Loneliness you don't see; it usually hides behind the front door, where it causes mental health problems. De Regenboog Groep has been committed to buddy contact for years. Its strength lies in its everyday nature: with a buddy, the "ordinary" world enters. Not only does this bring people out of their isolation, it is often the first step towards breaking new ground.
Our digital buddies have been visiting homes since the summer of 2021 to practice together with the participant on a computer, tablet or smartphone. Important because society is becoming increasingly digital. Not everyone is equally handy. People don't know how to log in to government sites. They have to download all kinds of forms and fill them out, digitally sign them and send them back. How do you do that? "The wry thing is," says Ellina van der Boon, former coordinator of the digital buddies, "that the most complex digital skills are required of the very people who participate least in society. We see people dropping out, causing them to miss out on all kinds of amenities."