“The young person is the starting point”

How did Rythovius College become involved in the pilot of the Icelandic prevention model?

“Rythovius College in Eersel and Pius X College in Bladel are among the four Kempen municipalities participating in the national pilot. At both schools, all 15- and 16-year-olds completed the comprehensive survey of the Icelandic prevention model.”

What appeals to you about the Icelandic prevention model?

“The strength of this model lies in not talking about young people, but with young people, and in looking at what they say they need. The young person is the starting point. The data collected are analysed, enabling us to identify priorities within the four areas of parents, peer group, leisure time and school, with which we try to achieve the objectives. The strength lies in translating this to the local situation.”

What does this mean in practice for your school?

“For the school, this means analysing the data relating to the school, together with the associated relationships with parents, the peer group and leisure time. Well-being at school, in the broadest sense, is the point of departure here. The school conducted the first survey; then a cycle will begin, and next year we will conduct another survey and hope to see the first small results. In Iceland, this project has been running for 20 years. For the school, this means focusing on ‘well-being’ and aligning basic support with what students indicate.”

What outcomes/results do you expect?

“I expect that, in the long term, the number of students who say they feel unhappy will have decreased and that substance use will have declined. This requires perseverance from municipalities, parents, sports clubs and schools.”

How do you involve all the stakeholders?

“As schools, we actively participate in a multidisciplinary working group with municipalities and the Municipal Health Service. Priorities are developed within this group based on the analysis of the data. As a school, we are actively involved in these priorities through parents’ evenings, information sessions, youth coaches and basic support at school. A website has also been developed, www.#Kempenbranie.nl, which both schools contribute to.”