Hi! We are Zjulie and Veerle, and we are research assistants for the Youth-GEMs study.
The Youth-GEMs study investigates the development of early mental health symptoms in young people aged 12 to 24. Our mission is to better recognize early signs of mental distress and to help improve support before problems grow more severe.
We’re part of the Dutch research team, and one thing we see repeatedly is how incredibly long the waiting lists in mental health care are right now. These delays mean that many young people don’t get help until their issues have worsened, when early support could have made a big difference. That’s why we stand behind the Youth-GEMs project. We believe in the power of early detection and in changing the system to work before a crisis hits.
Our role in Youth-GEMs
Our role in the study is focused on recruitment, which means that we spend a lot of our time finding ways to reach young people, schools, and professionals across the country. We like to say that we’re planting seeds everywhere: schools, universities, health institutions, and even online platforms. Our goal is to build awareness and make participation in our research accessible, interesting, and worthwhile.
In addition to that Zjulie is also involved in everything that concerns the participants. Meaning that she takes care of getting into contact with participants, planning baseline visits, arranging follow-ups and meeting up with our participants.
Recruiting for the Youth-GEMs study – what does it look like in practice?
It means one day we’re setting up a booth at a university intro week, the next day we’re distributing flyers in high schools, and the day after that we might be calling participants or conducting baseline visits, while in the meantime we also get in contact with a psychiatrist to discuss collaboration. It’s varied, and demands a lot of creativity, and that’s exactly what we love about it.
For me, Veerle, what I love most about this job is that we’re giving young people a chance to be heard. It feels meaningful to know that every conversation and participant helps us understand how we can support young people earlier and better. The creative aspect of recruitment makes my workdays so versatile, which I appreciate very much!
And for me, Zjulie, it’s the mix of creativity and connection. I’ve learned so much from the people we meet, and I’m passionate about helping to break the stigma surrounding mental health. It’s powerful to be part of something that opens up conversations people are often afraid to have!
We believe that now is a critical moment for research like this. Mental health challenges among young people have been rising for years, and the pandemic has only made things more urgent. Too often, help comes too late. We need a better understanding of how mental health issues begin and evolve, and we need solutions that reach young people early, in their own environments.
Want to know more or get involved? Reach out via our contact form, we’d love to hear from you!
This article was written by:
Veerle Boesten and Zjulie Rutten
Research Assistants | University of Maastricht
