Reflecting on a valuable workshop at the ENIEC Annual Meeting in Frankfurt (15-17 April 2026)
In a superdiverse society, economic inequality is one of the most urgent issues. Elderly migrants are significantly overrepresented among those on low incomes or living in poverty. This not only affects their daily lives but also their access to care and healthcare services.
This overrepresentation was also recognised in many other European cities. During one of the workshops, led by ENIEC member Jennifer van den Broeke, the focus was on Amsterdam’s ‘Debt-free neighbourhood’ programme. We discussed how the city is addressing this complex issue and what we can learn from this example for our own practice.
A lively exchange of experiences, perspectives and practical examples took place, not least because participants came from many different European countries, bringing with them experiences and observations from their own cities and regions. That is also the beauty of ENIEC: all those diverse stories from different places across Europe. And also members who have known each other for a long time and who will meet again next year. This makes collaboration easier, because there is often already an established relationship and people have come to better understand each other’s situations during previous gatherings.
