Kerkrade first municipality to launch The Preventive Teacher intervention in secondary education
The municipality of Kerkrade, together with VMBO Holz and PTC Associate, is the first municipality in the Netherlands to start the intervention De Preventieve Leerkracht in secondary education. This unique approach, which is part of the Prevention with Authority program, detects and addresses criminal behavior among young people at an early stage.
Collaboration for early detection
The Preventive Teacher focuses on training professionals who work with students. The goal is to recognize early signals that may indicate criminal behavior in young people. During the training, attention is also paid to how these signals should be followed up and which partners should be called in to intervene effectively. This training gives the professionals involved the tools to take the right steps at the right time.
Expansion to other schools
After starting at VMBO Holz, the intervention also begins this week at Bleijerheide elementary school, followed by the Martin Buber later this school year. Gemeente Kerkrade plans to expand De Preventieve Leerkracht to even more schools over the next three years so that fewer and fewer young people in Kerkrade end up in crime.
The Founder of The Preventive Teacher
The Preventive Teacher was developed by criminologist Ydwien Vervoort and has already been successfully used in several elementary school. For the first time, this method is now also being applied in secondary education. The aim of the course is to create a sustainable and effective approach to prevent youth crime and address behavioral problems at an early stage. Thus, a safer school environment is created and we contribute to a safe society.
