Research results
The research group develops knowledge to advance both science and practice. We do this through several approaches. These include research reports, academic and applied science publications, as well as giving guest lectures on other courses and lectures to both applied science and academic audiences.
“Social work is a wonderful profession. Social workers are important to society as a whole and for vulnerable people in particular. I have great admiration for social workers and, as a professor of social work, I want to contribute to the quality of the profession.”
Digital Support for Socialising
Last year, we carried out an evaluation of a digital tool designed to encourage socialising among older people, developed by the ‘Werkplaats Ondersteuning Thuiswonende Ouderen’ (Workshop for Supporting Older People Living at Home) in Twente. This tool, called ‘Vind Gezelschap’ (Find Companionship), has been in use for several years by the welfare organisation Alifa in Enschede. Together with Anchor Solutions, they developed this specifically for older people, with the aim of turning online connections into face-to-face meetings. It emerged, for example, that a number of older people had found a partner, were digitally literate and appreciated the local aspect of Vind Gezelschap. In addition, older people should be better supported in the sign-up and sign-out processes, and wider awareness of the tool is needed. We have previously reported on these results at the Social Technology Knowledge Café for Older People and in Movisie’s Digital Publications. The full research report is now complete and can be downloaded below.
More results can be found under Research focus and Research projects.