Staff

Being a cultural anthropologist I spent my first working years as a researcher at the Anthropology Department of the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. My main areas of interest were gender studies and international migration. However, after a few years I longed for a more policy and practice-oriented environment, where I could really work on change. So I joined the national bureau of the Dutch Labour Party and worked on international co-operation and aid. Later I became general secretary of the GOM, a Dutch platform of  four Dutch international NGO's: OxfamNovib, HIVOS, ICCO and Cordaid. This was followed by a period in which I joined OxfamNovib, first as head of the Advocacy department, and later as head of the Research and Development department.
In my work the relation between knowledge, policy and practice was always central: looking for the latest insights, learning from organisations and experts all over the world, and then trying to influence politicians and policymakers to have this knowledge adopted in effective strategies combating social exclusion.
Now I feel really excited to work with Youth Incentives. For me it is working in the core of  what gender issues are really about: power and sexuality. The focus on youth is great and gives me much inspiration. And I am convinced that Youth Incentives and RNG have much to offer, because they have this strong combination of research and intervention, including advocacy. I am looking forward to extend this position by investing in more strategic alliances,  knowledge exchange and common capacity-building with like-minded organisations and groups, nationally and internationally. 

Teun has worked for Youth Incentives since 2001. She is a dramatist and health educator and has been working for the Rutgers Nisso Groep since 1997. Teun has over 25 years experience in national and international consultancy and training in the fields of adolescent sexual and reproductive health, advocacy, behaviour change communication, family planning, gender equality and gender-based violence. In addition, Teun is also concerned with education & communication, participatory methodology and policy development on UN issues.

Nico joined Youth Incentives in 2005 after a period of over 15 years working as trainer, researcher and project manager in development cooperation programmes in Asia, Africa and central America. He provides technical assistance to the Member Associations participating in the Youth Incentives Trust Fund, and is involved in organisational capacity building. Nico is specialised in the acquisition and the dissemination of information on sexual and reproductive health and rights with the main focus on young people in developing countries. Since november 2006 Nico lives in Mali.

Youth Incentives has appointed Ruth van Zorge as senior consultant since November 2007. Ruth is a medical anthropologist with expertise in reproductive health and rights. Ruth has international work experience in both Asia and Africa and was consultant for Artsen zonder Grenzen (MSF), War Child and Plan Nederland. Apart from issues such as sexual and reproductive health and rights, Ruth particularly feels concerned about children in conflict situations and child rights. Ruth has expertise in research, the management and execution of projects and policy development.

Yuri joined Youth Incentives in February 2007. Since 1995 he develops, implements and evaluates materials and programmes on sexuality and relationships for children and teens at Dutch schools for the Rutgers Nisso Group. Yuri initiated www.seksuelevorming.nl to facilitate professionals delivering sexuality education.

Yuri trains and consults professionals in elementary and secondary schools, prisons, physical rehabilitation centres, and institutions for mentally and physically challenged people. He delivered disciplinary education for first time youth sex offenders and answered readers’ questions on love and sex in a leading teenage magazine.

He holds degrees in Mass Communication at the Universities of Amsterdam and Columbia (MO, USA) and is a sexologist licensed by the Dutch Society for sexology (NVVS).

Barbara is working for Rutgers Nisso Groep since 2003 and joined Youth Incentives in 2006.  She is a psychologist. During her study she focussed on psychological processes within cultures and religions. Most projects she is involved with since she is working for Rutgers Nisso Groep and Youth Incentives are for and/or with young people, e.g. a brochure about sexuality education within religious groups of young people, the development of a website about partner choice for young migrants in the Netherlands, developing lessons about female circumcision for schools and a research about sexuality education in the Netherlands. Within most projects youth participation is a (main) objective.

Christina joined Youth Incentives in August 2007. As a gender and sexuality major she has been active in organising meetings for her Students' Association on various related issues. She also taught the introductory course in gender studies at the University of Amsterdam. After her exchange programme in San Francisco she wrote her master's thesis on the history of sexuality education in the United States with a special focus on the influence of the Christian Right. Currently, Christina is busy organising the RAP Song Event in April 2008. During this event young people from all around the world are coming to the Netherlands to discuss issues related to their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Additionally, young people from Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, Bangladesh and the Philippines will present their RAP Songs. The RAP Songs have been written to create awareness of sexual and reproductive health issues and are used as advocacy tools in people's home countries.

Annemarie is working for Rutgers Nisso Groep since 1999 and works for Youth Incentives since 2002. She is working on the Information Centre. She provides the Youth Incentives staff members with relevant information, retrieves information and maintains a catalogue and digital dossiers. Also on request, she searches for literature on a specific theme and/or country.

Cécile joined Youth Incentives in 2005 after a period of 10 years working as communication manager in Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht. She provides the Youth Incentives team with communicational support. Cécile is responsable for the production of all communication materials such as leaflets, brochures, pressreleases and the website.