Youth care workers see growing mistrust of the government

Mistrust in the government is currently the primary source of polarization among young people, youth workers said in two studies commissioned by the Ministry of Social Affairs. Radical right-wing ideas and conspiracy theories are also on the rise, but radical religious ideas have decreased, Trouw reports.

The studies were done by the Verwy-Jonker Institute and the Netherlands Youth Institute. The researchers held in-depth interviews with 38 youth professionals, mostly youth workers, and asked another 84 youth workers to complete a survey.

Young people in contact with youth workers are more likely to face problems than the average young person. Youth workers describe them, in general, as frustrated, desperate, and pessimistic about the future. And they often blame the government for their situation.

Coronavirus restrictions, many of which hit young people in particular, sparked a great deal of mistrust. But according to youth workers, the increasing poverty, the childcare allowance scandal, the climate crisis, waiting lists for health and mental healthcare, the housing shortage, and the asylum policy are all significant contributing factors.

“Native Dutch young people who are on a waiting list for a home sometimes have the idea that the government cares for refugees better than for ‘our own’ young people,” Zwijndrecht youth worker Michel Weening explained to Trouw. “Young people with a different cultural background believe that Ukrainian refugees get better treatment than refugees from other countries.” Young people who need financial assistance often mention the childcare allowance scandal as a reason not to go to the municipality or debt assistance for aid.

Youth workers in both studies asked for more knowledge, for example, on conspiracy theories, to help counter the rise of anti-government thinking. They want municipalities to involve them more in combating polarization.

Researcher Ron van Wonderen of the Verwey-Jonker Institute thinks that is an excellent idea. “Polarization is seen too much as a security issue. If there are incidents, the police do something about it. But the role of social workers is underexposed. They see and hear a lot and can help prevent dissatisfaction from getting out of hand at an early stage. In recent years, social work in neighborhoods has been cut back a lot. That is a great shame because by investing in it, you can prevent problems.