YoPA Amsterdam: Co-creating healthier futures with youth from Nieuw-West
YoPA Amsterdam (NL) is based in the district of Amsterdam Nieuw-West. While Nieuw-West faces unique societal challenges, it is also focused on building sustainable, community-driven solutions through the National Programme Samen Nieuw-West (NPSNW, 2024). NPSNW is a long-term alliance of diverse stakeholders finding collaborative approaches toward systemic change.
Recent national data indicate that 13.8% of adolescents (12-17 years old) in the Netherlands experience overweight and obesity (CBS, 2024). In Amsterdam Nieuw-West, available data suggests that this number is nearly twice as high, with approximately 22.8% of adolescents aged 14-16 experiencing overweight and obesity (Gemeente Amsterdam, 2020). In addition, about one third of children in Nieuw-West grow up in families with a low socioeconomic position, and in each year between 2016-2021, Nieuw-West has been home to the majority of the most vulnerable young people (0-17 years old) of Amsterdam (CBS, 2025).
In alignment with NPSNW’s emphasis on sustainable, community-driven approaches, YoPA Amsterdam is working hand-in-hand with key local stakeholders, such as local teenagers, municipal representatives, community organizations, and secondary schools to co-create meaningful, lasting change in the community. Our goal? To improve adolescents’ 24-hour movement behaviors, agency, and well-being.
In the project, we take a teen-centered participatory approach: this means that we put the needs and experiences of young people at the core of what we do. Through this approach, we have built capacity in teenagers to participate in research, identifying what matters to young people in Nieuw-West when it comes to being active. Using these insights, we will design and implement actions that can address the key challenges to being physically active, together with local teens. Through collaboration, we strive to make it easier, safer, and more enjoyable for teenagers to be active in their communities every day.
Let’s (co)create this together!
Are you a youth worker, urban designer, educator, or community advocate? Do you care about creating healthier, more inclusive cities for young people?
We invite you to connect with the YoPA Amsterdam team—whether you’re curious about our co-creation methods or eager to collaborate. Let’s work together to make physical activity a natural part of life for the youth of Nieuw-West.
Reach out to us to learn more or get involved!
– Jesse Vargas – j.n.vargas@amsterdamumc.nl
– Leto Demetriadou – l.demetriadou@amsterdamumc.nl
