{"id":11183,"date":"2026-05-22T14:19:18","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T12:19:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/"},"modified":"2026-06-04T16:37:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T14:37:22","slug":"wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"11183\" class=\"elementor elementor-11183 elementor-10802\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-17862855 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"17862855\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-217501eb e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"217501eb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;gradient&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e859070 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"3e859070\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;top&quot;,&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;],&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:152,&quot;sticky_parent&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a16a519 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a16a519\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Joint Forces<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d121390 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7d121390\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The third lecture in the series <em>U-turn: 5 years later<\/em> focused on two key questions: what impact has the COVID crisis had on loneliness and on the places where we live? And how did citizens respond by organizing themselves in new ways? Wouter Schepers (HIVA \u2013 KU Leuven) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) each offered their own, complementary perspective.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-59691f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"59691f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/HuPrT_YnJbI&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a7558e7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"7a7558e7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/events\/joint-forces\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\"><path d=\"m5.652 12.293 1.414 1.414L13.773 7 7.066.293 5.652 1.707 9.945 6H.359v2h9.586l-4.293 4.293Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Find out more about the programme<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-535a7451 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-child\" data-id=\"535a7451\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-777d5ffb e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"777d5ffb\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7025bf6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7025bf6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Making space for loneliness<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7afefcc5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7afefcc5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Loneliness is often approached as an individual problem. But the neighbourhood you live in plays a far greater role than we usually realize. That is the key message of <strong>Wouter Schepers, senior researcher at HIVA \u2013 KU Leuven<\/strong> and doctoral researcher within the FWO project <a href=\"https:\/\/eenzaamheidendebuurt.be\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"><em>A Lonely Planet<\/em><\/a> (2022\u20132026).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90cbc6c elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"90cbc6c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc95f4b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fc95f4b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What do we mean by loneliness?<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7e7d4fbf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7e7d4fbf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Wouter begins by making an important conceptual distinction: loneliness is not the same as social isolation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a2fe755 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a2fe755\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Loneliness is a <strong>subjective feeling<\/strong>: the unpleasant experience that <strong>one\u2019s social relationships are lacking in quantity or quality<\/strong>. Someone may have very few social contacts and feel perfectly content, while someone else may be surrounded by people and still feel lonely.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba26b05 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ba26b05\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Within this overarching concept, research distinguishes <strong>four forms<\/strong>: <strong>emotional loneliness<\/strong> (the absence of a close, intimate bond), <strong>social loneliness<\/strong> (insufficient or unsuitable social contacts), <strong>existential loneliness<\/strong> (the feeling of not being understood or of not belonging in the world), and <strong>collective loneliness<\/strong> (not feeling part of a group or community).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cef41fd elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"cef41fd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8789591 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8789591\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How can we study loneliness?<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f56b30b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f56b30b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Drawing on a <strong>quantitative survey<\/strong> of 3,756 people in Flanders and <strong>in\u2011depth neighbourhood case studies<\/strong>, Wouter showed how <strong>physical neighbourhood characteristics<\/strong> \u2013 green spaces, street furniture, mobility, local amenities \u2013 and social neighbourhood characteristics \u2013 contact with neighbours, a sense of community \u2013 are linked to feelings of loneliness.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9bf28c3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9bf28c3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The data also reveal clear <strong>risk groups<\/strong>: young adults (aged 18\u201334) and people aged 75 and over score highest on loneliness, as do people with a low socio-economic status, jobseekers and people living alone. These <strong>risk factors<\/strong> also tend to reinforce one another: for example, poverty can limit people\u2019s ability to take part in social activities, which in turn increases isolation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f6d1e1b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f6d1e1b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The <strong>neighbourhood<\/strong> adds an <strong>extra dimension<\/strong>: people living in a vulnerable, less liveable environment tend to go outside less and have fewer chance encounters, which further increases the risk of loneliness. His team also developed a <strong>neighbourhood detection tool<\/strong> that enables local authorities to identify areas where the risk of loneliness is higher.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f334f4a elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f334f4a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a181d3f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a181d3f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">COVID-19 and caring neighbourhoods<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0ba09ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0ba09ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>COVID\u201119<\/strong> made that connection tangible: people became more sharply aware of the quality of their living environment. The concept of the <strong>caring neighbourhood<\/strong> already existed before, but its development accelerated significantly during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7179808 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7179808\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Wouter, however, argues that loneliness should not only be approached from a <strong>care perspective<\/strong>, but also from a <strong>spatial planning perspective<\/strong>, as a well-designed neighbourhood indirectly fosters more interaction without the need to actively steer people towards social contact.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1cd587a elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"1cd587a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ff35b1a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ff35b1a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Find out more...<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-426d0d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"426d0d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/PPT_Plaats-maken-voor-eenzaamheid_Wouter-Schepers-HIVA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\"><path d=\"m5.652 12.293 1.414 1.414L13.773 7 7.066.293 5.652 1.707 9.945 6H.359v2h9.586l-4.293 4.293Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Download Wouter Schepers\u2019 presentation<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a73e58 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"4a73e58\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/eenzaamheidendebuurt.be\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\"><path d=\"m5.652 12.293 1.414 1.414L13.773 7 7.066.293 5.652 1.707 9.945 6H.359v2h9.586l-4.293 4.293Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">eenzaamheidendebuurt.be\/en<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2af75c3 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2af75c3\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-88e16f6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"88e16f6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Citizens in action<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-103fd0f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"103fd0f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>During the pandemic, many citizens spontaneously joined forces. But did that wave of engagement endure? And are crises really a catalyst for citizen initiatives? <strong>Nele Vanderhulst, staff member at Socius<\/strong> (the support centre for socio\u2011cultural work), set out to find an answer.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f28f3bd elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"f28f3bd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60265da elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"60265da\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What is a citizen initiative?<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-412045a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"412045a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>She begins with a fundamental question: what exactly is a citizen initiative? The answer depends on the lens you use. Nele distinguishes <strong>three different perspectives<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c6f03e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c6f03e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>From the perspective of the <strong>participatory society<\/strong>, citizen initiatives are seen as partners capable of taking on government responsibilities \u2013 solid, reliable and committed to the long term.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-387d4cd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"387d4cd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>From the perspective of &#8216;<strong>do-democracy<\/strong>&#8216;, attention is paid to the full spectrum of citizen initiatives: from a one-off neighbourhood party to an action committee aiming to block a permit.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26aac30 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"26aac30\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>And from the perspective of the <strong>sustainability transition<\/strong>, the focus is on initiatives that aim to bring about a fundamental shift towards a more sustainable society, in which governments, market and citizens all have a role to play. At Socius, they primarily adopt this second perspective.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-59c724e elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"59c724e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d2bed45 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d2bed45\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Crisis as a catalyst<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b10bbe elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8b10bbe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A crisis accelerates what is already happening: it brings societal issues into sharper focus and prompts people who already felt a need or sense of concern to take action.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8d6cd89 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8d6cd89\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Nele illustrates this with <strong>examples<\/strong> such as <a href=\"https:\/\/afromedica.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">AfroMedica<\/a> (an initiative for inclusive healthcare, launced in 2020 partly in response to the Black Lives Matter movement and the pandemic), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.honk.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Honk<\/a> (a care cooperative for people with disabilities), and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.opgewektienen.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">OpgewekTienen<\/a>\u00a0(a citizen movement focused on social cohesion).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ea65a2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"5ea65a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-94756ce elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"94756ce\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Warning sign of system failure<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d1d28b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3d1d28b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Citizen initiatives can also serve as a warning sign of system failure: where governments and the market fall short, citizens step in to fill the gap.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-26699d5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"26699d5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>She concludes with a call to action: a genuine U-turn requires policy frameworks that <strong>foster trust rather than impose control<\/strong>, and <strong>established organizations and new initiatives must dare to find one another<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-be53826 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"be53826\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>She also warns against a narrow <strong>cost-cutting perspective<\/strong>: if citizen initiatives are primarily used to compensate for public spending cuts, their true strength \u2013 the personal commitment and bottom-up collective engagement \u2013 risks being lost.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-209ce30 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"209ce30\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a334f90 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a334f90\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Find out more...<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fa55b8e elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"fa55b8e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/PPT_Burgers-in-beweging_Nele-Vanderhulst-Socius.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\"><path d=\"m5.652 12.293 1.414 1.414L13.773 7 7.066.293 5.652 1.707 9.945 6H.359v2h9.586l-4.293 4.293Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Download Nele Vanderhulst\u2019s presentation<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd787c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"dd787c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/socius.be\/about-socius\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\"><path d=\"m5.652 12.293 1.414 1.414L13.773 7 7.066.293 5.652 1.707 9.945 6H.359v2h9.586l-4.293 4.293Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">socius.be<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e0b0e54 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"e0b0e54\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e269eb2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-gallery\" data-id=\"e269eb2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;gallery_layout&quot;:&quot;justified&quot;,&quot;lazyload&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;ideal_row_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:200,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;ideal_row_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:150,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;ideal_row_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:150,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;gap_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;link_to&quot;:&quot;file&quot;,&quot;overlay_background&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;content_hover_animation&quot;:&quot;fade-in&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"gallery.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery__container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3373.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzYsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMzNzMud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3373.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_212100.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjYsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMjEyMTAwLndlYnAiLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJlMjY5ZWIyIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_212100.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"169\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers and Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3284.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjksInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMyODQud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3284.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3275.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjgsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMyNzUud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3275.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3327.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMzMjcud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3327.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3346.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzQsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMzNDYud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3346.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3337.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzMsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMzMzcud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3337.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3416.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzksInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjM0MTYud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3416.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3419.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExODAsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjM0MTkud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3419.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers and Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_194149.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNTgsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMTk0MTQ5LndlYnAiLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJlMjY5ZWIyIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_194149.webp\" data-width=\"169\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_203458.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMjAzNDU4LndlYnAiLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJlMjY5ZWIyIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_203458.webp\" data-width=\"169\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_202632.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjEsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMjAyNjMyLndlYnAiLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJlMjY5ZWIyIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_202632.webp\" data-width=\"169\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with the public\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3306.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzAsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMzMDYud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3306.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_195022.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjAsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMTk1MDIyLndlYnAiLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJlMjY5ZWIyIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_195022.webp\" data-width=\"169\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_203608.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjQsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMjAzNjA4LndlYnAiLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJlMjY5ZWIyIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_203608.webp\" data-width=\"169\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_193020.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNTcsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMTkzMDIwLndlYnAiLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJlMjY5ZWIyIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_193020.webp\" data-width=\"169\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers and Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3400.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzgsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjM0MDAud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3400.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3320.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzEsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMzMjAud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3320.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with the public\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_2035450.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjMsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMjAzNTQ1MC53ZWJwIiwic2xpZGVzaG93IjoiZTI2OWViMiJ9\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_2035450.webp\" data-width=\"169\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_203907.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjUsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMjAzOTA3LndlYnAiLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJlMjY5ZWIyIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_203907.webp\" data-width=\"169\" data-height=\"300\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3253.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNjcsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMyNTMud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3253.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Erik De Bom\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExODIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvVS10dXJuLTUtamFhci1sYXRlci04Ny0wMy1wb3N0LWhlcmJla2lqazIud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Wouters Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) at UCSIA\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_194201.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNTksInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvMjAyNjAzMjZfMTk0MjAxLndlYnAiLCJzbGlkZXNob3ciOiJlMjY5ZWIyIn0%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/20260326_194201.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"169\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Wouter Schepers\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3438.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExODEsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjM0Mzgud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3438.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3356.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzUsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMzNTYud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3356.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"e-gallery-item elementor-gallery-item elementor-animated-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3384.webp\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"yes\" data-elementor-lightbox-slideshow=\"e269eb2\" data-e-action-hash=\"#elementor-action%3Aaction%3Dlightbox%26settings%3DeyJpZCI6MTExNzcsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOlwvXC93d3cudWNzaWEub3JnXC93cC1jb250ZW50XC91cGxvYWRzXC8yMDI2XC8wNVwvRFNDRjMzODQud2VicCIsInNsaWRlc2hvdyI6ImUyNjllYjIifQ%3D%3D\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-gallery-image elementor-gallery-item__image\" data-thumbnail=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/DSCF3384.webp\" data-width=\"300\" data-height=\"200\" aria-label=\"Joint Forces with Nele Vanderhulst\" role=\"img\" ><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-gallery-item__overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11da216d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"11da216d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-78886aa1 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"78886aa1\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3fcfd8d4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"3fcfd8d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d15ead1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3d15ead1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-1-webheader-u-turn-alles-1024x683.png\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-7912\" alt=\"Verkeersknooppunt - copyright Adobe Stock\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-1-webheader-u-turn-alles-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-1-webheader-u-turn-alles-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-1-webheader-u-turn-alles-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-1-webheader-u-turn-alles.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48c5894b e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"48c5894b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2be0ac73 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2be0ac73\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">U-turn: 5 years later<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b20a01f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5b20a01f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>This was the third lecture in the series <em data-start=\"42\" data-end=\"65\">U-turn: 5 years later<\/em>, in which we explored the lasting impact of the COVID period.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34f0ab96 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"34f0ab96\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>When COVID-19 broke out in 2020, our society came to a standstill. Suddenly, there was space to imagine a new way of living together, with greater attention to humanity, solidarity and social justice.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ec45df0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ec45df0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Five years have passed. What is left of those noble intentions?<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-259e9f93 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"259e9f93\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discover the other lectures in the series:<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d2a5137 elementor-list-item-link-inline elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"d2a5137\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/keep-your-distance-erika-vlieghe-and-lindsy-desmet-look-back-on-the-coronavirus-crisis\/\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-arrow-right\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M190.5 66.9l22.2-22.2c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0L441 239c9.4 9.4 9.4 24.6 0 33.9L246.6 467.3c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.2-22.2c-9.5-9.5-9.3-25 .4-34.3L311.4 296H24c-13.3 0-24-10.7-24-24v-32c0-13.3 10.7-24 24-24h287.4L190.9 101.2c-9.8-9.3-10-24.8-.4-34.3z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\"> Keep Your Distance! with Erika Vlieghe (UZA) and Lindsy Desmet (KU Leuven)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/maarten-degreef-sciensano-and-anthony-longo-tilburg-university-on-substance-use-and-social-media\/\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-arrow-right\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M190.5 66.9l22.2-22.2c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0L441 239c9.4 9.4 9.4 24.6 0 33.9L246.6 467.3c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.2-22.2c-9.5-9.5-9.3-25 .4-34.3L311.4 296H24c-13.3 0-24-10.7-24-24v-32c0-13.3 10.7-24 24-24h287.4L190.9 101.2c-9.8-9.3-10-24.8-.4-34.3z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\"> The Numbed Society with Maarten Degreef (Sciensano) and Anthony Longo (Tilburg University)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/koert-debeuf-vub-and-maarten-rabaey-de-morgen-on-tribalization-the-media-and-a-world-in-flux\/\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-arrow-right\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M190.5 66.9l22.2-22.2c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0L441 239c9.4 9.4 9.4 24.6 0 33.9L246.6 467.3c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.2-22.2c-9.5-9.5-9.3-25 .4-34.3L311.4 296H24c-13.3 0-24-10.7-24-24v-32c0-13.3 10.7-24 24-24h287.4L190.9 101.2c-9.8-9.3-10-24.8-.4-34.3z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Reference Points for a World in Flux with Koert Debeuf (Brussels School of Governance) and Maarten Rabaey (De Morgen)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37e4daa0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"37e4daa0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/projects\/uturn-26\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-arrow-right\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M190.5 66.9l22.2-22.2c9.4-9.4 24.6-9.4 33.9 0L441 239c9.4 9.4 9.4 24.6 0 33.9L246.6 467.3c-9.4 9.4-24.6 9.4-33.9 0l-22.2-22.2c-9.5-9.5-9.3-25 .4-34.3L311.4 296H24c-13.3 0-24-10.7-24-24v-32c0-13.3 10.7-24 24-24h287.4L190.9 101.2c-9.8-9.3-10-24.8-.4-34.3z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Read more about the <i>U-turn: 5 years later<\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-194200 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"194200\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f7e90b2 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"2f7e90b2\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d80c4ea elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d80c4ea\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Listen to the podcast <i>Solidariteit Spreekt<\/i>!<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-607a8e73 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"607a8e73\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In the first season of our podcast\u00a0<em>Solidariteit Spreekt<\/em>, we build up towards the lecture series\u00a0<em>U\u2011turn: 5 years later.<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3a14bc0f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3a14bc0f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Journalist Linda De Win, together with experts, examined developments in solidarity, sustainability, and future thinking through the lens of the COVID period.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6878e229 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6878e229\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discover the podcast series\u00a0<em data-start=\"30\" data-end=\"49\">Solidariteit Spreekt<\/em>!<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-34979a5e elementor-list-item-link-inline elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"34979a5e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/solidarity-after-covid-19-lessons-inequality-and-international-cooperation\/\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-headphones\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M256 32C114.52 32 0 146.496 0 288v48a32 32 0 0 0 17.689 28.622l14.383 7.191C34.083 431.903 83.421 480 144 480h24c13.255 0 24-10.745 24-24V280c0-13.255-10.745-24-24-24h-24c-31.342 0-59.671 12.879-80 33.627V288c0-105.869 86.131-192 192-192s192 86.131 192 192v1.627C427.671 268.879 399.342 256 368 256h-24c-13.255 0-24 10.745-24 24v176c0 13.255 10.745 24 24 24h24c60.579 0 109.917-48.098 111.928-108.187l14.382-7.191A32 32 0 0 0 512 336v-48c0-141.479-114.496-256-256-256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Urban sociologist Stijn Oosterlynck (University of Antwerp) and Naima Charkaoui (11.11.11) on solidarity and international cooperation<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/sustainability-and-social-justice-five-years-after-the-covid-crisis\/\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-headphones\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M256 32C114.52 32 0 146.496 0 288v48a32 32 0 0 0 17.689 28.622l14.383 7.191C34.083 431.903 83.421 480 144 480h24c13.255 0 24-10.745 24-24V280c0-13.255-10.745-24-24-24h-24c-31.342 0-59.671 12.879-80 33.627V288c0-105.869 86.131-192 192-192s192 86.131 192 192v1.627C427.671 268.879 399.342 256 368 256h-24c-13.255 0-24 10.745-24 24v176c0 13.255 10.745 24 24 24h24c60.579 0 109.917-48.098 111.928-108.187l14.382-7.191A32 32 0 0 0 512 336v-48c0-141.479-114.496-256-256-256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Cathy Macharis (House of Sustainable Transitions \u2013 VUB) and Eva Smets (Oxfam Belgium) on sustainability and social justice<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/how-the-covid-crisis-changed-the-way-we-think-about-the-future\/\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-fas-headphones\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M256 32C114.52 32 0 146.496 0 288v48a32 32 0 0 0 17.689 28.622l14.383 7.191C34.083 431.903 83.421 480 144 480h24c13.255 0 24-10.745 24-24V280c0-13.255-10.745-24-24-24h-24c-31.342 0-59.671 12.879-80 33.627V288c0-105.869 86.131-192 192-192s192 86.131 192 192v1.627C427.671 268.879 399.342 256 368 256h-24c-13.255 0-24 10.745-24 24v176c0 13.255 10.745 24 24 24h24c60.579 0 109.917-48.098 111.928-108.187l14.382-7.191A32 32 0 0 0 512 336v-48c0-141.479-114.496-256-256-256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Bert De Munck (University of Antwerp) and Jorgen Stassijns (Sciensano) on thinking about the future<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1946ef6a e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"1946ef6a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-259d4e0b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"259d4e0b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Want to know more?<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-636d4433 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"636d4433\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/projects\/solidariteit-spreekt\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\"><path d=\"m5.652 12.293 1.414 1.414L13.773 7 7.066.293 5.652 1.707 9.945 6H.359v2h9.586l-4.293 4.293Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Read more about the podcast series <i>Solidariteit Spreekt<\/i>.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-457723b3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"457723b3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/pod.link\/1842807980\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" fill=\"currentColor\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\"><path d=\"m5.652 12.293 1.414 1.414L13.773 7 7.066.293 5.652 1.707 9.945 6H.359v2h9.586l-4.293 4.293Z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Listen to <i>Solidariteit Spreekt<\/i> in your favourite podcast app!<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-350e8550 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"350e8550\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6619a25f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6619a25f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/Solidariteit-Spreekt-3-1500px-cirkel-bg-transparant-rcf98fhgweviiipwx2b8cdhy8xekf0576q6sueebns.png\" title=\"Solidariteit Spreekt-3-1500px-cirkel-bg-transparant\" alt=\"Solidariteit Spreekt\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>37% of people in Flanders report feeling lonely from time to time or often, and that is not simply a matter of individual circumstances. How can we address loneliness by strengthening our neighbourhoods? The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have given a boost to citizen initiatives. Is that really the case? And how can a crisis act as a catalyst for change?<\/p>\n<p>Wouter Schepers and Nele Vanderhulst share their insights on what the pandemic has done to our social fabric.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11182,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"topic":[31,34],"class_list":["post-11183","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-throwback","topic-religion-and-society","topic-ethics-and-economy"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives - UCSIA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How has COVID reshaped our social fabric? Rewatch the third lecture in our series &#039;U-turn: 5 years later&#039;.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives - UCSIA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How has COVID reshaped our social fabric? Rewatch the third lecture in our series &#039;U-turn: 5 years later&#039;.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UCSIA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-22T12:19:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-06-04T14:37:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marijke\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marijke\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Marijke\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e184d94651d64d474cb5fef8f0a18fd5\"},\"headline\":\"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-22T12:19:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-04T14:37:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1106,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"throwback\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/\",\"name\":\"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives - UCSIA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-22T12:19:18+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-06-04T14:37:22+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e184d94651d64d474cb5fef8f0a18fd5\"},\"description\":\"How has COVID reshaped our social fabric? Rewatch the third lecture in our series 'U-turn: 5 years later'.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"Wouters Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) at UCSIA\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"UCSIA\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e184d94651d64d474cb5fef8f0a18fd5\",\"name\":\"Marijke\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.ucsia.org\\\/en\\\/nieuws\\\/author\\\/marijke\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives - UCSIA","description":"How has COVID reshaped our social fabric? Rewatch the third lecture in our series 'U-turn: 5 years later'.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives - UCSIA","og_description":"How has COVID reshaped our social fabric? Rewatch the third lecture in our series 'U-turn: 5 years later'.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/","og_site_name":"UCSIA","article_published_time":"2026-05-22T12:19:18+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-06-04T14:37:22+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"Marijke","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Marijke","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/"},"author":{"name":"Marijke","@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/e184d94651d64d474cb5fef8f0a18fd5"},"headline":"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives","datePublished":"2026-05-22T12:19:18+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-04T14:37:22+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/"},"wordCount":1106,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp","articleSection":["throwback"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/","url":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/","name":"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives - UCSIA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp","datePublished":"2026-05-22T12:19:18+00:00","dateModified":"2026-06-04T14:37:22+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/e184d94651d64d474cb5fef8f0a18fd5"},"description":"How has COVID reshaped our social fabric? Rewatch the third lecture in our series 'U-turn: 5 years later'.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/U-turn-5-jaar-later-87-03-post-herbekijk2.webp","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"Wouters Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) at UCSIA"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/wouter-schepers-hiva-and-nele-vanderhulst-socius-on-loneliness-caring-neighbourhoods-and-citizen-initiatives\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Wouter Schepers (HIVA) and Nele Vanderhulst (Socius) on loneliness, caring neighbourhoods and citizen initiatives"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/","name":"UCSIA","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/e184d94651d64d474cb5fef8f0a18fd5","name":"Marijke","url":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/nieuws\/author\/marijke\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11183","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11183"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11183\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11192,"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11183\/revisions\/11192"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11183"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11183"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ucsia.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=11183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}