How do you help a neighbourhood that has lost faith in the municipality? And how does climate change affect social isolation?
These were among the topics on the agenda when partners in From Isolation to Inclusion (I2I) gathered in the Netherlands and Germany in March. The purpose was to learn more about how the local partners are working with loneliness and social isolation.
The meeting started at the Drents Museum in Assen with a welcome by Gert Stam, the programme manager of Mijn Buurt (“My Neighbourhood”) Assen.
It was then on to Antje’s Taverne, a multi-functional venue for food, fitness, music, and other activities. Antje is a local entrepreneur who created the Master Service Plan Assen (MSPA) for elderly people in collaboration with social service Vaart Welzijn, the municipality of Assen, and housing corporation Actium. The MSPA is a platform that elderly people can join to stay healthy and happy and postpone having to move into a care home.
Later the mayor and aldermen of Assen joined the cycling party to the MaasStee Pittelo, the community centre which serves as a meeting point for organisations, volunteers and others as a place where everyone feels welcome!
The MSPA is a platform that elderly people can join to stay healthy and happy and postpone having to move into a care home.
- The cycling party to the MaasStee Pittelo
- Stadtbiliothek Bremen
The next day partners stopped off en route to Bremen near the border at Donderen to see the work of the Loods13 Theatre school to hear about their theatre production ‘Breaking the Silence’ and how they involve young people at risk of becoming lonely and isolated.
In Bremen partners visited the headquarters of Johanniter Bremen Social Service (part of the Order of St. John) which provides emergency and “comfort” home call services, volunteer visits for senior citizens and assistance for them at suburban “meeting centres”.
They next visited Stadtbiliothek Bremen, the central town library to see the wide range of services they provide – way more than the traditional offering. In the library’s “Wall-Saal” the hosts spoke about the perception of loneliness and cooperation between the institution. Another session discussed loneliness as an issue in a time of climate change and how social services can adapt to these circumstances.
This was an inspiring few days – but sadly the final time the partners met in real life, before the project ends with a digital conference later this year in June.
https://northsearegion.eu/i2i/news/i2i-partners-visit-assen-and-bremen/

Theatre group explained.