|
|
 |
|
 |
Youth Information in the Netherlands
The development of youth information policy started at the end of the eighties as a special aspect of youth welfare policies. The national government supported the set up of Youth Information Points (JIP) as a separate service. In this policy many JIP's were created as a special service of (former) Youth Advice Centres (JAC). At the national level a separate institution was set up, Foundation Youth Information Netherlands (SJN), which developed both policies and supportive materials, training and advice for the set up of JIP's. This Foundation has formulated quality criteria for JIP-services and protects the quality-trademark of JIP's. But many initiatives came from the local level: JIP's were growing everywhere like mushrooms. Some of the larger JIP's created a provincial function. They took care of the distribution to other JIPs in the region and supported wider development. The provincial JIP's have formed the Platform Youth Information, which meets 4-5 times a year. It has a policy plan for development and promotion of the JIP-services; it functions as a contact group for other institutions that wish to distribute their materials, e.g. on drugs, culture, finances to young people through JIP's.
Information for young people had always been available at public libraries, but was hardly emphasised as youth information, although some libraries experimented with youth department. Libraries started to make special efforts, adopting the JIP-formula as fitting into the library aim and objectives. They started to set up collections of leaflets, journals, music and reference materials. Some of them developed into real JIP by provided contact hours for advice by youth workers in the library, or they trained the library staff. The Netherlands Public Library Association, NBLC, has supported the set up of Youth Information Services in public libraries. Youth Information is considered as a part of community information or public information services, which is presented as an innovating concept in libraries. Public information services requires a different approach from librarians, more outreaching, meeting the information needs of people in a free accessible setting.
In addition, the Provincial Library Centres (PBC) have set up services to support the introduction of Youth Information services in local libraries, often in co- operation with regional JIP's.
So, overlooking the Youth Information scene you will find in the Netherlands:
At local level:
about 120 acknowledged Youth Information Points, most of them related to a youth welfare institution; some of them located in schools, and an increasing number in public libraries. Even more libraries have started Youth Information Services, setting up a special leaflet collection and display of useful materials and CD-ROMs, including connection to Internet. Therefore, the library services range from display of leaflets and reference work to advice and specialised help by youth workers.
At provincial level, there is a growing co-operation between:
11 provincial JIP's, contact point for local JIP's; organises distribution, representation, promotion, new developments.
10 provincial library centres, some of them active in promoting youth information in libraries,in co-operation with provincial JIP's.
In discussion are: development of more JIP's or Youth Information Services, set up of training and distribution of materials.
At national level:
Platform Youth Information, consisting of 11 provincial JIPs', and the national institutions NBLC and Foundation SJN as advisors, including a representative of youth (welfare) work.
Foundation Youth Information Netherlands (SJN) developed more general youth information policy; has a special library on youth work and edits a youth welfare journal 0-25. Created in co-operation with the Platform, a quality paper on JIP's: JIP-A= provincial JIP; JIP-B= elaborated services; JIP-C= information, reference, advice.
Netherlands Public Library Association, NBLC, includes all 1200 public libraries and bookmobiles. Organises policies, implementation programmes and research. Has set up projects on public information services; organises conferences on innovation in library services to children and young people, which include youth information services. Has introduced a Handbook Public Information which will include Youth Information (and Europe Information). In 1999 a large conference on library services to young people will take place, followed by the set up of provincial training sessions, possibly in co-operation with the provincial institutions.
Netherlands Institute for Care and Welfare (NIZW); the national institute of social work carries out policies and programmes in the field of child care, parents education, human rights for children and young people, literacy programmes among many other things for age groups. The services include an international department concerned with international exchange, Eurodesk, Youth for Europe etc. It will take over some of the tasks of Foundation SJN: training for youth information workers and the further exploration of professional methods.
Other institutions, specialised in providing information on a 'limited' subject have adapted youth programmes, for example Europe-information for students; they focus more on young people's interest to know, less on their need for information in daily life.
Marian Koren, NBLC
NBLC
|
|
25 June 2026
|
|
|
