Youth meeting places in West Maas en Waal!
The Board of Mayor and Alderman has decided that there will be places in the municipality of West Maas en Waal where young people can meet. These youth meeting places are part of the 'Space for Youth' project.
Youth gathering places in public spaces (JOPs)
The municipality is committed to ensuring a healthy, safe, and promising environment for young people to grow up in. To achieve this, it is important to create a positive environment where young people can participate in recreational activities. The “Space for Youth” project was launched to take the first steps in that direction.
One concrete initiative has emerged from the project: Youth Meeting Places (JOPs) in public spaces. Currently, young people have few to no covered spaces where they are allowed and able to meet. They do, however, have a need for this. This is evident from meetings with professionals and parents, a discussion with a group of young people, and a questionnaire.
Our young people must be able to grow up with opportunities, in good health, and in safety
Alderman Reuvers on the youth meeting places: “The creation of two youth meeting places stems in part from the needs of young people. I believe it is important to listen to our young people and take them seriously. The ‘Space for Youth’ project combines the needs of young people with the expertise of parents and professionals. I hope that by creating these spaces, we’ll be one step closer to fostering a positive environment where our youth can grow up with opportunities, in good health, and safely.”
What happens next?
Two youth meeting places will be realized. One in Beneden-Leeuwen and one in Dreumel. These two villages were chosen based on the number of young people living in them, their distribution, discussions with a group of young people, and the knowledge and expertise of professionals. The exact locations and appearance of the JOPs are not yet known. An experienced project agency will coordinate and implement the process. They will do this in collaboration with young people, the municipality, and professionals. Youth participation is an important part of the process. This means that young people from the municipality of West Maas en Waal will have the opportunity to contribute their ideas. Any local residents will also be involved in the process.
Project: Space for Youth
The "Space for Youth" project is based on the Trimbos Institute’s "Growing Up in a Promising Environment" program. The program employs a scientifically proven effective approach. The goal of the "Space for Youth" project is to create a positive environment where substance use and youth-related nuisance are reduced and mental health is improved. The project consists of four distinct phases: monitoring, feedback and dialogue, policy development, and implementation. The first three phases have been completed. For example, a questionnaire was administered to first- and second-year high school students at Pax Junior, and professionals and parents/guardians were invited to a meeting. The project is currently in its fourth phase.