ECIO partner in SPRONG group IMPACT Headquarters

Inclusion for people with mental and/or brain disorders

Seven universities of applied sciences, with Windesheim as the lead agency, have been awarded a SPRONG grant for the project IMPACT Main Issues: Inclusion, Participation, Participation, ACTive Living with Essentials. The goal of this collaboration is to realize an inclusive society in which people with mental and/or brain disorders can participate fully and lead good lives. ECIO joins as a knowledge partner with a focus on a sustainable transition from education to work.

In the Netherlands, about a quarter of the population lives with a mental and/or neurological disorder. Yet full participation for this group is still far from self-evident. IMPACT-Hoofdzaken wants to change this structurally.

Building sustainable impact together

Over the next eight years, the SPRONG group will work on five spearheads: profiling, professionalization, network strengthening, research quality and societal impact. The ambition is to grow into an internationally recognized research group with a sustainable collaborative structure, in which inclusive and practice-oriented research is central – with knock-on effects to practice, society, education and science.

ECIO as a connecting link

Although ECIO plays a modest role within this project, our contribution is no less meaningful. We contribute knowledge about inclusive education and guiding young people with a support need in their transition to work. In addition, we make the connection between this project and existing networks within education, healthcare and government. In this way, such as through the Sprong Bridge network, we ensure knowledge sharing and strengthen collaborations across domains.