.Reference situation: Still to be developed.

• Improve safety

Indicator 16: The percentage of Haarlem residents reporting that they have been victims of burglaryand vandalism in their own neighbourhood falls between 1997 and 2004 by 10%.Reference situation: In 1997 attempted burglary + theft from dwelling = 7%; damage to homes andgardens = 11% (excluding damage to vehicles). Source: Liveability Monitor (Leefbaarheidsmonitor)1997 and 2004.

Indicator 17: In 2004 the percentage of Haarlem residents staying at home in the evening because theyfeel unsafe has fallen by 10% compared with 1998.Reference situation: The figure in 1998 was 22%, and will be 20% in 2004.Source: Omnibus Survey.

Indicator 18: The percentage of Haarlem residents who occasionally feel unsafe has fallen in 2004 by10% compared with 1997.Reference situation: In 1997 35% occasionally felt unsafe. In 2004 the figure will be no higher than31.5%.

Indicator 19: The percentage of Haarlem residents who occasionally feel unsafe in their ownneighbourhood has fallen in 2004 by 10% compared with 1997.Reference situation: In 1997 24% occasionally felt unsafe in their own neighbourhood. In 2004 thefigure will be no higher than 21.6%.

Indicator 20: In 2004 the number of under-age suspects in Haarlem, set against the total number ofminors in Haarlem and set against the total number of Haarlem suspects, has fallen by 10% in bothcases compared with 1998. Sources: Dutch Police Information Model (Informatiemodel NederlandsePolitie) and Annual Statistics of the Municipality of Haarlem (Jaarstatistiek Gemeente Haarlem) 1998

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and 2004. NB: According to the Dutch Police Information Model ‘under-age suspects’ are suspectsaged between 12 and 18 to whom the police reports sent to the Public Prosecution Service relate, orwho have been referred to the ‘HALT’ juvenile crime prevention scheme, or who have been given areprimand after being arrested.Reference situation: Still to be developed.

Indicator 21: A good indicator is still being sought for the fall in the number of offences committed by18-24 year-olds.

• Improve the self-restorative capacity of vulnerable neighbourhoods

Indicator 22: In 2004 the relative deviation from the average property tax values in a vulnerableneighbourhoods compared with the average for Haarlem has not increased further relative to thereference year 1996, or has started to move in the direction of 24%. Reference situation:

1990 1996NeighbourhoodAve.

propertytaxvaluation

No.homes

DeviationfromHaarlemaverage

Neighbour-hoods

Ave.property taxvaluation

No.homes

DeviationfromHaarlemaverage

OudeAmsterdamsebuurt

83535 1245 -24.64 OudeAmsterdamsebuurt

126073 1137 -23.96

Potgieterbuurt 88719 782 -19.96 Potgietersbuurt

123963 775 -25.24

VanZeggelenbuurt

87162 1609 -21.37 Van Zeggelenbuurt

127177 1598 -23.30

Slachthuisbuurt86392 2773 -22.06 Slachthuisbuurt

119903 2726 -27.68

Parkwijk 86330 1080 -22.12 Parkwijk 117253 1165 -29.28Harmenjans-wijk

80225 445 -27.62 Harmenjans-wijk

116655 426 -29.64

Oost total 85975 -22.44 Oost total 122115 -26.35Transvaalbuurt 85537 2231 -22.83 Transvaal

buurt127969 2243 -22.82

Delftwijk 86016 2249 -22.40 Delftwijk 123636 2252 -25.53Noord total 85777 -22.62 Noord total 125798 -24.13Leidsebuurt 82368 2088 -25.69 Leidsebuurt 132658 2114 -19.99West total 82368 2088 -25.69 West total 132658 2114 -19.99Europawijk 83079 4460 -25.05 Europawijk 123228 4661 -25.68Schalkwijktotal

83079 4460 -25.05 Schalkwijk 123228 4661 -25.68

Average cheapneighbourhood

84850 -23.45 Average cheapneighbourhood

124421 -24.96

Haarlem 110846 63405 Haarlem 165805 63894

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Annex 4: EU objectives on combating poverty and social exclusion(Nice, December 2000)

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Annex 5: Endnotes

1 CBS-Maandblad (2000). The definition of ethnic minorities has an upward effect on the population growth inthis group: children born in mixed marriages are also defined as being of ethnic origin.2 Depending on the method used: the SCP method or the CBS/NIMAWO method.3 Participation figures in persons are based on national statistics, whereby persons with jobs for less than 12 hoursper week are not included: for a comparison between national and European statistics see Table 1.3.4 No regular statistics are compiled on the activity rate of invalidity benefit claimants in the Netherlands. On thebasis of several studies carried out over the years, however, it can be concluded that roughly a quarter ofinvalidity benefit claimants in the Netherlands have a job for at least 12 hours per week; for those with a partialemployment disability the figure is roughly half, and for those with a full employment disability roughly one ineight.5 In contrast to the European (and OECD) statistics, the Dutch statistics do not include jobs for between one and12 hours per week. This means that the employment rate is lower and the unemployment rate higher on the basisof Dutch statistics than on the basis of the EU statistics.6 The global objective of the measures agreed at the Lisbon Summit and focusing on ‘more and better jobs forEurope’, is that the average employment rate in the EU should increase to as close to 70% as possible by 2010,and that the average employment rate of women should increase from an average of 51% to over 60% in the sameperiod.7 The employment rate of ethnic minorities and the low-skilled (European statistics) is not available from thesame source and is therefore not compatible with the other European figures. For this reason, these figures are notstated here.8 The Netherlands in a European Perspective, page 162 (SCP 2000).9 Thus the percentage of the Dutch population taking part in voluntary work rose from 35% to 38% in the period1980-1986. In 1998 the percentage of voluntary work was back to 35% (CBS/SCP various Living SituationSurveys).10 For a comparison of the purchasing power of people on minimum incomes in the Netherlands, Belgium,Denmark, Germany, France and the UK, see ‘De andere kant van Nederland, Voortgangsrapportage 1999’,Annex I.4.11 This also includes cohabitees or couples in a registered partnership.12 These figures are averages. There may be differences between municipalities.13 These figures are averages. There may be differences between municipalities.14 See Tweede Kamer, vergaderjaar 1999-2000, 25831, nr. 6 (Lower House, 1999-2000 session, 25831, no.6).15 ‘Long-term’ is understood as: in the current year and also in the preceding three years.16 Provisional; the number of employees in the provisional figure is overestimated.17 The trend in the number of households which have to rely on a minimum income is known until 1998; for lateryears it has been estimated on the basis of administrative data.18 The trend in the number of households which have to rely on a minimum income is known until 1998; for lateryears it has been estimated on the basis of administrative data.19 The trend in the number of households which have to rely on a minimum income is known until 1998; for lateryears it has been estimated on the basis of administrative data.20 ‘Problematische schulden: zicht op het onzichtbare’ (IVA Tilburg Institute for Labour Market Research(1997)).21 The Netherlands in a European Perspective (SCP 2000).22 Armoedemonitor/Poverty Monitor 2000, p. 64 (SCP 2000).23 Sector information for 1999, key figures of the Dutch housing associations,, Aedes federation of housingassociations.24 The G4 are the four largest municipalities in the Netherlands.25 The G21 are the next largest 21 municipalities in the Netherlands; the G21 and the G4 together make up the 25largest municipalities in the Netherlands.26 The existing socio- economically induced health differences in the Netherlands in terms of prevalence ofmorbidity are of roughly the same order as in other countries in Northwestern Europe.27 The relatively high increase in 2001 was caused by fuel price rises and by the increase in the VAT rate from17.5% to 19% from 1 January 2001.28 ‘Assistentie OV’ (Public transport Assistance), report for Ministry of Transport, Public Works and WaterManagement by P-5 research bureau, Amsterdam29 This may be followed by an extended period of 3 hours charged at NLG 30 (EUR 13.60).

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30 Armoedemonitor/Poverty Monitor 2000, p. 51 (SCP 2000).31 The average unemployment rate in the Netherlands in 1999 was 3%. The unemployment rate in the four largestcities in the Netherlands (the G4) averaged 6%, and in the 21 medium-sized cities (the G21) 4%.32 Study by the Agricultural Economics Research Institute (LEI). In 2001 the Social and Cultural Planning Officewill publish a study of the income position of farmers for the 2001 Poverty Monitor.33 33 The Netherlands has developed a three-pronged policy for this, focusing on:• protecting farmers’ incomes during the market adjustments and changes to pricing and land-leasing policy;• promoting changes in the business and business structure through knowledge and innovation;• fostering the transition to a different profession or closure of the business through information provision.See also the letter from the Minister of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries to the Lower House dated12 October 2000 (ref. DL2000 3971). The subject of this letter is the problem of farm incomes.34 The Netherlands has developed a three-pronged policy for this, focusing on:• protecting farmers’ incomes during the market adjustments and changes to pricing and land-leasing policy;• promoting changes in the business and business structure through knowledge and innovation;• fostering the transition to a different profession or closure of the business through information provision.See also the letter from the Minister of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries to the Lower House dated12 October 2000 (ref. DL2000 3971). The subject of this letter is the problem of farm incomes.35 In the Longterm Emancipation Policy Plan which was tabled in the Lower House in November 2000, theGovernment set out a target of increasing the activity rate of women to 65% by 2010. In working towards thistarget, the Dutch government will also seek to broaden the opportunities for men and women to combine theirwork and private lives.36 In 1998 the Government set itself a target of halving thedifferencein the unemployment rate between ethnicminorities and the indigenous population within a period of four years and thus reducing the unemployment rateamong ethnic minorities to 10%. In the first year after this target was set, 1999, unemployment among ethnicminorities fell by 2%, from 16% to 14% (see also chapter 2 of the NAP on employment).37 Lower House of the Dutch Parliament (Tweede Kamer),‘Knowledge economy in view’ (Kenniseconomie inzicht), session 2000-200138 Evaluatie van toepassing en effecten van artikel 144 in de Algemene bijstandswet(‘Evaluation of applicationand effects of Section 144 of the National Assistance Act’) (IVA Tilburg & Bureau Jehoel-Gijsbers, February2000)39 Pursuant to the Conditional Indexation Act (WKA)40 In the period 1995-2000 the strong economy led to a fall in the ratio between the number of benefit claimantsand the number of people in work, from 0.78 in 1985 to 0.66 in 2000 (figures including the over-65s). Excludingthe over-65s, the ratio fell from 0.39 in 1995 to 0.30 in 2000.41 Supplementary income support is already available for people aged 65 or over via specific tax discounts.42 See section 1.6 of the NAP on employment.43 Research shows that bullying, for example, has not increased compared with 1993. At the same time, the studyshows clearly that schools are devoting more attention to safety, a pleasant school climate and the pupilsthemselves. Education renewal programmes have also led to increased personal attention for pupils.44 As defined in the Municipal Educational Disadvantage Policy Act (Wet GOA).45 This is expected to result in 20,000 integration projects each year.46 Examples include the Child Hotline (Kindertelefoon) and the halfway houses (‘blijf-van-m’n-lijf-huizen’).These are sometimes supported by local authorities.47 In ‘De Andere kant van Nederland’ reference is also made to the Welfare Memorandum ‘Working towardssocial quality’ (‘Werken aan sociale kwaliteit’), which sets out the government’s welfare policy for the period1999-2002. The Welfare Memorandum also incorporates innovative - largely demand-led -policies and measuresto promote participation and prevent social exclusion, both for members of the public as such and for specifictarget groups.48 This working group comprises representatives of:• the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment• the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport• the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations• the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment• the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science• the Ministry of Justice• the Ministry of Economic Affairs• the Ministry of Finance

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• the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries• the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management• the Ministry of General Affairs49 A study in January 2001 into the extent to which socially responsible business (SRB) is ‘taking root’ in thebusiness community (Ondernemerschapsmonitor, winter 2000-2001 edition) shows that slightly more than half(51%) of businesses are currently involved in some way with SRB. This figure is an average for all companies,large and small; large companies are generally more active in socially responsible business than smallerbusinesses. On the other hand, smaller companies spend relatively more money on SRB:0.86% of turnovercompared with 0.63% for large companies. Companies evidently consider socially responsible business to beimportant: 87% say that they consider it very or reasonably important, and almost half (46%) believe that itsimportance will increase further in the future; 42% believe it will remain just as important as it is now. It isstriking that companies do not boast about their community attitude: 33% publicise it to a large or reasonabledegree, while 67% do not actively publicise it.50 See guideline 12 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.51 See guidelines 10 and 11 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment52 See guidelines 1 and 2 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.53 See guideline 3 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.54 See guideline 18 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.55 See also Good Practice 1 in Annex 2: ‘Pathways to Employment for minorities’ andguideline 7 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.56 See guidelines 1, 2, 5, 7 and 13 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.57 See guidelines 2, 3 and 7 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.58 See guidelines 6, 10 and 11 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.59 See guidelines 4 and 5 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.60 See guidelines 15, 16 and 18 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.61 See also Good Practices 2 and 3 in Annex 2: ‘Neighbourhood social activation’ and ‘LETS Swap shops inRotterdam’.62 ‘Childcare for single parents’ (Kinderopvang alleenstaande ouders), (SZW, October 2000)63 See Good Practices 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Annex 2: ‘Talent activated’, ‘Stichting Voilà foundation’, ‘LETS SwapShops in Rotterdam’and ‘Tilburg Tuition Fees foundation’64 At the same time the tax system promotes employment through financial incentives for employees (seeguideline 12 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment).65 The increase indicates the trend in general payments from the Municipal Fund as a result of developments incentral government spending. If central government spending increases, so do the general payments from theFund.66 Originally an addition of NLG 50 million per annum was planned for both1999 and 2000. In compliance withthe Van Zeijl motion, however, the addition for 2000 was paid in 1999.67 See guideline 2 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.68 A study by Ernst & Young in 2000 (‘Terugdringen niet-gebruik van inkomenafhankelijke voorzieningen’ -‘Reducing non take-up of income-dependent provisions’) shows that the linkage of databases at national level haslittle effect. One possible alternative might be for local authorities to link internal databases. At present, thenational government is working on a Privacy Circular which stipulates where linkage of internal databases bylocal authorities is and is not permitted, in relation to the Personal Data Protection Act.69 See Good Practice 7 in Annex 2: ‘Information at home in Heerenveen’70 See Good Practice 8 in Annex 2: ‘‘Eos’: modernisation of housing benefit’.71 See Good Practice 9 in Annex 2: ‘Social Axis Desk: integrated service-provision’.72 ‘Van schuld naar schone lei’ (‘From debt to a clean slate’); Evaluation of the Debt Repayment (NaturalPersons) Act, Ministry of Justice, May 2001.73 See also Good Practices 8 and 9 in Annex 2: ‘‘Eos’: modernisation of housing benefit’ and ‘Social Axis Desk:integrated service-provision’.74 See Good Practice 6 in Annex 2: ‘Tilburg Tuition Fees foundation’.75 This is also a focus area in the context of urban policy; several major cities are actively shouldering thisresponsibility.76 See Good Practice 10 in Annex 2: ‘Broad School Policy: Open Neighbourhood Schools in Nijmegen.’77 The G4 are the four largest municipalities in the Netherlands.78 The G21 are the 21 largest municipalities in the Netherlands, after the G4 municipalities. Together with theG4, the G21 form the G25.79 See section 1.6 of the NAP on employment.

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80 See Good Practice 11 in Annex 2: ‘Internet in care centres for the elderly’81 See Good Practice 12 in Annex 2: ‘Knowledge Neighbourhood: ICT in the neighbourhood’82 See guideline 5 in chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.83 See chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.84 See chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.85 See Good Practice 13 in Annex 2: ‘Removing thresholds: Internet and the disabled’86 See Good Practice 1 in Annex 2: ‘Pathways to Employment for minorities’.87 See chapter 2 of the NAP on employment.88 The ADR 2000-2002 Policy Paper has been tabled in the Lower House on this subject.89 See Good Practices 5 and 15 in Annex 2: ‘Stichting Voilà’ and ‘A virtual home for the homeless’90 See Good Practice 14 in Annex 2: ‘Pension Maaszicht: young homeless people on their way to a new place inthe community’91 See Good Practices 3, 6, 9, 10 and 16 in Annex 2: ‘LETS Swap Shops in Rotterdam’, ‘Tilburg Tuition Feesfoundation’, ‘Social Axis Desk’, ‘Broad School policy: Open Neighbourhood Schools in Nijmegen’ and ‘SocialInvestment Plan: Overtoomse Veld Noord in Amsterdam’92 This working group comprises representatives of:• the Ministry Social Affairs and Employment• the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport• the Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations• the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment• the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science• the Ministry of Justice• the Ministry of Economic Affairs• the Ministry of Finance• the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries• the Mnistry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management• the Ministry of General Affairs93 The ISV is one of the modules of the urban policy, but are the same time there is a difference: the ISV focusesprimarily on all municipalities in the Netherlands, not just the 30 largest towns.94 This report is also available in English95 S. Keuzenkamp and K. Oudhof, Emancipatiemonitor 2000, Social en Cultural Planning Office and StatisticsNetherlands, The Hage, November 2000. The Monitor is also available electronically via the Internet site of theSocial en Cultural Planning Office (www.scp.nl)