Although a large proportion of them are doing well, developments can be seen in many areas where there is room for improvement, especially among younger students, female vocational education students, and students in the Entry and level 2 programmes.
Physical activity has decreased, and healthy food choices are being made less often. At the same time, we are seeing mental challenges, such as low mood, anxiety and loneliness, occurring more frequently.
Fewer students report having ever had sex. Social connectedness is under pressure, while boundary-crossing behaviour, both physical and sexual, is experienced more often. Students also feel less safe and less free to be themselves, particularly gender-diverse students and students at lower levels.
Substance use presents a mixed picture: the group of vocational education students who smoke daily has decreased. The group who drink alcohol occasionally has also decreased. However, excessive alcohol use and the use of harder drugs are increasing, while other forms of substance use remain stable. The use of earplugs has increased, and fewer students go to places with loud music, reducing the risk of hearing damage. Preventive measures such as volume limiting and earplugs could be used more effectively.
The importance students attach to financial security, resilience and a positive self-image is growing. They experience financial pressure: payment arrears, ill-considered borrowing and consumer purchasing behaviour are becoming more common, especially among female vocational education students.
The differences between groups – by gender, age and educational level – are substantial and structural. This monitor shows where the challenges lie and provides valuable starting points for better aligning policy and support in vocational education with students’ needs. In this way, vocational education can make a strong contribution to the (professional) vitality, development and future opportunities of all vocational education students.
The data were collected using the digital TestJeLeefstijl tool, which is used for monitoring, education, policy and evaluation. Each year, lifestyle data are collected from more than 20,000 vocational education students (with variation between topics). Results were analysed for groups based on gender, age and educational level, with the greatest focus on trends over the past ten years.
Read the full report here.