Wijbegeleidden

Wijbegeleidden is a form of collective or peer-guided support in which a group of trained facilitators offers guidance to individuals or groups within social services, education, or community settings. The approach emphasizes shared responsibility, collaborative problem solving, and empowerment, rather than traditional top-down supervision.

The term is a Dutch neologism that combines wij (we) with begeleiding (guidance). In Dutch welfare and youth-work discourses, wijbegeleidden is used to signal a shift from individual professional supervision to group-based, participatory work, and to reflect a focus on social cohesion and mutual aid.

Practice typically involves a small team of begeleiders who work with a cohort of participants. Sessions are often regular and structured around reflective discussion, goal setting, and action planning. Roles are usually non-hierarchical; facilitators act as coordinators and collaborators rather than authoritative supervisors.

Contexts include schools, universities, youth services, housing associations, and municipal welfare programs. Claimed benefits include enhanced trust, better coping strategies, increased participation, and more responsive services. The evidence base is developing; evaluations tend to report qualitative improvements and highlight the importance of training and supervision of guides.

Implementation considerations include recruiting diverse guides, providing formal training in ethics, confidentiality, and safeguarding, establishing clear boundaries, and designing evaluation schemes that capture both process and outcomes. Potential challenges include role ambiguity, burnout among guides, and ensuring consistency across groups.