Behind the policy frontline in the Netherlands during the Corona crisis

Authors Moniek Buijzen, Doeschka Anschütz, Rebecca N. H. de Leeuw, Daniëlle N.M. Bleize, Anne J. C. Sadza, Simone de Droog, Esther Rozendaal
Published in Journal of Children and Media
Publication date 2021
Research groups Human Experience & Media Design
Type Article

Summary

From the onset of the Corona crisis, a specific policy challenge was identified in the Netherlands: How to motivate young people to adhere to the behavioral measures, such as physical distancing? Young people have an important role to play in stopping the virus from spreading, but they may be more difficult to reach and less motivated and able to adhere to the guidelines than adults. Mid-March, Moniek Buijzen was invited to consult the behavioral unit of the Dutch national health institute (RIVM) on communication and behavioral change among youth. She immediately called together the Dutch Young Consumer Network, which consists of scholars with expertise in communication directed at children and adolescents. Over the months, our network has been approached by policymakers, campaign developers, and journalists and engaged in a wide variety of advice activities. Even though the crisis is not over yet, we would like to share the collaborative approach that we took to harness our expertise and, most importantly, the specific tool that we used to share it.

Language English
Published in Journal of Children and Media
Year and volume 15 1
Key words adolescents, strategic communication, Corona crisis, behavioral change, public campaign, COVID-19, influencers, teenagers, social distancing, physical distancing
Digital Object Identifier 10.1080/17482798.2020.1858899
Page range 49-54

Human Experience and Media Design