Residents of De Beverwaard work together with researchers from Erasmus University

The Rotterdam district of De Beverwaard was built between 1977 and 1987 and is located in the extreme southeast of Rotterdam. The neighbourhood has over 12,000 residents, approximately half with a migration background. As a result, De Beverwaard is seen as a neighbourhood with a diverse population. Despite being characterized by a village-like appearance, De Beverwaard has struggled with crime for years and, therefore, suffers from a bad image. Rotterdam researchers note that De Beverwaard needs to receive more attention despite the necessary challenges.

Enter the neighborhood without a research question

The community-oriented approach is a relatively new form of research in which researchers collaborate with the communities studied. Researchers often formulate a central question and then start their research. But at Mijn Beverwaard, the researchers were very open about it, Belabas explained. 'We know from other projects that there are quite a few problems in the neighbourhood surrounding poverty, safety, language skills and distrust towards authorities.' Researchers involve residents in the various research phases. On this basis, they define the core task, and from there, they formulate a research question. 

‘I think it is essential for this project to work this way,’ Belabas explains. Involving residents in a research project contributes to trust. 'We notice that residents are sometimes reluctant to talk to us. They fear that we are mainly there to take and will give little. That is a very dangerous dynamic.' By actively involving residents in the research, you can identify the problems in the neighbourhood and improve trust between the government and residents. 'We don't just look at the neighbourhood from our tower but talk to the people. Together, we think about what we can do here.'

Gaining confidence among residents

The research team came into contact with Renso Borrebach, who has lived in De Beverwaard for 40 years. 'In January, he gave us a tour of the neighbourhood. He then put us in touch with several people. In general, residents of De Beverwaard do not trust authorities very quickly, which makes it difficult to get them to participate in our research. Since Renso is well-known in the neighbourhood, things got out of hand at some point.' Renso says that many people know him in the neighbourhood. 'It's probably because of my moustache. Because they know me, they are more likely to talk to me than to someone from outside.

Renso regularly hears that residents do not trust university employees either because they have participated in research before, but everything has stayed the same. 'That damages trust. And trust is the most important thing. Because if you have confidence, the tongue will loosen', Renso explains. At first, Renso was a bit reluctant. But after meeting the research team, he was enthusiastic. 'That is also due to the form of this research. As residents, we can also think along, and I like that. I want to participate in something that can improve the situation in De Beverwaard.'

The core task is safety

The first half of 2024 was all about meeting and talking to residents, entrepreneurs and authorities in the neighbourhood. The themes of poverty, crime and nuisance, abuse of public space, and safety kept recurring from the first conversations. The researchers concluded that the safety theme is the most essential core task. Belabas explains that this mainly concerns the subjective safety experience in public spaces.

'For example, consider safety in the park, on the street and in the shopping centre. Residents regularly complain about so-called 'loitering men' who give residents a feeling of insecurity, for example, because they shout things and use alcohol. Residents would like the municipality to do something about this. The common denominator in all problems is that residents need more confidence in authorities and the government. That is why they are not so quick to contact authorities. My Beverwaard aims to map out what joint efforts can be made to tackle this problem. This allows you to support the community in a way that respects their needs and restores trust in authorities.

The presence of authorities

According to Belabas and Renso, many things are going well in De Beverwaard. It is a neighbourhood where many authorities are present, and many activities are organised. The agencies present do their very best to reach and help residents. For example, the neighbourhood support centre is regularly on the street to hand out coffee. This puts them in direct contact with the residents. For instance, it can take away some of the loneliness. ‘But it's not just about that cup of coffee they get at that moment,’ says Renso. 'You have to look further than your nose. Behind that person, there may be a lot of loneliness, stress and despair. That person may need help but does not know how to get help or who to turn to.'

The visibility of the various agencies, such as social workers and police and enforcement, is essential for residents. This contributes to the feeling of safety in the neighbourhood. In addition, you can improve the relationship between the authorities and the residents by being responsive. 'You can offer all kinds of activities, but do they also fit the needs of the neighbourhood? There is still room for improvement,’ says Belabas. ‘You can improve and intensify relationships if residents feel they are being helped.’

Integrated approach

According to the researchers, an integrated approach to the problems is also very important. Belabas explains that reaching the most vulnerable people is quite challenging, as they often live very isolated. They struggle with complex issues and feel a lot of shame, and they need to have confidence in the institutions that can help them. 'It is crucial that the municipality picks up this signal. If you have the trust, you can work together reciprocally. So agencies with each other and agencies with residents. According to Belabas, there is still much to be gained from this for the municipality and other government agencies.

According to Belabas, a positive note is that the municipality has given welfare organization SOL the task of offering social assistance in De Beverwaard for the next ten years. 'Continuity is also important for tackling problems in the long term.'

Mijn Beverwaard is one of nine studies by Wijkwijs, a program of Resilient Delta Initiative and Vital Cities and Citizens, to support and strengthen neighbourhood research in Rotterdam based on reciprocity, ownership and justice.