What we stand for
Improving the lives of children and young people, as well as their parents and carers, is at the heart of what we do. Many individuals and organizations work towards this same goal. Using reliable knowledge is essential. The Netherlands Youth Institute is a national, independent knowledge centre that gathers, enriches, contextualises and shares current, applicable knowledge about growing up and parenting. This is our mission. It is what we stand for.
What we work towards
We are committed to a youth full of opportunities for every child. We want children to thrive and fulfil their potential. The relationship between children, young people and their parents is crucial, and many other carers play an important part too. Together with the physical and online environments in which they grow up, these relationships form the foundations of childhood and adolescence. We ensure that knowledge about what children and young people need to grow up with fair opportunities is available to everyone who has a role to play. This is our ambition and what we work towards every day.
The foundation of our work
Children depend on adults for love, care and attention. The basic standards for how children are treated and cared for are set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). That convention, together with the relationships children and young people have with their parents, carers and the wider environment, forms the foundation of our work.
Our values
Independent, involved and collaborative: these are our three core values. As an institute, we take an independent stance in society. We speak out when opportunities for children to grow up well, and to be well supported, are at risk. At the same time, we are closely engaged with the lives of children, young people and their parents. We understand what matters to them and what they need. We cannot do this work alone, so we work together with young people, parents and carers themselves, as well as with professionals, policymakers, administrators, knowledge partners and funders.
Knowledge from multiple sources
Improving the lives of children, young people and their parents and carers requires reliable knowledge. We ensure that the knowledge we share is current and applicable. We draw on multiple sources: local, regional, national and international. We also include lived experience, practice-based knowledge and scientific research from parents, children and young people, professionals and researchers. We ensure that the knowledge we provide reflects the diversity of society.
Creating impact with knowledge
In our multi-year plan we set out the societal challenges to which we aim to contribute with knowledge. We increase our social impact by aligning our knowledge with the questions and dilemmas of our audiences, and by informing public debate about children and young people. We make sure our knowledge reaches the people who need it and can be put into practice.
Made possible by
As a national and independent knowledge centre, we have a public role in Dutch society. Our work is made possible by funding from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (VWS), the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), and the Ministry of Justice and Security (JenV).
