Onderzoek naar project Maatschappelijke Diensttijd

In 2018, the Dutch government, in cooperation with the Nederlandse Jeugdraad (NJR, Dutch Youth Council), the Vereniging Nederlandse Organisaties Vrijwilligerswerk (NOV, Association of Dutch Voluntary Work Organisations) and ZonMw, launched the civic service project. The aim is to develop talents, meet others and do something for another. Since its launch, about 60,000 young people have participated and there is a national MDT network with almost 5,000 organisations that young people can turn to. They can complete their MDT time in various sectors: nature & animals, technology & ICT, politics & governance, education & education, media & culture, sports, safety, care & welfare.

The University of Humanistic Studies examined what participants who took part in MDT Education and MDT YourCube in 2020 and 2022 expected at the start of their MDT pathways and what they learned in the pathways. The study shows that participants in both pathways did not know quite what to expect beforehand. However, they did have an idea of what they wanted to learn or develop in.

For the younger participants (who mainly participated in MDT Education), it was mainly about getting to know themselves better so they know better what kind of work they want to do later. The older age groups (who mainly participated in MDT YourCube) mainly wanted to learn skills that would allow them to better practice the profession they already do or want to do. In retrospect, participants in both pathways are very positive, even if they sometimes found the work challenging and occasionally ran into constraints.

The quantitative research makes clear that participants - after both MDT trajectories - score significantly more positively on a significant part of the measured competences. Participants indicate that they have gained more self-confidence, that they can handle more than they thought beforehand, and that they are no longer afraid to approach people. They are also more positive about volunteering. They have experienced that volunteering is very fulfilling and that it is "something very beautiful".