Het Buurthuis Bestaat Niet Meer (NL)

Podcast maker Geert Vlieger used to dismiss community centers as places full of bingo games and billiards - mainly meant for lonely older people. That changed when Zorg+Welzijn asked him to make a podcast series about them. What he discovered surprised him: millions of people from all walks of life rely on their local community center. At a time when municipalities are preparing for deep cuts to social services, these accessible, neighborhood-based spaces - run with and by local residents - are proving to be invaluable. Not only in tackling loneliness, but also in making neighborhoods safer and more resilient. In this series, Geert explores the changing role of the community center in an era of growing uncertainty. Who comes through its doors? Who keeps it running? And how does a place like this survive when nothing is guaranteed? Zorg + Welzijn Magazine (5 x 15)