Main content

Meet the neighbours

People living in this block of flats sign a contract to spend at least two hours a week together to tackle loneliness among both the young and old.

People living in this block of flats sign a contract to socialise together for at least two hours a week.

The new housing experiment in Sweden is aimed at the two age groups most likely to feel lonely: under-25s and pensioners. A former home for the elderly has been given a revamp, creating plenty of communal areas designed to encourage mingling between the different generations.

While loneliness can happen wherever you live, it is a big talking point in Sweden where more than half of all households only have one occupant and it is common to rent an apartment by yourself as soon as you leave school.

Maddy Savage meets tenants taking part in the shared living experiment and looks at other solutions designed to help young Swedes who are lonely.

Reporter: Maddy Savage

(Photo Credit: 大象传媒)

Available now

23 minutes

Last on

Mon 24 Feb 2020 00:06GMT
大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

More episodes

Previous

The good lads

Next

A safe place to be gay

See all episodes from People Fixing The World

Broadcasts

  • Tue 18 Feb 2020 03:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa only
  • Tue 18 Feb 2020 04:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Online & UK DAB/Freeview only
  • Tue 18 Feb 2020 06:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean & South Asia only
  • Tue 18 Feb 2020 07:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa & East Asia only
  • Tue 18 Feb 2020 14:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Australasia
  • Tue 18 Feb 2020 15:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service except Australasia, East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
  • Tue 18 Feb 2020 18:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia & West and Central Africa only
  • Tue 18 Feb 2020 20:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service Australasia, Online, Americas and the Caribbean, UK DAB/Freeview & Europe and the Middle East only
  • Tue 18 Feb 2020 21:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service News Internet & East Asia only
  • Mon 24 Feb 2020 00:06GMT
    大象传媒 World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa

People fixing the world on YouTube

Watch stories of people changing their world on the World Service English YouTube channel