Promoting healthier lifestyles requires recognising the everyday circumstances that influence how people seek information or access support. In Borgerhout, a densely populated and culturally diverse district of Antwerp, our CityMove team has found that financial pressures, limited health knowledge, language challenges and low familiarity with formal services shape how residents engage with wellbeing resources.
The Health Kiosk at Terloplein, known locally as the Gezondheidskiosk, was created with this purpose in mind. Located on a small wooden pavilion in the centre of the square, it offers a friendly setting and enables residents to drop in without an appointment, paperwork or payment. Its goal is to make health-related information accessible and easier to navigate by offering everyday conversations, practical advice and a first point of reference for questions about nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress or mental wellbeing.
Bringing health guidance closer to people
A team of coordinators, community health workers, volunteers and students helps visitors understand services available in the neighbourhood. Alongside individual support, the kiosk hosts group activities such as walking sessions, art workshops and health demonstrations. These activities give residents opportunities to connect with others while learning about healthier routines. Thanks to its central location and accessibility, the kiosk reaches residents who may not engage with formal services, including newcomers, older adults, low-income families and people with limited literacy. It plays an important intermediary role by linking daily community life with wider health systems. Over time, the kiosk has become recognised locally as a trusted place where health concerns can be shared comfortably.
A closer look at the action
Within CityMove, the Health Kiosk is one of Antwerp’s late-stage actions. The researchers from the University of Antwerp are working with partners to understand how the kiosk operates, who it reaches and what enables its impact. This includes examining how it establishes trust, encourages healthier habits and works with local organisations to support residents with a variety of needs. The team is also addressing challenges such as limited staffing, volunteer dependency and uncertainties around funding and long-term placement.
Workshops with stakeholders have been instrumental in clarifying governance, identifying priorities and discussing ways to strengthen the kiosk. These dialogues contribute to a deeper understanding of how easy-to-access health infrastructures can remain effective and sustainable over time.
Supporting the kiosk’s next steps
Looking ahead, the Health Kiosk plans to reinforce its volunteer network, expand multilingual engagement and continue improving its monitoring tools to better understand participation. Long-term ambitions include securing more stable resources, consolidating institutional support and exploring possibilities for longer opening hours or additional activities.
As next steps, the CityMove Antwerp team will continue working with partners to evaluate, compare insights with other cities and support reflections on how the kiosk can evolve and remain sustainable over time.
This action also aligns with the principles of the World Health Organization’s Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (GAPPA), contributing to environments where residents can access guidance and develop healthier routines in their daily lives. Through this action, CityMove is generating evidence that can help communities design more inclusive and community-rooted approaches to healthier urban environments.
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