EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Short research: volume and tools for a comprehensive approach to high-risk youth in The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht

Short research: volume and tools for a comprehensive approach to high-risk youth in The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht

Introduction

Young people who are unemployed and are not in education run the risk of becoming long-term unemployed and dependant on social security. Some of these young people drift into criminality. This has a negative effect, both on the young people themselves and on the community.

Proposition

What is the number of young people of the ages 18 to 22 in the cities researched into who are unemployed, have no qualifications, do not partake of education and are in touch with municipal or help services, why do they remain invisible and what are the tools for a successful approach?

Description

For this research, we studied local and national sources (research reports and studies) concerning the problems of young people and how to tackle them. We compared several of these sources in a document analysis. We performed a location study and held interviews with young people and professionals who worked with them in order to gain a clear picture of the problems at hand. The research was completed in October 2007.

Status

The research was completed in October 2007.

Knowledge dissemination

The results were discussed during a working conference with youth workers and other local specialists.

Conclusions

The current approach in Rotterdam and The Hague, which involves made-to-measure guidance, is working, but is not yet fully comprehensive.
Guidance should be based on a good analysis of the problems and the helper should be able to win confidence while offering structure and defining borders.
Up-to-date and uncluttered resources and promptness in the passing on of information are prerequisites for a comprehensive approach.
There should be more clarity about mutual expectations and agreements between the organisations involved (especially between council organisations and schools).
A reference index accessible to all relevant parties can improve cooperation and coordination.

Contact info

Berenschot
Europalaan 40
3526 KS Utrecht
The Netherlands
Phone: 0031 (0)30 2916916
Fax: 0031 (0)30 2916861
www.berenschot.com
Ad Baan (Senior Advisor), tel. 0031 (0)6 55364740

Publication date

24/07/2008

Project finished

24/07/2008

Researcher

Drs. A.W. (Ad) Baan

Click here to read the publication "Risicojongeren in Rotterdam, Den Haag en Utrecht" (PDF, NL, 775 kB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Integration of social groups

Keywords

Young people

Institutional characteristics
Local Authority