The Master’s Program Forensic & Legal Psychology at Erasmus University Rotterdam has founded a transdisciplinair ‘co-creation lab’. The lab provides students the opportunity to collaborate with young clients and treatment staff within an addiction care institution. This co-creation lab facilitates the exchange of real-life experiences and perspectives, leading to relevant and innovative research ideas that students can integrate into their own research. In doing so, the project bridges the gap between academic research and real-world challenges.

Co-creation and practice-oriented insights

One of the project’s key outcomes was a lecture and workshop by Prof. Gary Macpherson, a leading forensic clinical psychologist with the NHS State Hospitals Board For Scotland. This session provided students with valuable insights into working with forensic patients in high-security institutions and offered an introduction to the profession as a behavioral expert in forensic settings.

Additionally, a selection of students prepared for their research internships within the co-creation lab. This process led to collaboratively developed research ideas, enabling students to start their internship well prepared. Two students conducted their research internship at ‘De Nieuwe Kans’ (a treatment program for multi-problem youths) and ‘Kompascollege’ at Hartelborgt (a secondary special education institution accommodating young people who have been convicted criminally or are awaiting sentencing).

During the co-creation session at ‘De Nieuwe Kans’ several topics were discussed, including motivation to participate in the program, coping strategies, dealing with stress, and building a support network after completing the program. The topic of ‘motivation to participate in the program’ emerged as particularly relevant, leading to one of the students to choose it as the focus of their thesis.

Conclusions and follow-up

Both students and partners involved found the co-creation lab to be an educational and inspiring experience. Looking ahead, there are plans to expand this collaboration further, with a focus on strengthening the connection between academic world and the real-world practice. By doing so, we hope to contribute to research projects that are both practice-oriented and impactful.