Inge Bastiaanssen

Inge Bastiaanssen serves as a Lecturer in Participatory Innovation in the Youth Landscape at Avans University of Applied Sciences' Centre of Expertise Perspective in Health. With extensive background in social work and youth care, she bridges practice, science, education, and policy through collaborative research approaches.

Her research interests focus on youth care innovation, particularly through participatory methods involving children, young people, parents, and professionals. She specializes in developing and evaluating practical interventions that strengthen prevention, support, and assistance in youth care settings.

Bastiaanssen leads significant projects including Virtual Reality in youth work (evaluating the 'Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes' tool), Inclusive Preventive Parenting Support, SEJN: Changing with ambition, 'Do you see me? Parent in detention,' and Pandemic Preparedness initiatives. Her work consistently emphasizes practical application and knowledge dissemination.

As a bridge builder between practice and academia, she has developed strong partnerships with organizations including Surplus, WIJS!, Centrum Jeugd en Gezin (CJG) Breda, and the Effective Youth Care Partnership Netherlands (SEJN). She previously served as program leader of the Database of Effective Youth Interventions during her seven years at the Netherlands Youth Institute.

Bastiaanssen's research methodology emphasizes practical settings and collaboration with end users. She has led multi-year research projects including the Learning Database Youth and the Academic Youth Workplace in Nijmegen, demonstrating her commitment to translating research into tangible youth care improvements.