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Student and Society in Dialogue 2022
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Student and Society in Dialogue 2022: Student Projects
In this collection you can find all the student projects related to Student and society in Dialogue 2022. Student an society in dialogue is part of the science with society project.
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Article
Results Student and Society in Dialogue about Spaces for Mental Strength, December 2022
In today's society, the mental health of various individuals is under pressure. Depression,burnout and loneliness are becoming more common and the pandemic has not made thingseasier. The municipality of Amsterdam is increasingly connecting public spaces in relationto the health of its residents, but what do residents of Amsterdam need to makethemselves mentally resilient and thus stay healthy?
Background
VU master's students organized focus groups in December 2022 in OBAs in various districts of Amsterdam: New West, East, West, North and Southeast.
Focus group results
In the focus groups, several spaces were identified that participants associated with strengthening or
improving their mental health. For example, cultural spaces were discussed for development and
relaxation, sports fields and other locations for exercise and unwinding, and locations that provide
space for social interaction. In general, the place itself did not appear to be the most important
factor, as long as certain basic needs can be met: exercise, social interaction and cognitive
development or self-reflection. According to participants, accessible places such as parks and
community centers meet these requirements. Interestingly, it is these spaces that are seen by
participants as being less available due to a busy, changing city: spaces to gather are strictly
regulated, there are fewer public spaces and going for a coffee somewhere else can quickly become
very expensive.
Recommendations for future research
Based on the input of the participants, the students have formulated a number of recommendations.
Firstly, attention must be paid to public spaces that meet the aforementioned criteria. These
locations must be both indoors and outdoors and the focus will have to be on accessibility and
affordability. It was also indicated in one of the focus groups that we should use what is already
available, such as local initiatives and communication between neighborhood residents. Local
residents must be given a role in the development of these places and be continuously involved in
the research. For example, a neighborhood resident can be appointed as a facilitator to gain insight
into which locations are currently available, what can or should change and how residents can
contribute to this.
Participant experiences
Many participants experienced the conversations as very instructive and gained many new insights
from each other. The sessions had a positive and confidential atmosphere where everyone felt
comfortable sharing. In addition, a frequently recurring comment from participants and students was
the lack of local residents, which somewhat detracted from the diversity at the table: "It was a
meeting in which great ideas were created. It is a pity that the voice of the residents was
underrepresented." -
Article
Results Student and City in Dialogue: Towards a Just Energy Transition, December 2022
Addressing the threat of anthropogenic climate change requires a fundamentaltransition from the dominant fossil fuel energy system to a low/zero carbon system. The Municipalityof Amsterdam aims to be climate-neutral by 2050, and to ban gas from the city entirely by 2040. Thisshift requires complex social and technological changes and will have a profound social impact.
Background — On December 14th, 2022, VU master’s students from the course Policy, Politics, and Participation (PPP) spoke with Amsterdam residents about how to achieve a “just energy transition.” The students conducted focus groups at four OBA locations in Amsterdam: Oost, Hallen, Javaplein, and Zuidoost.
Focus group results — Participants identified various challenges associated with achieving a just
energy transition, which mainly involved communication issues. Many people said they don’t have
enough information about the topic and don’t know where to find official government information.
For some, language and literacy barriers present an additional challenge. Participants also said that
there are differences between owning and renting a house, and that some people don’t know how to
make changes to their houses to make them more energy efficient. Cost is also a prohibitive factor.
Most people feel that the government should take responsibility for ensuring a just energy transition,
for example by improving the minimum energy standards of rental houses.
Recommendations for future research — Participants want communication about the energy
transition in Amsterdam to be clear and concise, and translated if necessary. Flyers in different
languages could help improve the quality and accessibility of information. They also want a clear
long-term perspective from the government, and long-term relationships between stakeholders.
Participant experiences — Feedback on the event was overwhelmingly positive. Almost all
participants found it interesting and many said it was also fun and/or informative. One participant
said that they “came for a friend but instead learned a lot.” In fact, most people wanted more time to
talk! The atmosphere was nice and well-organized, and participants said it was nice to hear
perspectives from other people. In future events, participants would like more background/context
on the topic to help get the conversation going faster. They also noticed that at some of the events,
almost no neighborhood residents were present and they think it’s very important to include
resident voices at these types of events.