“The decentralisation of government tasks was introduced with the intention of bringing healthcare closer to the people,” explains professor of Social Policy and Governance at the department Public Administration, Jan-Kees Helderman. “But the involved parties were extremely naive when they started in 2015 and had to rethink and redevelop everything. On top of that, the government imposed a 15% efficiency discount, the thought being that municipalities are closer to the problems and can therefore solve them easier and cheaper.”
Corina Brekelmans is familiar with the situation. Trained as a social psychologist, with a long track record in mental health care, she was hired as a youth policy officer in 2015 by the municipality of Nijmegen. ”I didn’t feel seen as a public official. The municipalities were given a variety of tasks following the decentralisation, but didn’t have the tools, the knowledge or the infrastructure to carry them out.”
Knowledge-driven approach
Brekelmans immediately got to work implementing a knowledge-driven work method. “I established relationships with the university and got involved with youth knowledge workshops in the region, in which healthcare providers, researchers, clients and policymakers work together. I helped to ensure that municipal policy issues became a key research focus. I am continuing this exchange of knowledge with the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG), for which I was appointed Knowledge and Innovation Advisor for the Sociaal Domein collaboration platform this summer.”
