Belgium - stad Sint-Truiden invests in warm social policy: "Everyone counts, no one left behind"

Belgium - stad Sint-Truiden invests in warm social policy: "Everyone counts, no one left behind" The city's new 2026-2031 plan prioritizes vulnerability amid financial challenges, with experience experts highlighted in outreach for children facing poverty (21.7% rate) and educational delays. ​ 🧠 Key Investments Featuring Lived Experience - €119K for baby cards, diapers, summer schools + experience experts in child outreach - 4 new social workers to handle 477+ cases from unemployment cuts, with activation via VDAB - €330K emergency housing + street psychiatrist (€31K) for homelessness crisis - €42K mental health prevention via inter-municipal workers + Red Cross (Rode Kruis-Vlaanderen) support - Aging support (€497K), loneliness (€153K), digital inclusion (€14K) Mayor Ludwig Vandenhove & Social Affairs Alderman Pascal Monette emphasize: "From safety net to resilience" – using peer expertise for low-threshold, trauma-informed support in food aid, activation, and senior care.