First National Over-Indebtedness Prevention Week
The Ministry for Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region intends to pursue and develop its efforts in the prevention of over-indebtedness of private individuals and, together with Inter-Actions asbl and the Ligue Médico-Sociale, organises the first national over-indebtedness prevention week from 24 to 28 April 2023. Over the course of this week, several actions are organised throughout the country with the aim of raising awareness of concerned professionals and the general public about the phenomenon of over-indebtedness and existing aid measures.
Please find the full program below.
Opening of the First National Over-indebtedness Prevention Week and training on the law on over-indebtedness
The opening of the national over-indebtedness prevention week will take place on 24 April 2023 from 09:30 to 12:30 at the Ministry for Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region (13 C, rue de Bitbourg, Luxembourg). The week will be launched with a speech by the Minister for Family Affairs and Integration, Corinne Cahen, followed by a speech by Inter-Actions asbl and the Ligue Médico-Sociale. A training session on the over-indebtedness procedure in Luxembourg will then be given to professionals from the social sector.
The aim of the event is to train professionals who accompany individuals facing an accumulation of debt, seizures and assignments and/or bailiffs, and who want to further their knowledge of the collective debt settlement procedure and the law on over-indebtedness.
Detailed program:
First session
09:30 to 10:00: Welcome coffee and croissant
10:00 to 10:30: Speeches by the Minister for Family Affairs and Integration, Inter-Actions asbl and the Ligue Médico-Sociale
10:30 to 12:30: Training on the over-indebtedness procedure in Luxembourg
Second session
13.30 bis 14.00 Uhr : Welcome coffee
14.00 bis 16.00 Uhr : Training on the over-indebtedness procedure in Luxembourg
The training is free of charge.
Mandatory registration via secretariat.en@i-a.lu until 17 April 2023.
Distribution of brochures and mobile stands
Inter-Actions asbl and the Ligue Médico-Sociale will distribute leaflets on over-indebtedness in different languages and will organise mobile stands to raise awareness of the phenomenon of over-indebtedness among the general public. The aim is to inform passersby about the week's events as well as the problem of over-indebtedness and to answer their questions.
Collaborators will be present on the following days and places:
- 24 April 2023 from 15:00 to 16:00 in thes “Gare” and “Bonnevoie” districts of Luxembourg-City by Inter-Actions asbl
- 24 April 2023 from 16:00 to 18:30 at the train stations of Luxembourg-City, Esch/Alzette and Ettelbrück by the Ligue Médico-Sociale
- 25 April 2023 from 10:00 to 12:00 in the rue de l'Alzette in Esch/Alzette by Inter-Actions asbl.
Information will be given in Luxembourgish, French, German and English and, whenever possible, in Portuguese.
Launch of the "document filing" project
The community work service "Ensemble Quartiers Dudelange" of Inter-Actions asbl will launch the project "document filing" on 24 April 2023. The project aims to help the inhabitants of Dudelange to sort and file their documents according to priority and importance. Filing not only helps to find documents faster, but also to have an overview of the financial situation. If necessary, the service can also provide explanations on the content of the documents.
From 24 April 2023, the inhabitants of Dudelange will be able to participate in this project every Monday from 15:00 to 17:00, as well as every Thursday from 11:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 16:00 in the districts of “Italie”, “Schmelz” and “Brill” in Dudelange.
The offered languages are French, German, Luxembourgish, English and Portuguese.
Interested persons are kindly asked to make an appointment by phone: 621 286 149 / 621 656 660 or by e-mail: ensemblequartiersdudelange@i-a.lu .
Open door events at the “Centres medico-sociaux”
The Ligue Médico-Sociale will be organising open door events in its regional “centres medico-sociaux” on 25, 26, 27 and 28 April 2023. Professionals from the socio-medico-financial field of the Ligue Médico-Sociale will be present to inform the visiting public about the phenomenon of over-indebtedness and to answer their questions.
The regional open door events will take place from 14:00 to 18:00 as follows:
25/04/2023
Clervaux (6, rue Brooch)
Redange/Attert (74, Grand-rue)
Wiltz (4, avenue Nic Kreins)
26/04/2023
Ettelbruck (2A, av. Lucien Salentiny)
Mersch (17, rue de la Gare)
Luxembourg (2, rue G.C. Marshall)
27/04/2023
Esch/Alzette (61, rue de la Gare)
Differdange (23, Grand-Rue)
Dudelange (56, rue du Parc)
28/04/2023
Echternach (56, rue Duchscher)
Grevenmacher (20, route du Vin)
“Debt and Health" training
On 25 April 2023, Inter-Actions, in cooperation with TRAPES asbl, will organise an interactive training day on the impact of over-indebtedness on health. The day will be divided into moments of discussion, theory and testimonies.
The "Debt and Health" training is free of charge and will take place from 09:00 to 12:00 and from 13:00 to 16:00 at the Centre Culturel Belair (110, avenue Gaston Diderich, Luxembourg).
No more places available.
Object theatre "Village Surendetto”
Inter-Actions asbl will organize on 25 April 2023, in cooperation with Trapes asbl, an object theatre named "Village Surendetto" in the participating "maisons relais" located on the territory of the City of Luxembourg.
The "Village Surendetto" is created and directed by Mr. Enzo Fati, member of Trapes asbl.
The aim is to talk about the subject of over-indebtedness through object theatre. The story revolves around a demon that plagues the village: debt! The theatre lasts about 30 minutes and aims to raise awareness of this issue among the children attending the ”maisons relais”.
The theatre will take place on 25 April 2023 starting at 14:00 in the participating “maisons relais”.
”Maisons relais” located on the territory of the City of Luxembourg can register via e-mail under secretariat.en@i-a.lu until 17 April 2023.
Adult financial education by the ABBL Foundation
The ABBL Foundation for Financial Education will present the foundation's adult financial education tools, training modules and teaching materials to socio-educational professionals on 25 April 2023.
The presentation in French will take place from 10:00 to 11:30.at the ABBL Foundation’s seat located at12, rue Erasme, Luxembourg
Registration is mandatory by e-mail via secretariat.en@i-a.lu until 17 April 2023.
“Money Odyssey" application
The ABBL Foundation for Financial Education has developed the mobile application "Money Odyssey". It provides a fun way to learn and understand financial concepts and to adopt financial behaviour. The aim of the application is to motivate young people and adults to become familiar with the world of finance and economics.
This application will be presented on 26 April 2023 to professionals in the socio-educational sector so that they can use it with their respective audiences (e.g. in “maisons des jeunes”).
The presentation in French will take place in the seat of the ABBL Foundation at 12, rue Erasme, Luxembourg from 10:30 to 12:00.
Registration is mandatory by email secretariat.en@i-a.lu until 17 April 2023.
Information sessions "The law on over-indebtedness”
The Ligue Médico-Sociale will organise information sessions in order to familiarise human resources staff and any other interested persons with the law of 8 January 2013 on over-indebtedness. The information sessions aims to give an overview of the legislative developments in this field and the functioning of the current law.
The information sessions will be offered via WebEx, on 25 and 27 April 2023 from 12:15 to 13:45.
Registration is mandatory via https://myligue.ligue.lu/fr/prise-rendez-vous/su/for until 21 April 2023.
Information sessions "Garnishments and assignments of income”
The Ligue Médico-Sociale will organise information sessions in order to familiarise human resources staff and any other interested persons with the amended law of 11 November 1970 on the assignment and seizure of labour remuneration and pensions. The information sessions aim to give an overview of the legislative framework, scales and practical examples concerning garnishment and assignment of income.
The information sessions will be offered via WebEx on 26 and 28 April 2023 from 12:15 to 13:45.
Registration is mandatory via https://myligue.ligue.lu/fr/prise-rendez-vous/su/for until 21 April 2023.
Workshop with STATEC "Reference Budget”
On 26 April 2023, Ms Anne Franziskus of STATEC will propose a workshop to enable the Mediation Committee on over-indebtedness, the two information and advice services on over-indebtedness, the “Service d’Accompagnement Social” of the Ligue Médico-Sociale and the “Service du Suivi Financier et Social” of Inter-Actions asbl to become familiar with the "reference budget" tool. This workshop will also serve to examine the possible adaptation in the field for the establishment of the budget of an over-indebted person while taking into account the specific needs of the latter. This tool will ensure that the budget is regularly updated.
Participation is by invitation only.
Training for future educators in matters concerning the budget
Inter-Actions asbl, in cooperation with the Groupe Action Surendettement (GAS), will offer a training session on 27 April 2023 for a class of the Lycée Technique pour Professions Educatives et Sociales (LTPES) to familiarize the participants with how to set up a monthly budget. In addition, the training will give the target audience an overview of the budget items to be included in a monthly budget and will raise their awareness of financial inclusion.
Movie debate "Toutes nos envies"
On 28 April 2023, Inter-Actions asbl will organize a movie debate on the subject of over-indebtedness through the screening of the film "Toutes nos envies", directed by Mr Philippe Lioret. The movie debate is aimed at young high school students from the 3e (troisième) onwards. It will be followed by an interactive discussion to get young people thinking about (over)consumption and its consequences.
The debate will be held in French and Luxembourgish and will be coordinated by the information and advice service on over-indebtedness of Inter-Actions asbl.
The detailed program will be as follows:
8:30 to 9:00: Welcome
9:00 to 11:00: Film screening
11:00-12:00: Discussion coordinated by the information and advice service on over-indebtedness of Inter-Actions asbl
Registration of classes to participate in the movie debate is mandatory via the email address secretariat.en@i-a.lu until 17 April 2023.
Training on over-indebtedness for court clerks
The Ministry for Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region will organize a training on 28 April 2023 on the collective debt settlement procedure for clerks of the peace courts and anyone else who may be affected.
The following topics will be discussed:
- overview of the over-indebtedness situation in Luxembourg
- legal framework and general knowledge of the collective debt settlement procedure
- practical management of the electronic debt register and the notices to be published.
The training will take place at INAP by invitation.
Social media campaigns and collaborations
The non-profit organisation "Jonk Entrepreneuren" is organising two sessions of their educational programme "Fit For Life" on 24 and 26 April 2023 at the Nic-Biever secondary school. Over-indebtedness will be one of the topics discussed.
The Ministry of Consumer Protection is launching a campaign on social networks as part of the national week for the prevention of over-indebtedness to raise awareness of the effects of signing a commercial contract.
In addition, the Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF) is raising awareness among the general public through two "True or False" videos, broadcast on social networks and on the letzfin.lu website, on the subject of overindebtedness as part of the national week for the prevention of overindebtedness :
Videos in French:
Videos in German: