A listening ear, engagement, connection, less pressure to perform, and a permanent place for mental health in education: these are the things young people need to stay mentally healthy. Last week, they presented the PRAATPOWER report, containing recommendations from young people for a mentally healthier society, to State Secretary Judith Tielen of Youth, Prevention and Sport (Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport). PRAATPOWER was established by the MIND Us foundation, commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, in collaboration with the youth participation platform YoungXperts of Erasmus University Rotterdam and with contributions from many others.

Last year, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, more than 3,000 young people brainstormed on the question: what keeps us mentally healthy? In approximately 180 brainstorming sessions, young people shared their mental health concerns with those around them. Brainstorming sessions took place in schools, boxing rings, pop-up nail salons, soccer fields, and community centers, among other places, to generate ideas for a more mentally healthy society.

The young people spoke with top athletes like Mohamed Amine and content creators like Defano Holwijn, with their teachers and coaches, youth workers and aldermen, mentors, researchers and state secretaries—and with the Queen. Our Healthy Starters, Yara Toenders, Eveline Crone and Kayla Green were part of the research group. All recommendations for the government, schools, sports clubs, social media platforms, municipalities, youth organizations, parents, and young people themselves are compiled in the PRAATPOWER report.

Highlights from the report

• Young people are looking for a listening ear – just a chat, without immediately receiving solutions, labels, judgments, or therapy.
• The pressure to perform in society must be reduced. Less pressure gives young people more space for meaning and development.
• Young people want to be involved in the plans for their school, neighborhood, or community – and not just symbolically.
• Young people are looking for connection. Real contact, and space for positive social media.
• Young people are calling for a permanent place for mental health in education.

View the video below with the highlights (in Dutch):

Next phase

The publication of this report continues our research into what helps young people feel mentally strong. In a next phase, we will delve deeper into how young people want to discuss mental well-being in education.
Together with the Trimbos Institute, we will continue this follow-up research within the Well-B-young project. This project explores which elements young people themselves find helpful in mental health interventions in education. We hope that, as a follow-up to the PRAATPOWER report, we will be able to make concrete recommendations for education.