Background information

The Government is making an extra €200 million available for a social support package aimed at social and mental well-being and lifestyle. This is necessary because the coronavirus and corona measures not only have a major impact on healthcare and the economy, but also on the mental well-being and physical health of the Dutch population. The money is divided among municipalities.

The approach is to organize extra support along 3 lines of action:

• Intensification of initiatives that contribute to youth well-being;
• Intensification of initiatives that contribute to meeting and guiding 'vulnerable' groups;
• Intensification of initiatives that support and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Content of measure

The package is aimed specifically at young people and vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities or psychological problems and lonely elderly people. Attention is also paid to the mental vitality of working Netherlands and entrepreneurs affected by corona measures. The support package involves collaboration in a broad coalition of central government, municipalities, national and local organisations, volunteers and professionals.

A large part of the available €200 million will be used via municipalities to broaden local initiatives. A limited part is used to strengthen national initiatives, such as the VWS program One against loneliness. Or the Broad Social Cooperation of SZW in collaboration with OCW and VWS to strengthen the mental vitality of (future) workers and reduce the number of burnout complaints. There is also an impulse through the Cultural Participation Fund.

Use of measure

No information available yet.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Does not apply to businesses	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Social partners jointly Other social actors (e.g. NGOs) Local / regional government	National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Unknown	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

Given the great importance of social and mental well-being, the Government wanted to further develop the three action lines with the intended partners, as to quickly reduce the social damage of the corona measures. This happened at various consultation tables, given the large number of parties that played an active role in this.

Views and reactions

The VNG, as an important partner, had already expressed its support based on the fact that municipalities have the freedom to make their own choices and give an extra impulse where necessary.

Sources

• 01 June 2021: Kamerbrief over steunpakket sociaal en mentaal welzijn en leefstijl (www.rijksoverheid.nl)