Response of the College of Mayor and Aldermen, adopted February 16, 2021, to the Youth Policy 2021-2024 Nuenen Advisory Council - Advisory Council Social Domain Nuenen c.a., January 7, 2021

In its December 17 digital meeting, the ASD discussed the December 2020 memo Draft Youth Policy 2021-2024. Based on this memo, discussions in the ASD with the drafter Meriam van Onzenoort and discussions among themselves, the ASD formulated advice and comments to make the proposed policy more focused and testable.

Summary

The memorandum provides a good and clear overview of youth and youth assistance in Nuenen. The inventory of the general facilities and the problems identified were established in broad and good consultation with the professionals. The chosen ambition is for all youth to grow up in a promising, healthy and safe environment and to offer them the opportunity to participate in society. Fourteen policy options are then formulated and elaborated for Nuenen. The memorandum provides a sound basis for formulating policies for youth aid.

The 14 policy options are formulated in an abstract way, which means that the expected results and the budgets required are not yet sufficiently clearly described. In times of scarcity of people and resources, it is advisable to prioritize and give an indication of available budgets. The effectiveness of the policy is further enhanced if each goal is articulated when the municipality considers its policy successful.

With our advice, questions and suggestions, we encourage the municipality to make policies more effective.

Opinions

Objectives

Based on an analysis of the current situation of youth in Nuenen, the memorandum describes a vision for youth and some ambitions. The choice was made to normalize situations, not to problematize them, and to emphasize prevention. Based on that vision, the ambitions and the current situation of the youth, fourteen good objectives have been formulated as policy options. Currently, still without prioritization, without a concrete time plan and without clear funding and/or commitment. There is a great influence of available financial resources on achieving the objectives. "Money drives policy" is the experience. If there is the same level of commitment as in the past, it is not to be expected that things will be significantly better than in the past. It seems sensible to indicate that ambitions will cost money. But in the long run it is to be expected that these ambitions will lead to lower spending on youth aid than if these ambitions are not implemented. The premise "the council determines the policy, the college takes care of the implementation" requires that the youth policy formulate clear (political) choices, an indication of expected improvements and a financial justification.

• Recommendation: The ASD recommends making the policy less non-committal by prioritizing policy options, providing an overall indication of a time plan and quantifying the requested budgets.
• Advice: When prioritizing, the ASD recommends, in part, an emphasis on policy options that can benefit a large group of youth. As examples: Increasing resiliency and youth work are valuable to all youth.
• Recommendation: For each objective, describe as concretely as possible when the municipality considers the policy implemented successful. This description should go beyond stating that the budget has been spent.

We have updated the draft policy. For each objective, we now state more specifically what we are going to do and what results we are aiming for. We have not prioritized, not even in time. This is a coherent package of measures. Which goal is important for a youth can always change and depends on age and circumstances.

A conscious decision was made to limit the paper to youth up to 18 years of age. From the point of view of focus, this is justifiable. However, the 18-23 age group has partly the same and partly different problems. This group also requires policy. Especially with a view to prevention, applying a rigid dividing line at 18 is not desirable.

• Recommendation: Examine what services and customization are now available for this group and whether they are sufficient.

In practice, commitment does not necessarily stop when a youth turns 18. For example, youth work also focuses on young adults. Although compulsory education stops at 18, older youth are also encouraged to obtain a starting qualification, etc.

Measuring and evaluating

The paper mentions several times that measuring the effects of prevention is difficult, if not impossible. Without underestimating the difficulties of measurement, systematic measurement provides useful information. CBS and the GGD do no different. However, these measurements must be interpreted properly. Without data, it is blind sailing on feelings. Our youth should not depend solely on the opinions or gut feelings of a few people.

The specific effect of prevention is indeed difficult to measure. By making the goal as concrete as possible, however, it is possible to determine to what extent the intended goal is achieved. Figures alone are not enough. The story/experience of those involved can also provide evidence. Nowadays, methods are used to calculate what you save with prevention (e.g. Prevention Calculator). You then examine how the investment in the new method (deployment of neighborhood teams, welfare work and general (non-determined) services, ... ) pays off and what the learning points are.

• Advice: When formulating policies, it is wise to formulate the goals to be achieved as concretely as possible. This promotes a better understanding of the goal, makes implementation easier and more consistent with the policy, the size of the budgets needed can be determined more clearly, and evaluation of the policy also becomes easier.

The draft policy has been modified based on this advice. For each goal we have worked out how we have insight and what we are going to measure. In a number of cases we use a target. In a number of cases we explain why we do not do this. As far as currently known, the budgets we use for the implementation are indicated. We ask the council to make an implementation budget of € 15,000 available. It is possible that the realization of goals in the future will require additional budget. We will then include this in the regular budget cycle.

• Advice: In all cases, but especially if sufficient understanding of one's own situation and usable measurements are lacking, the municipality, when formulating its policy and chosen implementation, should also focus on issues that are scientifically substantiated and/or with which other municipalities have already gained extensive experience. Try out new actions in a pilot municipality within the group of eleven municipalities. Learn from each other.

Where possible, we use activities and methodologies that are scientifically based or that other municipalities have had good experiences with. We often join regional projects.

Youth workers

Youth work is not specifically for young people with problems, but for the entire group of young people of Nuenen. Youth work has an early signaling function, works preventively, and certainly contributes to achieving the municipality's ambitions. Still, the question remains how many young people the youth workers (can) see and thus signal sufficiently. It is indicated that youth work has a structural overview of 225 young people, which is about 10% of the total number of young people aged 10-23.

• Recommendation: Investigate whether youth workers sufficiently reach and/or can reach the relevant youth eligible for youth aid. Bottlenecks identified can then become part for action by the municipality.

This advice was adopted and included as an action item under goal 14. We aim to increase outreach.

Referral

"Under the Youth Act, physicians and certified institutions may also refer to youth care. In that case, it is important that this referrer keeps a close eye on how a youth is doing."

The municipality cannot block this referral. But it can invest in the cooperation between, for example, the child psychologist, the practice-supporting general practitioners (poh) child & youth and the CMD. The child psychologist is then compensated for a number of hours of consultation per year, for example, with each poh child & youth one hour per month. The child psychologist can advise the poh or coach her remotely in a treatment/guidance so that more expensive Health can be omitted. That more than pays for itself.

• Recommendation: Invest in the cooperation between e.g. the child psychologist, the poh youth and the CMD.

It is essential that the referrer continues to monitor their client closely and the CMD is kept informed of the status of the case

• Advice: Encourage as a municipality that the referrer does the same, for example by having the administrative actions supported by the CMD.

We will explore both opinions further in consultation with the ASD.

Questions and suggestions

• Q: Who has the directing role when a youth involves multiple professionals?
• On page 3 for the vision and on page 4 for the goals, a number of times it refers to "all youth" and sometimes just "youth." The policy becomes more ambitious with all. Suggestion: Always talk about all youth.

This suggestion was adopted.

• Suggestion: Include an effort requirement in the authorized absence to actively engage in online education.

If necessary, the municipality can facilitate resources for the student and influence the school in question through the pathway counselor. The point is to keep a student engaged and socially hooked in terms of education during the time he cannot attend school.

This suggestion has been adopted. Depending on the nature of the excused absence, students can take online classes (separate from corona) through KPN ClassContact, for example, schools can supervise students remotely through Magister. The options depend on the reason for the absence and the student's ability to pay.

• Page 10 describes issues that require extra attention. Loneliness among youth is one of these problems.

Suggestion: Offer this group free online help including chat rooms. This is a low-threshold step for young people who are lonely.

We are exploring this suggestion in consultation with the GGD and youth work. This is included as an action item under goal 14.

In addition, we suggest further investment in a physical, recognizable meeting place where young people can come together, with guidance from youth workers or experts by experience. The youth living room at Het Goed offers a possibility, but given the location (uncanny, unsociable, no outdoor activity possible) and the limitations in terms of furnishing and activities, the question is whether this is sufficiently inviting for young people.

The youth living room at The Good has not been open very long and could not yet be well used due to corona measures. Relocation or expansion of opening requires additional resources. If this is necessary to increase the accessibility of youth work, funds should be included in the budget for this purpose.

• On page 14 it is rightly noted that the best place for identifying problems is education. Investing in the network of (the important) schools outside Nuenen is therefore very important. The line from school or route counsellor via student/parents to the social services in Nuenen must be quicker and low-threshold. For example, the guarantee that within 1 or 2 weeks after the first telephone contact there will always be a substantive response. Then referrers/clients know where they stand. In this way the municipality can ensure that people do not drop out prematurely. Suggestion: Ask the CMD and LEV to have a quick and guaranteed response time. This suggestion was adopted (see action items under goal 14).
• Young people and parents have not been involved in the drafting of this note because parents' input often relates only to their own situation. As the paper suggests, it seems important and relevant that they do get involved in operationalizing the objectives in order to tailor the policy to their needs.

Suggestion: Exploring what young people and parents themselves understand by abstract concepts such as resilience, what does that look like in practice?

With this knowledge, it also becomes easier to measure goals more concretely.

In both youth monitors, resilience is measured through questions such as: 'can stand up for themselves' and 'has self-confidence'

Schools and parents play an important role in making youth resilient. The municipality offers supportive trainings to increase resilience. In consultation with youth work and the GGD we investigate what support youth and parents need. Digital forms of support will be examined.