Hangouts by Jong Volk: The app ending the “nothing to do in Bruges” cliché

Key takeaways

Many organizations have great ideas but struggle to turn them into digital products that people actually use. Jong Volk, a youth platform in Bruges, faced this exact situation. They wanted to definitively put an end to the cliché that "there is nothing to do" and "nothing ever happens here" in their city. Their goal was to create a central app that lets young locals and visitors easily discover cool hangouts, events, and relevant articles. Bits of Love helped define the core concept and built the Hangouts app, combining expert content curation with an intuitive, youth-focused design.

Client

Jong Volk
Services

Digital product strategy — UX design — Craft CMS —
Links
Download the app

Challenge: Bridging the gap between a great idea and actual daily use

Building an app is one thing; building an app that young people genuinely use and trust is much harder. The first challenge was user adoption: we needed deep insight into what the youth in Bruges actually needed and wanted from a digital platform to ensure they would use it.

Second, we had to solve a major operational problem. Jong Volk is run by a small team, so managing the app’s content could not become a heavy administrative burden. If the backend were too complex, the project would not be sustainable. Finally, the design had to strike the perfect balance: it needed to be highly attractive to young people, clearly align with the existing Jong Volk brand, and remain highly organized and easy to navigate.

Solution: Combining smart design with a streamlined backend

At Bits of Love, we design digital tools that make sense for both the end-user and the administrators behind the scenes. We tackled the Jong Volk project with a clear, strategy-driven approach:

Designed for youth

We created a structured, highly visual app that clearly highlights popular hotspots and temporary hangout spots. It includes a custom calendar where each event is linked to a specific hangout and is sorted by theme. We also integrated a news feed with fun updates, like the five best places to drink house wine or the sunniest spots to relax in the city center.

User testing first

We started the project by conducting in-depth user testing. This helped us gain profound insights into the target audience and their actual needs, ensuring we built an app they would truly want to use.

Connecting the systems

To eliminate administrative overload, we did not build a disconnected system from scratch. Instead, we expanded the existing CraftCMS infrastructure we had previously built for Jong Volk’s website. This connected approach saved money and meant the small team did not have to repeat the same work, transforming a potential operational bottleneck into a streamlined data flow.

Conclusion: From cliché to cultural asset

The successful launch of the Hangouts app actively counters the cliché that Bruges is an uninteresting city for young people. By turning a strategic idea into a highly functional platform, Bits of Love gave Jong Volk a tool that is effortless to manage and instantly loved by users.

Today, the app is a valuable product that easily connects young people with the best things their city has to offer. It proves that when you test a product with real users and design it carefully, you can create something that people will love to use.

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From concept to award: nominated for a Kortom Award 2025

The impact of the Hangouts app has not gone unnoticed. Out of 124 submissions, the project was selected as one of the 18 nominees for a prestigious 2025 Kortom Award in the 'Channel' (Kanaal) category. The nomination highlights the platform's success in giving youth a voice and proving that Bruges is much more than just a tourist, medieval city.

Cast your vote here!