The average Drent is pretty satisfied with his or her life, “kid“Many will say, the Drent means that things are going well. Almost 9 out of 10 people in Drenthe are satisfied and gives life a 7 or higher. But how older Drent experiences life differs considerably from how young people in our province are in life.
De Drent is slightly more satisfied than the average Dutch person. That is one of the results that you will find in the so -called Monitor Broad Welfare Drenthethat was published today. That monitor is an analysis of the Trendbureau Drenthe and it can be read how the average Drent is doing and how life is experienced in our province. This goes through very broad themes, for example from health to finance and from leisure time to safety.
A Drenthe panel was used, among other things, in the research. The respondents gave life an average of 8 in 2024. If you look at only people over 50, it is even a good 8+. The young adults up to 34 years old are a bit more economical in their assessment with an average of 7.4.
And that difference in experience can be seen in almost the entire monitor. The Trendbureau Drenthe also concludes that things are going well in many areas in Drenthe. The residents are generally satisfied with their lives, social contacts and their living environment with lots of greenery and space. The so -called broad prosperity is mainly developing positively and more and more inhabitants believe that Drenthe is heading in the right direction. A positive outcome, but with an important comment. Because it is precisely the people over 50 who are hopeful and positive and it is precisely that group that is great in Drenthe.
Young adults (18 to 34 years old) score lower on broad prosperity. They are less satisfied with their lives, more often have money problems and there are the necessary concerns about the housing market. According to the Trendbureau Drenthe, the well -being of young adults is under pressure: “We have seen an increase in loneliness in recent years. Young people and young adults have had mental problems and experienced stress, more than in older age groups. It is important for Drenthe to invest in the well -being of young people and young adults and to preserve them for the region and vitale.
One of the factors that plays a role in the more negative outcomes at the younger group is the relatively high youth unemployment in Drenthe. Based on figures from 2023, it appears that 4.1 percent of young people under the age of 27 were registered with the UWV as a job seeker. This percentage is 3.2 nationally.
But within Drenthe the differences are great. For example, youth unemployment in Assen is 5.9 percent, Meppel follows with 5.7 percent. While youth unemployment in Tynaarlo is the lowest, by 2.7 percent. According to the monitor, the problem plays mainly in urban municipalities and it is partly to link to the level of education. Young people without a basic qualification are more often unemployed, then it concerns youth who has not at least a diploma at HAVO, VWO or MBO2 level.
According to the UWV benefits agency in the Northern Netherlands, youth unemployment is probably even higher, because there are also so-called ‘ghost youth’. These are young people who are not registered with a course, an employer, but also not at benefits agencies. Various organizations in Drenthe work together to map these young people and to guide them to an education and/or work.
In addition to young adults, the monitor maps another group with the necessary concerns. Vulnerable inhabitants, often with a lower socio-economic background, run a greater risk of an accumulation of financial, health and social problems. One in six Drenten has difficulty making ends meet and the health problems in Drenthe are increasing.
“In the southeast of Drenthe, broad prosperity is lower than in the rest of the province. People are more likely to be overweight here, a lower life expectancy and less confidence in each other and in institutions. In Southeast Drenthe, various social, social and economic problems, such as loneliness, limited accessibility of facilities, a large share of unemployment and have a large one-year-old income and a large-term income and a large-term income and a large-term income and a large-term income and a large-term income, and a large-term income and a large-term income and a large-term income. Influence on the broad prosperity of the region, “writes Trendbureau Drenthe.