Herne starts project in the middle against loneliness in society!

Herne starts project in the middle against loneliness in society!

The city of Herne launched the project call "in the middle - together in Herne" on April 11, 2025. This project aims to strengthen social participation and promote democratic coexistence. The initiative addresses people of all ages and offers low -threshold encounter offers to reduce social isolation and make networks more visible and accessible. Victoria Apel from the future of the society underlines the need for new spaces for encounter and dialogue. The city of Herne would like to actively counter the challenges of loneliness through this approach.

interested actors are invited to report to the future of the company and actively shape the project. The city is already working on a network that is intended to develop new formats and offers to combat loneliness. The project follows the call for the "Du + Ich = Wir" campaign of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The first step consists in an inventory of existing encounter formats that are included in the central database of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, loneliness. This inventory is intended to provide an overview of existing structures and identify needs to close supply gaps.

loneliness as a social problem

loneliness is increasingly regarded as a social question that is closely associated with social structures and changes. According to the Federal Center for Political Education, loneliness can lead to a withdrawal from social relationships and has both physical and psychological effects. Social isolation affects trust in democratic institutions and reduces participation in social and political activities. Lonely people often do not see themselves as part of society and tend to be more open to populist and authoritarian attitudes towards.

loneliness is a multi -layered phenomenon that includes both quantitative and qualitative aspects. Emotional loneliness refers to the lack of close personal relationships, while social loneliness describes the lack of a larger social network. These concepts not only influence individual well -being, but also social cohesion. This is a central point of Herne's commitment, since loneliness is not just an individual challenge, but also affects the entire society.

measures to combat loneliness

The city of Herne plans to meet regular meetings of the network to promote exchange and develop new ideas. This is important because loneliness can be reinforced by a variety of factors, including the lack of public spaces and the individual life situation. A constructive loneliness policy should therefore aim to create casual structures and social infrastructures to enable and promote encounters.

The increased risks of loneliness in today's society, especially in view of the demographic changes and individualization, represent a growing challenge. Urban measures examine how the design of public spaces and the creation of meeting places can reduce loneliness. The project "Right in the middle - together in Herne" is a step in this direction and helps to improve the quality of life in the city.

The city of Herne invites all clubs, sponsors and committed organizations to actively contribute to the project. This is intended to help coordinate your own offers and to take part in additional actions. The contact for the future of the society is Nils Pichl, available on 0 23 23/16 - 25 51.