Dienjaar Check

Een interactieve ervaring die aannames over Defensie doorbreekt.

Hoe maak je jongeren nieuwsgierig naar een Dienjaar bij Defensie, wanneer bestaande vooroordelen hen juist tegenhouden om zich erin te verdiepen?

Voor Dienjaar, een initiatief van het Ministerie van Defensie, ontwikkelde ik De Dienjaar Check: een interactieve ervaring die jongeren tussen de 17 en 27 jaar uitdaagt om hun beeld van Defensie te heroverwegen. Met een interactieve zuil en korte video’s maakt het concept ruimte voor herkenning, nieuwe inzichten en nieuwsgierigheid.

Het uitgangspunt: niet direct overtuigen, maar jongeren eerst laten ontdekken dat Defensie misschien anders is dan ze denken.

The challenge

Initially my project focused on the question: how do I get young people excited about a Dienjaar? But during my research I found an important obstacle: many young people carry prejudices and misconceptions about working at Defense that discourage them from looking into it further. Examples of this are:

"You have to be cut out for it."
"Women can't work at Defense."
"The physical exam is too tough, I won't make it anyway."

These insights were decisive in shifting my focus. Instead of trying to get people excited right away, I chose to first address these assumptions. The goal was to inform young people and spark their curiosity, so they'd go find out more for themselves.

Research and process

The first phase of my project consisted of extensive preliminary research:

I spoke with and interviewed countless young people from the target group about their image of Defense and their assumptions.
Visits to Dienjaar open days, interviews with people doing their Dienjaar, and visits to navy ships gave me insight into the practice.
I ran case studies and researched trends, design approaches, and which media matter most to young people.

In the concept phase I developed several ideas, which I tested with the target group through prototyping. Examples of concepts were:

A geocaching campaign.
Flyers with an augmented reality experience.
Short Instagram videos and Snapchat filters.

This iterative approach helped me understand what worked and what didn't. In the end I chose the Dienjaar Check for its strong combination of interactivity, storytelling, and low barrier to entry.

The concept: the Dienjaar Check

The Dienjaar Check concept revolves around an interactive column with the message: "Are you cut out for it?". The column is designed to spark curiosity and give young people an accessible way to encounter the Dienjaar and Defense.

How does it work?

The approach:
Young people are drawn in by a large banner and a column that raises questions like: "But what am I cut out for, then?". These visual triggers invite them to take the test.
The interactive check:
Users answer simple questions on the column. After answering, they see a short video that opens with everyday situations and subtly reveals the link to Defense. For example:

A video about women at Defense, to show they play an important role too.
A video about the fitness test, showing it's achievable.

The experience:

Through storytelling and empathy, the experience feels personal and recognizable. The concept offers a low-barrier way to nuance assumptions without overwhelming young people with complexity.

Why these choices?

Storytelling and video: young people are visually oriented and respond well to short, powerful stories. By showing recognizable situations, I make the content accessible and easy to imagine.
Interactivity: an active approach (like a check) is more effective than a passive one, because it engages young people and makes them curious.
Low barrier: no heavy, technical information, but an experience that informs and inspires without trying to convince outright.

Watch the two videos the check leads to below.

Results

A compact, movable column and banner, deployable at strategic locations such as schoolyards, sports clubs, and events where the target group spends time.
Videos that debunk specific assumptions and show that Defense is broader and more accessible than often thought.
An effective first step in making young people curious about the Dienjaar and encouraging them to look into it further.

Impact and future

The concept is a strong foundation that can be expanded further:

More videos: new content can address other assumptions and reach an even wider audience.
Social media campaigns: short videos and interactive content on platforms like Instagram could make a bigger impact.
Collaboration with people doing their Dienjaar: personal stories from diverse backgrounds strengthen the credibility and appeal.

With the Dienjaar Check I've created a new, fresh way to reach young people. Nuancing assumptions isn't just an important step, it's also essential to growing interest in the Dienjaar and Defense.