Healthy Start
_Improving the future for new generations
We believe every child and young adult should have the opportunity to reach their full developmental potential. Within Healthy Start we explore the early-life origins of disparities in health and wellbeing from a transdisciplinary perspective. In this way we can identify early-life opportunities and co-create innovative preventive strategies with our partners, leading to better health, wellbeing and participation for future generations.
Mission
We believe that the integration of medical, social and technical sciences, combined with knowledge from and application in practice, will lead to ground-breaking solutions for complex societal challenges for youth, from conception to young adulthood.
Our goal is to realize scientific and societal impact – focused on prevention and intervention – to improve physical, mental and social health of children and adolescents. Read more about our mission and approach.
Ambitions
The first 1000 days and a resilient life course
Reducing inequality of opportunity through an optimal start for every child
Pediatric hospital of the future
Working together to develop innovative solutions for affordable pediatric care of higher quality
Digital empowerment of (children’s) physical activity
Improve quality of life and life expectancy of chronically ill children by improving active living and healthy lifestyle
Mental well-being of youth
Improve mental health and resilience of children and adolescents
Tackling juvenile delinquency and addiction
Identifying individual factors that support and motivate youth to pursue their own (long-term) goals
Youth participation and involvement
Increase involvement and participation of unheard youth in society
Leading Team
The management team is responsible for the overarching strategy and direction of Healthy Start. They monitor the Healthy Start mission and approach in ambition projects, education and collaboration with stakeholders. The management team consists of the three scientific leads Eveline Crone, Vincent Jaddoe and Maaike Kleinsmann, and programme manager Jennifer Kockx.
Eveline Crone
Erasmus University Rotterdam
Academic Lead Healthy Start | Professor of Developmental Neuroscience in Society
Vincent Jaddoe
Erasmus MC
Academic Lead Healthy Start | Professor of Pediatrics - Epidemiology
Healthy Start | Young Board
Within Healthy Start, we highly value the voice of early career researchers working with children and youth. A dedicated team, representing the convergence of three universities, will form the initial Healthy Start Young Board. The aim of the HS Young Board is to build a community among early career researchers and develop innovative projects in which disciplines can converge. The HS Young Board will also function as a sounding board for the leads and broader Healthy Start program. They will actively collaborate with other societal stakeholders and create a physical convergence hub to work together.
Healthy Start attaches great importance to training and facilitating researchers of the future: researchers for whom interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work and collaboration are the standard way of working. Convergence Fellows and Convergence PhD students make sustainable and effective connections between scientific disciplines and between science and practice.
Does the Healthy Start program also appeal to you? We are continuously building an interdisciplinary community, which includes you!
Do you have any questions? Feel free to contact us!
We would also like to invite you to read our latest newsletter: Healthy Start | Highlights June 2023
