Changemakers: Gonneke and Vainergill on youth mental health

The mental health and well-being of young people in the Netherlands are deteriorating. But why is this happening? Is it school stress, too high expectations set at home, or the influence of social media? 

Social scientist Gonneke Stevens and dancer Vainergill Thurnim share their perspectives from research and practice, respectively. They discuss the challenges young people are facing today and what might help them feel better. 

“In no other area have young people in the Netherlands changed as much as in the pressure they feel from schoolwork.

They both point to increasing performance pressure as a key factor in the decline of young people’s mental health. Gonneke, who has led the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study in the Netherlands for the past ten years, can clearly see this trend in the data: “In no other area have young people in the Netherlands changed as much as in terms of the pressure they feel from schoolwork.” Vainergill observes this increasing stress directly in their body language. “Young people are less open and less willing to move.” 

Gonneke’s message to young people is simple: “Good enough is good enough.” Vainergill adds: “I hope they rediscover their sense of play, and find the space to experiment and just be.”

Gonneke Stevens

Gonneke Stevens is Professor of Youth well-being in the Department of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences at Utrecht University. She researches changes in the mental health of young people in the Netherlands, with a particular focus on those growing up in poverty. By studying how personal, family, and social factors influence mental health, she aims to understand what drives differences and what can help improve young people’s well-being.

Vainergill Thurnim

Vainergill Thurnim is a dancer, teacher and choreographer. Her work is driven by the desire to create spaces where people feel seen and heard. She regularly collaborates with arts organisations, including the Utrecht-based theatre company DOX, where she teaches workshops to children and teenagers. She uses dance and theatre to facilitate conversations about challenging subjects such as identity and discrimination. She is currently working on a performance that explores mental health issues.