The typical picture painted of voluntary and community initiatives is that they strengthen the social fabric of a place, be it a street, a neighbourhood, or a city. The Dutch collaborative programme Growing Older Together therefore wanted to learn how voluntary and community initiatives add value to the life of older persons by doing so. What would a more attentive and inclusive social fabric look like, and what strategies and skills are involved in building one?
Voluntary and community initiatives do not simply strengthen social fabrics but perform the ongoing work of crafting space within these fabrics for something meaningful to emerge. At times, this results in special, lasting relationships between participants, but most often this pertains to fleeting moments which
are easily overlooked. Voluntary and community initiatives are very diverse, just like the different sorts of relationships they allow for. This publication highlights that simply bringing people together does not automatically add value to people’s life. Amidst the help and activities on offer, spaces are
needed for meaningful relationships to emerge – and crafting these is both an art and a skill required from those involved in an initiative.