There are different ways to study young people. A sociological view diverges from a pedagogical view; an in-depth interview provides a different kind of information than a questionnaire; research can have different themes (family, living, spare time, childcare, school, etc.). Every researcher looks at young people from his/her interest and view. This fact results in diverse and fragmentary information about young people. Research results from different projects are seldom discussed and related to each other.
The youth policy plan of the Flemish government (2002) cites the problem as follows “One of the most important obstacles in Flanders is the lack of sufficient youth research and the lack of convergence between the research projects. There is also a problem with the communication of these research results.”
This Youth Research Platform (JOP) aims to change this situation. By the existence of JOP, structural attention for youth research is made possible by the Flemish government. Up untill the creation of JOP, there was no solid structure, making an overview of youth research on regular bases. The most recent overview of available research, dates back to 1993.

The youth research platform has three central tasks:

1) To make an inventory of existing youth research

One task of the youth research platform is to make an inventory of existing youth research. Primary attention goes to the inventory of research concerning Flemish youth (and in extension Belgian youth). The inventory is a database containing basic information about each research report. It contains information such as an abstract, a summary of the methodology, a brief overview of the results and so on.
The database includes several research domains: family, leisure, health, living, child care, work, education, environment, development cooperation, rights, welfare and media.

2) To analyse and synthesise existing youth research

Once youth research reports are collected and summarized, JOP will analyze the information. Key research questions are: What views do researchers have of young people? Which situations are examined? What are the research questions? How does one collect knowledge about young people? By answering these questions, we will map the strengths, shortages and gaps in Flemish youth research as well as the research teams and institutions collecting information and knowledge about young people. This will make communication and cooperation easier. Further, it aims to stimulate a more theoretical frame to youth research.

3) To develop an instrument, that will recurrently monitor the lifes of young people

JOP will develop a survey, which will recurrently monitor the life-conditions and activities of young people. This survey will be based on other research instruments. A sounding board, composed of researchers from different disciplines, will inform the activities of JOP.

In the implementation of these tasks, JOP tries to

• take up a platform function, by stimulating the realization of a youth research community.
• stimulate networking between researchers, policy-makers and field workers, by exchanging information and visions on young people.

On the one hand, we try to make youth research accessible for researchers, policymakers and field workers through this website, publications and conferences. On the other hand, JOP tries to provide an input to other researchers, policymakers and field workers by our report.

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