Overview
- Dresden’s VHS launched a semester program of more than 2,000 courses under the “einsam‑gemeinsam” banner, adding Bridge, multiple dance formats, and a free “Verwenden statt verschwenden” cooking and reuse class at the new Otto‑Dix‑Center site.
- VHS leaders frame the initiative as a response to widespread isolation, citing estimates that up to roughly 15% of people struggle with loneliness.
- Social Minister Petra Köpping plans to lead a discussion on loneliness at Dresden’s VHS in February, with the specific date still to be set.
- The Landkreis Leipzig VHS reports about 2,500 registrations for the first half of 2026 versus 1,800 a year earlier, with pricing largely stable aside from occasional location‑specific increases tied to rental costs.
- Digital everyday skills remain a priority for older learners, including courses on smartphones and tablets, the electronic patient record, and video consultations, supported by small group instruction such as the new class in Grimma.