Soften the boundaries of youth care
The future lies in the hands of our youth, is often said. Until the youth who gets youth care become adults, they live in a protected environment. An environment that is far removed from the real society. Investments are made in offering a safe living environment and short term problem solving. There is little time and space to prepare the youths for the role they will fulfill in society in the future. They do not learn the social cognitive skills that fit their living environment and there is hardly any practical support.
After years of efforts, young people who have received youth care are released. In many cases uncertainty awaits. after all: How do you get your own home? How do you deal with money? What can you become and how do you get there? Situations of debt and lack of perspective may arise. ‘Jong Gewoond’ is committed to closing that gap.
‘Jong Gewoond’ goes tandem with 'Jong Geleerd'; a trajectory that works from young people and living environment on sustainable solutions through learning and working. For a maximum of two years, young people aged 15 to 27 will find support that varies in unconditional attention, inspiration and motivation to the concrete creation and visualization of development opportunities. A course in which both theory and practical experience come together and focus on talent development, (net) work, job guarantee, social support and citizenship. This involves working on five areas: education, work, care, guidance and social environment. For the sixth pillar: living, STIPO investigates with VanSchagen Architects, Stad2 and Bergunlimited, together with project partner Dr. Feelgood what a sustainable living environment looks like for young people who take their first steps in their social and living career from the youth care perspective. A project where young people can claim voluntary buddies. The Creative Industries Fund supports this research within the context of the Open Call 'designing a community of care, new forms of living'. For this project contacts are made with care partners, financiers, real estate parties, municipalities and especially with the young people themselves.
My role: initiator.
