What is the most pressing challenge your organisation currently faces?
“Loneliness among young people continues to rise. It’s therefore vital that we empower them socially. If they learn how to deal with loneliness from an early age, they’re less likely to struggle with it later in life. We’ve noticed that some young people who are interested in our group interventions drop out just before, or shortly after, the programme begins. Encouraging them to stay engaged is currently our biggest challenge.”
What did you work on with the BSI?
“Together with the BSI, we undertook a valuable evaluation of our online programme. Thanks to their expertise, we gained insights that young people might not have shared directly with our own team. We’ve incorporated those learnings into our approach and continue to apply them every day.”
How did the collaboration with the BSI come about?
“Maaike Verhagen, a researcher at the BSI, regularly speaks at events focused on loneliness. She’s one of the few researchers in the Netherlands dedicated to this topic. We kept crossing paths at these gatherings, and that’s how the collaboration began. We support each other in deepening our understanding of loneliness and in developing effective strategies to address it.”
What does the collaboration look like today?
“At present, we’re working on a randomised controlled trial (RCT), which will allow us to reliably determine whether the positive changes we observe in young people are truly the result of the programme. The BSI is assisting us with its implementation.”
What changes have you seen as a result of the collaboration?
“At Join Us, we aim not only to make an impact but also to learn from young people so we can continuously improve the programme. That process is becoming increasingly effective through our current partnership. The RCT is providing valuable insights that help us refine our approach even further.”