ORANJESTAD (AAN): Last week, HOPE Aruba and the Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL) of the University of Aruba hosted a national symposium to present the latest findings from the post-COVID Aruba Youth Monitor, titled “Quality of Life of Aruban Youth.” The results highlight major concerns regarding mental health, school experiences, and neighborhood safety among young people in Aruba. The symposium took place on Tuesday, November 25, at the Maria Convent Hall of the University of Aruba.
The Youth Monitor is a unique national dataset covering Aruban children ages 10 to 12, as well as all first- and second-year secondary school students who completed the questionnaire with parental permission. School directors offered full cooperation, over 100 education professionals were interviewed, and group discussions with parents added essential context.
Together, these efforts produced one of the most comprehensive youth well-being datasets in the region. The findings reveal interconnected challenges involving mental health, school experience, family conditions, and neighborhood environment. Many youths reported emotional burdens, limited support at school, stress at home, and concerns about safety in their communities.
The study was led by Dr. Paula Kibbelaar from the Instituto Pedagógico Arubano, with quantitative analysis conducted by Professor Dr. Annemarie Slotboom and Professor Dr. Jan Hendriks of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The research team received support from IPA professionals Janneke Dapper, Gregory Goedgedrag, Rainier Kock, Marvin Odor, and Marlene de Cuba. Minister of Education, Youth, Innovation, Kingdom Relations & Sports, Mrs. Gerlien Croes, opened the symposium, stressing the importance of using this data to strengthen youth support and development across the island.
A youth panel featuring members of the Youth Parliament, moderated by Jessica Besselink of HOPE Aruba, provided honest reflections on their daily experiences. The symposium was held shortly after Aruba celebrated Children’s Rights Day, reinforcing the commitment to ensure every child is heard, protected, and supported. The participation of youth representatives demonstrated the importance of giving young people a genuine voice in the discussions and decisions that shape their future.
A panel of experts moderated by Michele Brooks offered deeper insights into the significance of the findings. Panelists Raymicheline (Misha) Raymond, Jonathan Trinidad, Dalgis Montalve, and Jennifer Margaretha discussed the connections between home, school, and neighborhood; the need for accessible support systems; teacher capacity and school well-being; neighborhood safety conditions; and the importance of institutionalizing the Youth Monitor as a long-term tool for timely interventions and sustainable policy development. The symposium also emphasized the need for follow-up measurements every three years to ensure Aruba has continuous data to guide effective youth policy and solutions.
As an organization dedicated to social transformation—empowering individuals and connecting institutions—HOPE Aruba emphasized that the findings demand more than concern: they require coordinated, evidence-based, and compassionate action. The event concluded with recognition of all partners, including the Government of Aruba, the Department of Education, Instituto Pedagógico Arubano, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Aruba, and the wider community of educators and families who contributed to the study.
Aruba now has the data, and HOPE Aruba is calling on all partners to unite and turn this information into concrete, coordinated actions to strengthen, support, and protect the well-being of every child on the island.
