In Drenthe, young people from the municipality of Assen use youth care most often. But also in Emmen, where 9.5 percent of young people receive youth care, they notice that more young people want a help program. Jimmy’s Emmen tries to help young people with problems.
Jimmy’s Emmen is an organization where young people can go with all their questions and ideas. “We refer many young people if they need help. We are not care providers ourselves, but we also notice an increase in young people who want help,” says Pirmin Rengers of Jimmy’s.
According to Rengers, there are several reasons why young people need help. But one stands head and shoulders above the rest. “The corona crisis,” Rengers says firmly. “During that crisis we have created many lonely young people. There is a generation full of loneliness complaints and that continues to this day. And there is no solution yet.”
In addition, young people are very concerned. “There are now not one but two wars that you can read about, some young people want to register with the housing association at the age of 15, so that it is their turn when they are thirty,” he laughs. “We laugh about that, but it is of course sad that you have to worry about it at that age.”
Jimmy’s itself does not help young people, but they do refer them. And that is not always easy. “We don’t get a hard no, but it is said that it won’t work today. Or it won’t work this month or two months. That is of course worrying,” says Rengers.
According to him, there is a solution to reduce the number of young people who need youth care. “I think that, nationally, much more energy, time and money needs to be invested in how we deal with these types of issues and that this should not be left to the municipalities.”
See below how Jimmy’s in Emmen deals with young people who need help. Story continues below video.