KLIK

KLIK is a neighbourhood network for the over-50s that encourages self-organisation. Together with the non-profit organisation Noblito, we designed and tested a flexible model in which local ambassadors organise activities themselves and municipalities take a proactive approach to promoting wellbeing.

The jury on KLIK:

The social value of KLIK lies in its proven ability to improve collaboration and communication within organisations. This contributes to more efficient processes and better service delivery. Thanks to its broad applicability and scalability, KLIK offers a sustainable solution that has already demonstrated its effectiveness.

What does this award mean to you?

This award isn’t just for our team, but also for the more than twenty neighbours in Kontich, Vorselaar and Lint who were the first to join KLIK. It’s for those who organised a walk or activity without knowing if anyone would show up, and for those who came along to those first, new and exciting get-togethers. KLIK is still in its infancy, so this is an extra boost. It helps us show more municipalities that this works and is worth investing in, and confirms that the work we’ve done over the past two years has truly made a difference.

What makes your project so special?

With KLIK, neighbours organise get-togethers for other neighbours: going for walks, having a coffee, cooking together. We provide the support behind it all: a simple platform, guidance and resources. KLIK isn’t another association; we give people what they need to do it themselves. We don’t ask older people, ‘What do you need?’, but ‘What can you contribute?’. We don’t wait until someone becomes lonely; we’re there when life changes. As a design agency, we helped shape the concept and are still fine-tuning its implementation.

How does it contribute to a better world?

KLIK gives people a renewed sense of belonging: they get to know more people in their neighbourhood and may be able to do something for them. This works both ways: those who take part get to know people, while those who organise activities realise they can make others happy. And it goes beyond a single activity – neighbours who know each other look out for one another. They’re quicker to notice if someone hasn’t been out for a while, ring their doorbell or send a message. In this way, we encourage these small acts of kindness and help build warm, caring neighbourhoods.