What is LIKE?

LIKE is a five-year research project (2017-2022) funded by the Dutch Heart Foundation and ZonMw. The purpose of LIKE was to work for and with young people to create a healthier environment and healthier future through a participatory systems approach.

What is a participatory systems approach?

LIKE combines Participatory Action Research (PAR) and systems thinking.

• PAR is an approach that links research and action in a participatory way: young people collaborate with academic researchers and share responsibility for the research, which is aimed at achieving desired changes. This leads to joint knowledge development and strategies that fit the local situation and the lives of young people.
• Systems thinking, specifically “system dynamics” is a method that assumes understanding and changing the whole system at all levels: from individual system elements to the goals of the system and the paradigm in which we live. In doing so, it provides insight into underlying mechanisms and “causes of the causes,” among other things. It also makes us aware that systems are not linear, but a set of complex interactions, feedback loops and connections that are not always visible or predictable. This dynamic nature has important implications for implementing and evaluating solutions. These solutions consist of finding leverage points for change. These can change over time.

What can you find on this website?

During the research project, we compiled materials, publications and tools that can be used in a participatory systems approach. For materials and tools, click here. For publications, click here.