Germany’s ‘Listening Benches’ Fight Loneliness with Stranger Conversations
The 'listening.outside' initiative, founded in Düsseldorf, has been steadily expanding since 2021. Now a registered nonprofit, it's backed by political figures like Minister-President Hendrik Wüst. The initiative aims to combat loneliness by facilitating conversations between strangers, with a focus on work struggles, personal conflicts, and alcohol issues.
The initiative began with 16 listening benches in Düsseldorf, staffed by around 100 volunteers. They hold up to 2,000 conversations annually. To streamline scheduling, a new app was launched. Today, the initiative has expanded to 11 cities across North Rhine-Westphalia, with around 300 volunteers.
Volunteers, who are trained but not psychotherapists, do not judge or solve people's problems. Instead, they provide a listening ear. The initiative is supported by on-site reporting, volunteers, the founder, and listeners at various locations. Its growth and impact will be featured in the online broadcast of Lokalzeit Düsseldorf.
By November 2025, the initiative 'zuhoeren.draussen' aims to be in 11 cities across North Rhine-Westphalia, fostering connections and combating loneliness one conversation at a time. With political support and a growing volunteer base, it's well on its way to achieving its goal.
