@ease pleased with clear course on prevention and proven effectiveness

In the new coalition agreement, the government sets out clear ambitions regarding mental health. In particular, the focus on prevention, early intervention, and evidence-based support aligns well with what @ease has been working towards for years.

Around 70% of mental health problems develop before the age of 25, while only about 30% of young people receive timely and appropriate support. That’s exactly why early prevention is so important. By offering young people an accessible place to talk early on, we can help prevent small worries from growing into more serious problems.

At @ease, we see every day what happens when stress, uncertainty, or low mood are left unaddressed for too long. Young people who get stuck, but still don’t have a place where they can share their story. That’s where the biggest societal gain can be made.

Room for resilience and support

The coalition agreement focuses on:

• Investments in programs at school, at work, and in the neighborhood to strengthen mental resilience
• Room for good support, including the deployment of student psychologists (as is common at @ease)
• Actively encouraging mental health initiatives by students and young people themselves

With this, the coalition parties acknowledge that mental health is not a side issue, but a prerequisite for a future-proof society.

Not everything is care, but everything deserves attention.

The coalition also notes that too many young people currently end up in youth care, even though not everything they experience is a care-related problem. A clear distinction is therefore being made between prevention, light support, and specialist care. That is an important and helpful principle.

At @ease, we recognize this picture. Many young people who come to us are not in crisis, but they are feeling stuck because of stress, uncertainty, pressure to perform, or difficulties at home or at school. A conversation with a peer, without judgment or labels, is often enough to regain a sense of control. It creates recognition, equality, and connection.

At @ease, peers are the first point of contact, supported by a strong network of local professionals and psychiatrists. In this way, we connect young people’s everyday world with the local care and support system, helping to prevent problems from unnecessarily escalating into more complex care needs.

Proven effect counts

Het coalitieakkoord benoemt bovendien dat waar mogelijk alleen bewezen effectieve jeugdzorg wordt vergoed. Ook dat is een positieve ontwikkeling. De aanpak van @ease is wetenschappelijk onderbouwd en laat zien dat tijdige, laagdrempelige gesprekken bijdragen aan beter functioneren en het voorkomen van escalatie.

Niet voor niets benadrukten wij dit recent ook in een brief aan informateur Letschert, waarin we pleitten voor het versterken van preventie en first-stop voorzieningen voor jongeren. Het is bemoedigend om deze lijn nu terug te zien in het akkoord.

Working together

This coalition agreement lays an important foundation. Now is the time to translate these ambitions into practice, together with civil society, education, and young people themselves.

Mental struggles are part of life. The question is not whether young people will encounter them, but whether they can find someone who listens in time. Working towards a mentally resilient generation means investing in young people who are better equipped to handle life, less dependent on more intensive care, and better able to participate in school and work. It contributes to a society in which mental struggles are seen as normal and remain open for discussion.

@ease is ready to get to work together. Because talking helps. And the sooner that happens, the greater the effect.

Meer weten over onze aanpak? De ambities uit het coalitieakkoord sluiten aan bij onze werkwijze, die ook internationaal niet onopgemerkt is gebleven. De OECD heeft @ease onlangs officieel benoemd tot ‘best practice’ op het gebied van vroege interventie.

Lees hier meer over onze internationale erkenning.