Living Lab Neighbourhood Sports Club Moerwijk-North

The research group investigates the impact of sport in The Hague Southwest. We work together with the municipality of The Hague, S.C.S.V. de Ster, the Haagse Sporttuin Moerwijk, the Hockey Foundation, residents, students, local sports organisations and other stakeholders in a 'living lab'. A 'living lab' is an innovative collaboration between all relevant stakeholders relating to a particular societal challenge; in this case, strengthening the vitality, inclusiveness and resilience of residents in The Hague South-west through sports and exercise. 

Within this partnership, through co-creation within the local context where the challenge arises, key problems and opportunities are jointly explored, goals are set, and solutions are conceived, developed and tested. All stakeholders contribute to the shared goals from their own roles, capabilities, knowledge, and experiences. 

After a 3-year learning period during which the living lab worked in the Morgenstond, Bouwlust and Vrederust neighbourhoods, it is now working in Moerwijk-North. More specifically, from the canteen and fields of S.C.S.V de Ster and Haagse Sporttuin Moerwijk. From this location, we want to set up sports and exercise activities together with residents from the neighbourhood. In addition, we link up with other relevant partners, locations or issues at play in Moerwijk-North and the surrounding area in terms of strengthening vitality, inclusiveness and resilience through sport and exercise. 

Innovation in sport, district and education 

With the Living Lab, we create (knowledge about): 

• New forms of collaboration between sport, care, welfare, work and education 
• New, (more) accessible sports offer, including events 
• New forms of clubs and other sports providers 
• New or adapted sports facilities 
• New training offer for professionals and volunteers in the district 
• New experiences for students 
• New knowledge applied by lecturer-researchers in education 

Research 

The research group coordinates the living lab, conducts research and contributes to linking the Living Lab neighbourhood sports club Moerwijk-Noord with education within The Hague University of Applied Sciences. 

Together with the initial partners, the mission statement of the community sports club was drafted: 

Together with residents and other stakeholders, the initial partners want to create a community sports club in Moerwijk-North (location de Ster). An educationally safe, open and accessible club offering various forms of sports and exercise, tailored to the needs of the neighbourhood, within the possibilities available at the location. The social neighbourhood function/meeting place is a possible working mechanism that can function to achieve exercise/sport goals. In 2026, the location is optimally used for sports and exercise in the district, with an occupancy rate of 90%. And the community sports club is organisationally and financially independently managed with and by people from Moerwijk North. The lessons learned will be actively shared in the Living Labs network in the coming years, and for use for other locations, both inside and outside The Hague. 

The objectives of the research are: 

• To gain insight into the (potential) impact of sport on social issues concerning inclusion, resilience and vitality in Moerwijk-North. 
• To gain insight into how sports organisations (can) deal with issues concerning inclusion, resilience and vitality. 
• To experiment with new sports, new organisational forms and gaining experience with specific use and skills of professionals and volunteers. 

Organisation 

The Living Lab neighbourhood sports club Moerwijk-North is an initiative of the municipality of The Hague and The Hague University of Applied Sciences. The research group shares responsibility for the development of the living lab, involving the expertise of, among others, residents, community sports coaches, public-private partners in neighbourhoods, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, the Association of Sport and Municipalities (VSG) and ZonMW. 

Duration 

The first period (2019-2022) of the Living Lab has been completed. The municipality of The Hague and The Hague University of Applied Sciences both expressed their wish to extend the Living Lab in early 2023, and halfway through 2023 the extension to 2026 of the Living Lab project was signed.  

More information 

Read the article on the All About Sports website: 'Living labs: the answer to sports and exercise questions in your municipality?' 

Contact 

THUAS Living lab coordinator: Ewout Timmerman, [email protected]