bOJA - bundesweites Netzwerk Offene Jugendarbeit
Lilienbrunngasse 18/2/47, 1020 Wien, Austria
Studies show that in addition to “hard” factors such as mobility, housing, training and job opportunities, so-called “soft” factors also play an important role when it comes to staying in a municipality or region, migrating or even commuting. Specifically, it is about whether young people are given the feeling that the municipality is interested in them, provides them with offers and opportunities, integrates them and takes part in political decisions – or not. Open youth work makes a decisive contribution to getting a little closer to this “soft location factor” in the community. These guidelines to the establishment of youth centers and / or mobile youth work / youth Streetwork in communities and cities address those responsible for youth policy and offer a suggestion to install open youth work in their municipalities.
Please describe your good practice based on the above given information (Explain your practice as such, in ‘technical’ terms and as clear and simple as possible.)
The guidelines show practical examples how municipalities managed to install open youth work, sometimes in cooperation with neighboring municipalities, and how much they have to calculate. The benefit of having a youth Center or mobile youth work in the municipality is described and underlined with statements of testimonials.
Please describe eventual challenges and problems related to the creation, implementation, and/or running of your good practice? (Explain the eventual difficulties that you have come across, so that others know what to think about if they want to implement your practice.)
It was challenging to talk about money and costs and to get all testimonials to tell their story. The aim is that other municipalities “copy” the examples and also realize open youth work. If and how this aim will be reached will be seen in the future.
Please give the names, roles and tasks of eventual partners involved in the creation, implementation and/or running of your good practice.
The project partner was: beteiligung.st – the specialist center for child, youth and citizen participation in Styria
Please give an overview of the resources needed in order to establish and run your good practice. (Please describe the human, financial and other resources that are needed. Please also explain if you have got external financing from sources available for others, and if so, from what funding scheme(s).)
The brochure was created from the funds of the State of Burgenland and the Federal Chancellery (families and youth).
For young people:
… offering them open youth work on the spot eg. via convincing the municipalities / cities to install it
For youth workers:
… giving them support in negotiating with municipalities on the necessities and condition of high quality offers
For your organisation as such:
… supporting the field of action as such (practitionners and also the municipalities)
For youth work in general:
… supporting the field of action as such (practitionners and also the municipalities)
For society/your community in general:
… creating better possibilities and living conditions for young people. They can find support and also a place to participate, meet and make friends, learn new things in the open arena of oyw. … having these offers in place also animates young people to get active in the municiplities, develop a feeling of belonging and rather staying or building a future there.