Strengthening Resilience in Youth: What We Learned from the Food for Thought Lunch Meeting
During the Food for Thought lunch meeting on 2 December, colleagues from across the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs gathered for the SSH Sectorplan theme Resilience in Youth to exchange insights and strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration.
After a warm welcome by Sarah de Rijcke, dean of FSW, who expressed her pride in seeing such a strong inter-institute and interfaculty presence, Anne-Laura van Harmelen from the Resilience Center Leiden at FSW introduced the audience to the importance of resilience in youth. Young people form the foundation of our society: they sustain communities, contribute to culture, sports and science, and showed remarkable adaptability during the pandemic. Most are doing well, yet around 30% struggle with mental health problems, and suicide remains a leading cause of death. Early life stress is one of the strongest predictors of these difficulties.
Understanding how resilience can be strengthened is therefore essential.
A young person’s resilience depends on many protective influences — from genetics to geopolitics. Interdisciplinary research that spans these areas is crucial to understanding how we can better support young people. The Resilience in Youth consortium, funded by the SSH Sectorplans and the Augeo Foundation, brings together professionals, researchers across disciplines, and young people themselves to better understand, promote and protect resilience. Their projects include initiatives such as the new platform www.jeugdtrauma.nl, developed with scientists from VU, Mind and Augeo.
The speakers illustrated how this work takes shape in practice.
-
Olga Bogolyubova (FGGA) discussed her research on how parents can support young people’s resilience in the online world.
-
Elizabeth Buimer (FSW) presented her work on the course Resilience to Violence in Leiden, which brings together perspectives from developmental neuroscience, geography, policymaking and law.
-
Friso Selten (FGGA) showed how insights from policymaking and developmental science informed a public letter advocating for safer social media for young people — a message to which the Secretary of State responded positively.
In sum, the Resilience in Youth consortium works closely with organisations and young people to make a meaningful impact on the opportunities for youth to thrive in an ever-changing society.
Looking ahead
Eager to collaborate and join the consortium? Contact Anne-Laura van Harmelen.
Interested in presenting at a future Food for Thought event? Reach out to Susanne Roodhuyzen.
-
Anne-Laura van Harmelen en publiek -
Anne-Laura van Harmelen -
Olga Bogolyubova -
Elizabeth Buimer -
Friso Selten