After a 4-month partnership, on Tuesday June 10th current students of the Hogeschool Rotterdam minor "Creating Resilient Cities" presented their final results and recommendations to stakeholder Stichting Iedereen aan Boord. The main two issues they addressed dealt with creating more community gardens for social cohesion on the Noordereiland. And to come up with solutions to prevent the quays from flooding, for instance by using used containers in a very creative way.
The minor has been a solid partner in bringing education to the HefHouse alliance. Since September 2023 the minor has had 4 subsequent editions at the HefHouse, each edition spanning a period of 20 weeks. What is even more astonishing is that throughout each study programme the main stakeholder was and is Stichting Iedereen aan Boord on the Noordereiland.
More sustainable, inclusive and future proof solutions
Cities worldwide are developing interventions and strategies to cope with challenges like climate change, social inequality and economic insecurity. Making cities more resilient towards such challenges by designing more sustainable, inclusive and future proof solutions for current (urban) practices is the focus of the minor Creating Resilient Cities.
Big impact on the local community
'Students are constantly confronted with abstract concepts like sustainability and resilience. By being present in the neighbourhood and working alongside Stichting Iedereen aan Boord, they experience the practical side of how to implement ideas. This way they learn that even small initiatives can have a big impact on the local community. It fuels their mindset to stay hopeful for change in these challenging times.'
Harriet Kos
Teacher Hogeschool Rotterdam
Stichting Iedereen aan Boord is a very active citizen initiative that focuses on all aspects of climate adaptation particularly those that influence the neighbourhood of the Noordereiland. This organisation has been very open and willing in working with the students of all the editions so far. Which means that students have consecutively picked up on challenges that are provided by the foundation and are continued by every next group, so-called ‘estafetteleren’. Obviously, the short distance between the HefHouse and the main office of the Stichting on the Noordereiland facilitates easy and instant connections and helps the students to really immerse into a local practice.
Ellen van Bodegom from Stichting Iedereen aan Boord states: 'It's great to see that the students get inspired and really involved with the activities our foundation organizes each time. During each study period the students create elements or interventions towards possible solutions and with every subsequent student group these ideas are further developed and deepened to make them even more concrete and implementable.'
Out of your comfortzone
'Since the project is less structured, we need to go out to get information ourselves and do our research. This type of research takes you out of your comfort zone and forces you to grow.'
Student Sabrina
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