Healthy living environment

Not everyone has the same opportunities to grow up and live a healthy life. There are major differences in the well-being, health and life expectancy of residents in the city. How can we reduce these inequalities? And what is needed to improve and sustain the health and well-being of Rotterdammers? This important, but complex issue is central to the SPRING program (Societal Progress & Resilience for healthy Individuals and Generations).

COMPLEXITY
Health differences are complex. They are created by a multitude of factors and the interrelationships between them. Personal well-being and health are not individual issues, but always relate to both the spatial and social environment in which people live. Consider, for example, the presence of sufficient playgrounds, parks and clean air. The socio-economic position, family composition and the presence of a social network also play a role in the development of health inequality.

THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATION
To do justice to this complexity, SPRING works from an integrated approach. Health differences are approached from the social, spatial and administrative context in which people live. Transdisciplinary collaboration is central to making this possible. Scientists from various disciplines, active residents, the Municipality of Rotterdam and social organizations in the city work together in this project. Residents play an important role in this, they are part of the solution for SPRING. We want to learn from and with each other in order to achieve better research and more useful insights.

LOOKING FOR CONNECTION
Within SPRING, Veldacademie plays a role in establishing these valuable connections, among other things. Based on experience at the intersection of science, education, practice and policy, Veldacademie connects various disciplines and fields of work in order to jointly shape the process. By organizing continuity in connection – in the form of structural and long-term partnerships – added value can be created. Not only for the parties involved, but mainly for the residents of Rotterdam.

In addition to this role as a connector, Veldacademie makes a substantive contribution within SPRING in the form of expertise on the central theme. Through various studies and projects, Veldacademie has built up a knowledge position in the field of health, well-being and talent development. This knowledge enables Veldacademie to contribute to the content of the programme.

SPRING’s transdisciplinary approach is shaped in Living Labs. A Living Lab is a working environment in which different actors work together on a specific issue by combining research and intervention. In addition to arriving at concrete solutions, the labs aim to gain insight into the complexity of health differences.

At the beginning of May 2023, the kick-off of three new Living Labs took place: Work and health, Senior-friendly neighborhoods and Green and healthy mobility. The labs focus on different life phases and aspects of health, but have in common the central objective of SPRING: reducing the inequality of opportunity for well-being and health.