Youth 0-21 Society and Policy

This involves young people themselves as well as the people that supervise and guide them.The first semester comprises course units such as ‘Conceptions of youth in policy and research’, ‘Innovations in youth care and education’ and ‘Child abuse and neglect’, after which in the second semester you follow a placement, complete a placement assignment and write your thesis. My thesis is about how secondary-school pupils are prepared for the labour market or further education.The programme is rather broad. I enjoy the variety in topics, and the lecturers also give you a lot of freedom to come up with your own ideas. You can delve more deeply into the topics that you are particularly interested in. In addition, the group is small, so you get to know each other quickly. The lecturers are very passionate about their subject, and they really know a lot about it – they are firmly grounded in the field.After I graduate, I think I might like to work as a policy adviser dealing with youth issues, and I would also like to start up a company that helps young people choose what they want to study. This way I want to continue to create a link between practice and policy!

In addition, I hope to experience what it means to be a child protection practitioner who is in direct contact with children in need. Eventually, I would like to put my experience and the knowledge gained in the Master’s programme and work on improving child protection services, bridging the gap between research and practice.This Master’s programme is relatively small, which means there is a lot of one-on-one contact with the lecturers. In addition, we receive a lot of support from our thesis supervisors, in particular with finding a placement. I find the most interesting course ‘Child Abuse and Neglect’ by Dr Mónica Lopez Lopez. During class we are expected to take part in discussions. This means that the relevant readings must be studied in advance, to the extent that one understands the main message.Overall, I feel lucky to have found the Master’s programme which not only caters to my interests, but also provides students with interactive and practical course units.

It leans towards Sociology but it has also something to do with Education (Onderwijskunde). We think about issues like ‘How do you develop a project in an organization?’, and ‘A new method will be introduced, but how should this be addressed?’With some fellow students we have produced a policy piece. That was very nice to do!After a few months of theory, your internship will start. I am currently doing an internship at the municipality of Leeuwarden. During such an internship you will get to know an organization at the policy level. I learn what it is like to work with different parties who all want something from, in this case, the municipality of Leeuwarden. Very interesting! In addition, the things I learned in the first few months of theory worked well for my internship. I was very well prepared.This year, only ten people study ‘Youth, Society and Policy’. I like that very much, because you have a lot of contact with your fellow students and your teachers. Moreover, it is an international study. This year we had two students from Germany and Spain. In this way, you learn something about the policy in other countries and how they shape it. The language is English, and I like that too. My English has therefore improved quite a lot during the past few months.

You will not be tested by written examinations, but by projects and essays. I appreciate that. I participated in a project about LGBTQ youth. How can you provide information at schools so that everyone is accepted as he or she is? Together with my groupmates, I wrote a plan for that. That kind of project is very concrete, and leads to a tangible result that you can be proud of.After the theory part, you will do a work placement and write your thesis. I am currently doing a placement at Yorneo, in Drenthe, an organization which provides all kinds of assistance with regard to raising children. There I did my placement at foster care. I would like to work at in foster care later. A place where you are really involved with people.I think it’s very important to do things you care about and that you find worthwhile. That’s really the case with this Master’s degree programme. You have room to pursue your interests, and dive in deeply. A bonus is that my English has greatly improved, so that I can analyse texts critically now.
Anne Heslinga, 22 years old, master student.

Broadly, the research will seek to answer how these enriched hours can be organized in impactful and feasible ways in the context of promoting equality of opportunity among children. Every working day as a PhD student is different, but since this is the beginning phase of my PhD project, I do a lot of reading and writing to outline my research proposal.
Looking backIlook back to my student days with a big smile. I have experienced a lot of growth both academically and personally. I've always been able to put enough effort into my studies while doing a lot of other fun things.
What I liked about this master's is that quite a small number of students apply and that it is also open to international students. This facilitates many interesting discussions during the lectures with students bringing their perspectives from diverse backgrounds.
InsightsDuring the programme, I learned how interventions can improve children’s well-being and what is important when implementing these interventions in, for example, the educational setting. In the various courses, it was emphasized that not only the specific intervention but also broader (systemic) factors contribute to its success and challenges. Also bridging the gap between theory and practice and the role of research in improving interventions and youth policies were important topics throughout the whole programme. Together, the insights I gained during this master's programme are valuable in designing and conducting my current research.
SkillsI really liked that almost all the courses I took ended not with an exam, but with a writing assignment. In this, you had a lot of freedom and could apply your own interests to the assignments. I also think that this form of assessment fits very well with the skills you should develop during your master's. More specifically, I enjoyed the process of writing my master’s thesis. It felt like a great conclusion to the program, allowing me to bring together and apply knowledge from the other courses.
I benefited mostly from the writing skills that I gained. I try to be critical of what I write and to incorporate all relevant viewpoints. Furthermore, the master's programme taught me that context matters. It shapes the way a child develops, what and how youth policies are designed and implemented, the practical effects of an intervention etc. In my current job as a PhD student, it is of great value to always keep this in mind.
FutureOf course, first I want to complete my PhD. And after that? I hope that after completing my PhD, I can continue to grow as a researcher and contribute my knowledge and expertise in a role that makes a meaningful difference for vulnerable children.
Advice My advice for current and future students would be to take advantage of your teachers as a valuable resource! As the group of students following this master programme is relatively small, the teachers are very approachable, supportive, and always willing to help, so don’t hesitate to reach out. Talk to them about your interests, career goals, or possible job paths. They can offer guidance and possibly connect you with opportunities. Through talking a lot with my thesis supervisor about my future path, she convinced me that pursuing a PhD could be a great fit for me. And here we are now :)

These different dimensions are important because they contribute to the understanding of different perspectives and the ability to work together with people from different disciplines.The degree programme is characterized by its focus on youth issues concerning growing up and development. We consistently try to bridge the gaps between research, policy and practice. Students are actively engaged in these issues through seminars, group assignments and discussions. One of the themes dealt with is how different countries have organized their decision-making regarding children who are placed in care. Do the children or young people have a say in it? If yes, how is this arranged? The programme also covers the implementation of interventions and innovations.The theoretical course unit in which I am involved takes place early in the programme. Students are introduced to the various definitions and interpretations of ‘youth’ across countries and to the implications of this for youth policy. Students analyse the youth policy of a country of their choice and compare their analyses afterwards. Then you see that a concept like ‘youth participation’ is interpreted very differently, but also that those differences do not always coincide with the distinction between Western and non-Western countries.