The SVB Client Council

Latifa Cherrabi, member

I am Latifa, I’m 62 years old and live in Breda. I am of Moroccan descent and have 2 children. My day-to-day business is in the social domain. I also work on diversity and inclusion projects. In addition, I teach MBO-4 students at Maascollege twice a week. On the Client Council, I represent the Dutch Network of Organisations for Older Migrants (NOOM).

It must be clear to people what exactly it is that organisations do. There are many factors that create a gap between people and organisations, for example semiliteracy, digitisation, speaking a different language and/or having a different cultural background. I also see this a lot with services and facilities that people use on a day-to-day basis. I want to share my expertise, which is based on my varied experience with a variety of audiences, with the Client Council.

The SVB is an implementing body and as such I would love to see it get a face that people can identify with; to see the Client Council help bridge the gap between clients and the SVB by presenting information about schemes in a way that resonates with them. I think it is extremely important that clients’ interests are taken into account in this respect and that they are heard.

My name is Léon van Diepen, I live in Amsterdam with my partner and son. I am a self-employed project manager who specialises in how to provide services to clients, citizens and businesses, as well as government organisations. I get child benefit from the SVB and that goes off without a hitch. 

The work I do for the Client Council focusses mainly on client contact. The SVB plays a particularly relevant role in Dutch society: millions of people get money from the SVB. The digital and automated communications run smoothly. However, the SVB’s services must also remain accessible and clear to everyone, including people who have little or no digital skills. People should always be able to talk directly to an SVB employee. This has always been a focal point of my work outside the SVB and I want to put this expertise to work for the Client Council.

C. (Chris) W.F.M. Driessen, chair

My name is Chris Driessen and I have been chair of the SVB Client Council since 1 July 2020. I am retired now and receive an AOW pension. My partner and I have two children and four grandchildren and we live in Houten. I enjoy sport and am passionate about music and culture.

Having worked in the management of large organisations, I have seen first-hand how the SVB Client Council can be a real source of added value.

Millions of people come into contact with the SVB and their input and advice can help improve the organisation’s services. I look forward to representing SVB client interests independently and critically. As chair of the SVB Client Council, it is my job to ensure that everything keeps running smoothly.

Lennard Goudriaan, member

My name is Lennard Goudriaan and I work for a municipal authority as an adviser on subsidies. I also serve as a municipal councillor for Albrandswaard.

It is important for society as a whole that social insurance schemes are communicated well and carried out with the best service possible. The SVB Client Council plays an essential role here by letting the SVB know what its clients think.

I have always wanted to work for the public good and as a member of the SVB Client Council, I can put my knowledge and experience of the social insurance schemes, and the personal budget scheme in particular, to good use. This can be my contribution to ensure good client services and communication at the SVB.

Maarten Hanssen, member

My name is Maarten Hanssen. My partner and I have two daughters. I love music, sport and doing DIY. I also read a lot.

I work as a consultant for IT in healthcare, looking for new ways of using data to improve processes.

The SVB has very many clients and the SVB Client Council ensures their visibility within the SVB. The SVB wants to serve its clients as well as it can. We try to help by showing them the best way to do this.

My main duties are to check whether written explanations are clear, and whether things are not being done unnecessarily. I also ask questions about client data protection.

Ton Heinen, member

I am Ton Heinen. I am married and live in Amsterdam Zuidoost. I represent the National Christian Trade Union Federation (CNV) on the SVB Client Council.

During the 35 years or more that I worked in finance, I took an active role in employee and client participation. I did this within my own work as well as for various voluntary organisations.

I think service provision should be monitored and improvements made where possible. I can encourage this by playing a constructive part in meetings and discussions on important issues.

My name is Derya Kaplan. I work for the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, providing services to small and medium-sized companies and the Dutch Chamber of Commerce. I am a trained legal professional. 

I get child benefit from the SVB for my children. My experience with the SVB is positive: the SVB provides proper information. I have noticed, however, that not everyone is aware of the various schemes administered by the SVB. I have made it my job to monitor this. 

Together with the Client Council, I want to work towards a situation where everything is clear to everyone and they do not have to worry about the SVB. It is important that everyone gets the money they are entitled to: automatically, without any hassle and with clear information.

H.J.F.M. Kas (1952), member on behalf of the senior citizens organisation ‘Unie KBO en PCOB’

My name is Hennie Kas and I represent the SVB Client Council on the AOW pension committee. I was born in Amsterdam and now live in Uithoorn. I am married, have two sons, a daughter and three grandchildren, two girls and a boy.

I worked for the SVB for more than 40 years in positions varying from case officer to head of the Translation Department to Director of one of the regional offices. Now that I am receiving an AOW pension, I am also a client of the SVB. My duty on the SVB Client Council is to represent the senior citizens associations KBO/PCOB.

The SVB Client Council represents clients’ interests by identifying problems in client services and examining how SVB policy and products work in practice. In this way, the SVB Client Council can help the SVB to improve its services still further.

I will try to pick up as many positive and negative signs as possible from older SVB clients, whose interests I represent. I will also use my past experience at the SVB wherever I can.

Ms E.C. van der Meer-Matthijsse, member

I am Liesbeth van der Meer and I work as a homecare nurse in a sheltered housing community for elderly people who can still live independently. I am also involved as general secretary in the parent-initiated housing project where my eldest daughter lives.

I have two daughters who both receive a personal care budget (PGB), one under the Long-term Care Act (Wlz), and the other under the Social Support Act (Wmo). We also used the TOG scheme in the past.

I think it’s important to ensure the continued existence of the PGB scheme so that people can keep as much control as possible over the care they receive. The SVB Client Council can bring the interests of PGB recipients and other client groups to the attention of the SVB’s Board of Directors.

As the PGB client representative on the SVB Client Council, I will work to ensure that the PGB scheme continues to operate safely and fairly, and that the SVB Client Council, as a body, remains proactive.

Ms A.M.J. Pelzer (1953), member on behalf of the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV)

My name is Ans Pelzer. My main goal throughout my career was to work with the most vulnerable in society to represent their interests. I am now a socially-engaged pensioner as well as a committed trade unionist, and am currently working on journalism projects as well as for the Food Bank and the SVB Client Council.

I used to work as a policy advisor and executive director for the Netherlands Trade Union Confederation (FNV), dealing with issues such as social security, the working poor, the position of women in the labour market and client participation. I also worked on the board of a municipal council for a number of years.

It is essential for a large organisation like the SVB that its clients have a voice. With the best will in the world, things will still go wrong, and it is the role of the SVB Client Council to ask uncomfortable questions when necessary.

My duty will be to represent the interests of AIO and PGB recipients in particular. You can usually pick up signs just by listening, and if there are any problems, I will make sure they are heard.

Jos van Veen, member

I am Jos van Veen and I live in Diemen. I’ve been married for almost 50 years, have 3 children and 5 grandchildren. I love music and used to be an amateur conductor. I also enjoy fishing. I represent the Trade Union Federation for Professionals (VCP) on the Client Council.

I worked for the international department of the Dutch Employee Insurance Agency (UWV) for many years. In the past, I also worked extensively with the SVB’s international department. I’m an AOW pensioner now, which means that I’m making use of a scheme that is administered by the SVB. I am devoted to social security and I’m curious by nature.

As a member of the trade union, I focus primarily on the relationship between company/industry-wide pensions and the state AOW old-age pension. In addition, based on my own interests, I will also focus on international services and (to a lesser extent) on personal care budgets (PGB). Representing society’s interests is indispensable for keeping an organisation on the right track. I’m happy to share my previous experiences with the Client Council, and hope that this will help citizens and the SVB to understand each other better.