While recognition and respect for neurodiversity are growing, the impact of large societal shifts, such as digitalization, is felt disproportionally by a broad group of neurodivergent youth (including borderline to mild intellectual disability-MID, autism and ADHD). Media-lessons and -interventions for the general youth population have been developed but it remains unclear how suitable interventions are for neurodivergent youth. In this project, DigAble, the overarching goal is therefore to investigate how neurodivergent youth may become more resilient and less vulnerable in the online world in order to lower digital inequity. We want a better understanding of needs, suitable tools, and appropriate policies, in particular for neurodivergent youth and their caregivers. DigAble answers to the call that seven government ministries posed for insight into the effects of digitalization, with funding through the Nationale WetenschapsAgenda (NWA).

In DigAble we will 1) describe the needs and capacities of neurodivergent youth, their parents, educators, carers, and managers in this sector and how these should be matched with support, 2) gain insight into practice elements of media interventions for evidence on differential effects and 3) integrate findings from aim 1 and 2 to co-create an optimal decision-making framework for youth, their families, schools and care organizations, and professionals.

This project is a multi-methods study consisting of three work packages.

As one of the two newly recruited Postdoc researchers you will focus on aim 3, by employing participatory and qualitative research through rapid online Delphi study and co-creative work sessions, and working towards a decision tool for selecting interventions.

You will collaborate within a larger team of researchers (Hogeschool Windesheim, Hogeschool Leiden, Universiteit Utrecht) and experts from knowledge and educational organisations (Koninklijke Bibliotheek, Practoraat Mediawijsheid, Nederlands Jeugdinstituut, Stichting Agora) that includes a qualitative participatory approach. Your new qualitative data obtained by a participatory approach combined with the overview of needs of youth and their caregivers produced with other postdoc researchers will lead to an optimal decision-making framework.

Your main responsibilities are to:

• identify the (mis)match between the needs / capacities and availability of practice elements of media-related interventions/policies and factors contributing to this (mis)match
• develop an adaptive decision tool integrating (multiple) personalized actions into practice and service delivery systems
• to evaluate the use and impact of the adaptive decision tool in practice

• Good command of written and spoken Dutch
• A PhD in Educational Sciences, Child and Family Studies, Psychology, Public health, Communication Science or a related field
• Affinity for media use and/or neurodivergent youth and/or interventions
• Experience or familiarity with mixed-methods or multi-method studies

As a university, we strive for equal opportunities for all, recognising that diversity takes many forms. We believe that diversity in all its complexity is invaluable for the quality of our teaching, research and service. We are always looking for talent with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This also means that we are committed to creating an inclusive community so that we can use diversity as an asset.

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

Plenty of room for your drive to shape tomorrow's safer media use among neurodivergent youth. Achieve societal impact in collaboration with highly motivated colleagues. That is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• a salary of minimum € 3.226,00 (Scale 10) and maximum € 5.929,00 (Scale 11) gross per month, on a full-time basis. This is based on UFO profile Researcher 3, Researcher 4. The exact salary depends on your education and experience.
• the appointment (for 0.7 tot 0.8 fte in case of project coordination tasks) will initially be for 1 year. After a satisfactory evaluation of the initial appointment, the contract will be extended for a total duration of 2 years.
• you can choose to participate in the active staff meetings, as well as the LEARN! research
  institute

We also offer you attractive fringe benefits and regulations. Some examples:

• A full-time 38-hour working week comes with a holiday leave entitlement of 232 hours per year. If you choose to work 40 hours, you have 96 extra holiday leave hours on an annual basis. For part-timers, this is calculated pro rata.
• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• contribution to commuting expenses
• optional model for designing a personalized benefits package
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Department of Education and Family Studies

The department of Education and Family Studies at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is a world-renowned research and education centre aiming to understand parenting and parent-child relationships within the family, of education, special education, child and family welfare, and long-term care for children and adults with a disability. We use knowledge from EFS itself, but also from psychology, neuroscience and social sciences. We use a variety of research methods, such as experiments, longitudinal questionnaire research, observations, interviews and normative-ethical reflection. Our researchers have established a large national and international network of collaborators from various disciplines. You will have access to training and professional development opportunities, as well as the chance to work with leading experts in the field of parenting and child development research. The research groups are part of the Learning sciences and Child rearing research programs of LEARN! research institute, and of the Amsterdam Public Health institute. The project is embedded within Viveon, the academic collaborative centre of ‘s Heeren Loo and VU (www.viveon.nl).

Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences
Developing knowledge for an active, healthy and meaningful life: that is our mission at the Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences at VU Amsterdam. We maintain a broad focus on the fields of behaviour and health. Our teaching and research programmes are devoted to current developments in society. From healthy aging to e-health, and from training top athletes to social media as a teaching tool. We combine three academic disciplines: psychology, movement sciences and education. A multidisciplinary approach allows us to arrive at a better understanding of human behaviour and movement. Our aims are to help people live healthier lives, learn better and function better.

Are you interested in joining Behavioural and Movement Sciences? You are the kind of person who feels at home working in an ambitious faculty, with an informal atmosphere and short lines of communication. We offer you all the space you need for personal development. Together with your 630 colleagues, you will take care of about 4,200 students.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research. Learn more about our codes of conduct

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 5,500 staff work at the VU and over 30,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of the VU. The VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.