The community ‘living room’ – social interactions and social capital in a community activity in the Netherlands

ABSTRACTCommunity activities are believed to contribute to the cultivation of social capital and social cohesion. For this study, a community 'living room', a community activity for lonely, elderly people in a mid-sized Dutch city, was studied. Interviews and observations showed that the community activity was experienced positively, and that social interactions in this particular setting were much appreciated in the face of loneliness. This held not only true for the participants, but also for the volunteers. Nevertheless, the activity did not significantly contribute to the development of social capital. Social contacts established during the activity did not extend beyond the setting. A general lack of trust is seen as a major factor inhibiting the development of social contacts beyond the setting.KEYWORDS: Social capitalcommunity activitiessocial interactionsthird placeelderly residentsneighbourhood AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to express their gratitude to the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsEsther PeperkampEsther Peperkamp, PhD. is a Lecturer in Anthropology and Research Methods at the Academy for Leisure at Breda University of Applied Sciences. Her research explores social networks in leisure and meaning of leisure in particular in relation to vulnerable groups.D.E.G.T. HaumahuD.E.G.T. Haumahu, MSc. has obtained her master's degree in Leisure and Tourism Studies at Breda University of Applied Sciences. She currently works as Education Coordinator.