Elvera has always worked in finance. For the past seventeen years, she did so as an interim professional, until she realized she wanted to trade the temporary nature of her assignments for building something long-term. “When I saw that a vacancy opened up at Quooker for the position of Team Lead Finance, I knew: that one is for me.” During her first interview, she immediately made it clear that her volunteer work is important to her. “On Fridays I work for Stichting Bram, which supports children with multiple disabilities. And in the evenings, I volunteer as a budget coach for people who need help getting their finances back on track.”

Making a difference for others “Redundancy, divorce, illness—there are so many reasons why someone can run into financial difficulties,” says Elvera. “That’s why I became a budget coach: I’ve been fortunate enough never to have lacked anything. For many people, that’s different. Some have simply had bad luck and ended up in trouble. I really appreciate that I have the space to help.” Requests for help often come through Facet, a social organization in Ridderkerk. “They present the case to me and ask if I’m willing to help. If I say yes, I visit the person for a cup of coffee. If there’s a good connection on both sides, I’ll start supporting them.”

Creating an overview first With every request, Elvera first tries to create an overview: what comes in each month and what goes out? Sometimes this means working through a large stack of unopened mail and mapping out payment arrears. “As a budget coach, you work alongside the person,” she explains. “You don’t take over the problem, but make a plan together. Ultimately, the goal is for someone to regain control themselves.” At the moment, she has four active cases. She is already in contact with two of them, and not yet with the other two. “There is a lot of shame around this topic,” says Elvera. “And sometimes people simply have too much on their plate to answer my calls. I understand that. I patiently wait until they are ready to accept help.”

A meaningful connection Elvera gets a great deal of satisfaction from her volunteer work. “You see the relief on people’s faces when they reach a point where there is clarity and perspective again, that’s what you do it for.” Sometimes she reconnects with someone after a few years: “Then something has happened in their life again, causing them to lose control.” In some cases, a special bond develops: “There’s a woman who lost her mother at a young age and suddenly had to manage on her own three or four years ago. I helped her get her finances in order and have continued to visit her. Just to check in and support her. I can tell she really appreciates it and that makes me feel good too.”

Does it ever become too much—leading a team of ten people at Quooker, working for a foundation on Fridays, and volunteering as a budget coach? “No. Did I mention I also take part in the Roparun, raising money for palliative care for people with cancer?”

Posted on 19-03-2026