The Community Service Learning (CSL) team of the VU Amsterdam has adopted an innovative initiative we refer to as the ‘thematic approach’ where multiple existing courses and internships from a variety of programs offered by various faculties are clustered to address one complex societal issue. The topic of the thematic approach was built entirely around the needs of the local community as it resulted from a “Meet & Match” event in the local area of Amsterdam New-West which included residents as well as Local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and representatives of the Municipality of Amsterdam. These ‘externals’ were in charge of agenda setting and loneliness arose as an important topic to consider. Within previous studies considering multi- or interdisciplinary CSL, the collaborations oftentimes start with courses (Falk, 2012; Norton et al., 2018) or campus initiated programmes (Harrison et al., 2013) making our community centered theme based CSL approach perhaps unique. Following an action research approach (Lewin, 1946), the CSL team continuously linked both the specific issues that emerged from the Meet & Match event and new ideas and knowledge generated during ongoing community-based activities to other courses and internships, resulting in a wide variety of programs offered by various faculties within higher education institutes that are clustered to address the complex issue of loneliness in the local area of Amsterdam New-West. This approach thereby facilitates an ongoing process of knowledge co-creation to address the complex issues.

Dr. Prof. Marjolein Zweekhorst
Professor in education Innovation
Athena Institute,  VU University



Geertje Tijsma
PhD candidate
Athena Institute,  VU University



Floor Wijnands
Project management
VoorUit,  VoorUit



Marijke Visser
PhD candidate
Athena Institute,  VU University



Barbara Bijlstra
Project leader New-West Neighborhood Campus
Buurtcampus,  Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences



Gemma Huizinga
Advisor Social Basis
Municipality Amsterdam New West,  Municipality of Amsterdam



Wasilis Psathas
Neighbourhood worker
Huis van de Wijk ’t Blommetje,  CombiWell

We would like to thank all the partners of the knowledge alliance loneliness, in addition to the partners mentioned above; Stichting Magneet, De Hippe Heks, Markant, De Regenboog groep, regionaal opleidingscentrum (ROC) and Stadsreporter. Also, we would like to thank all community members that have been present during the meet and match events for sharing their ideas and concerns on the topic. Moreover, we would like to thank all students from the VU University and the Amsterdam University of Applied Science, amongst whom Galoeh Adrian Noviar and Elias Kwabena Agyemang. A big thanks to all teachers for their valuable contributions to the issue of loneliness in Amsterdam New-West, amongst whom Nadine Blignaut - van Westrhenen, Peer Smets, Aalt Smienk and Fenna Wichers. We cannot mention all students and lectures by name but we would like to thank them all. Also, we would like to thank all members of the VU University CSL research team that have contributed to the thematic approach. Due to the hard work of these people, knowledge is being developed and shared continuously which enables us to address the complex issue of loneliness in Amsterdam New-West. We also would like to thank photographer Vera Duivenvoorden for her work on the photo exposition. Finally, we would like to thank the following funding bodies for contributing to the project, Broader Mind for Students (VU), CityDeal KennisMaken.