3X3 Unites Hosts Successful Youth Empowerment Conference
The first-ever Youth Empowerment Conference took place on May 16 at the STRAAT Museum on the NDSM Wharf. During the event, young people engaged in dialogue with professionals from various fields. The central theme: empowering youth and offering them a positive outlook on the future.
The 3X3 Unites event was organized by and for young people—because who better than youth themselves to understand what they need to feel empowered? The conference featured a dedicated skills market, and workshops addressed key themes such as mental health, future careers, employment, and gender equality.
After a joint opening session on one of the outdoor courts, young attendees and professionals mingled and participated together in the workshops. One of the workshops, focused on "finding meaning," was led by Mind Us, a foundation commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport to work on youth mental health.
“If you want to understand the challenges young people face, don’t talk about them—talk with them,” said Mirjam Oosterhout on behalf of Mind Us. According to her, young people already have the answers; professionals should focus more on asking the right questions. “The cross-pollination between youth and adults is beautiful to witness,” she added.
Joos Fetter was one of the young attendees who participated in the workshop. “I really appreciate the topics being discussed and find it interesting to share my own views,” she said. “I want to follow my own path and feel good in myself. Talking about that with others helps you gain new insights.”
A short walk away, the skills market featured various booths. This was the place for young people to gather information to take the next step in their professional journey, upgrade their resumes, or have a professional LinkedIn photo taken.
“We wanted to create a space where young people could easily engage in conversations with professionals,” said 3X3 Leader Leijn Louwerse. Partners such as Conclusion Consultancy and BDO were present to talk with youth about personal pitches, resumes, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The mix of youth and professionals is great—it makes it easy to connect with people in the field and build new relationships,” said David Toussaint as he walked through the skills market. He had just had a new professional photo taken for his LinkedIn profile. “That was long overdue; I was still using a vacation photo from seven years ago,” he laughed. “The best part of the skills market is that professionals and companies aren’t just talking at you—they actually offer valuable takeaways you can use moving forward.”
Melior Hoekstra, representing IamProgrez, spoke with several young attendees. The company, a partner of 3X3 Unites, believes that young people develop skills in all kinds of environments and seeks to make those skills more visible. He gave gaming as an example. “People often think gaming is a waste of time. But even in gaming, you can demonstrate leadership through your choices or improve your team skills.”
The same goes for sports, according to Hoekstra. “What role do you take within a team? How do you communicate? How do you take initiative? These are all skills we help identify and articulate, so young people can use them during job applications. It’s a way of saying: this is who I am, and these are my strengths.”
Hoekstra believes the Youth Empowerment Conference helps bridge the gap between young people and professionals. Additionally, the event ties in perfectly with the ‘1000 Jobs Plan,’ through which 3X3 Unites aims to guide 1,000 young people toward sustainable, paid employment over the coming years. Hoekstra, on the value of IamProgrez in that plan: “When young people know their strengths and understand which company is a good fit for them, they have a much better chance of success when applying for jobs.”
The Youth Empowerment Conference concluded with the Athletes’ Debate. In front of a packed room, the discussion covered topics such as being a role model and closing the gender equality gap. Panelists included Worthy de Jong, professional footballer Samya Hassani, freerunner Luciano Balestra, and Olympic skateboarder Keet Oldenbeuving.
They agreed that a role model is someone you look up to. One audience member said Worthy de Jong was his role model. De Jong responded: “To me, a role model is also someone who stays true to themselves. Someone who’s allowed to make mistakes. Being a role model also means creating space for others and giving them the opportunity to shine.”
Gender equality was also a major point of discussion. “Unfortunately, the gap still exists,” said Samya Hassani, who plays professionally for Telstar, speaking about her sport. “We’re not demanding the same salaries as the men—they earn outrageous amounts. But having a collective labor agreement and a minimum wage would already allow us to practice our sport properly. Right now, we have to work jobs on the side, which leaves us less time to train.”
When asked what she could do personally to help close the gap, she mentioned a campaign that all female team captains in the league participated in this season: "Professional football = getting paid." She also had a message for organizations and anyone willing to listen: “You don’t always have to make money from an investment. Sometimes you invest to create a platform and help others grow.”
A loud round of applause at the end of the Athletes’ Debate marked the success of the Youth Empowerment Conference. Afterward, attendees joined to watch the 3X3 Women’s Series, where the best 3x3 basketball players in the world competed head-to-head.