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Hilary
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10 months ago
in Youth Work in Office Hours? on The (late) Breakfast Society
Hi Mas
Interesting questions - I agree with the first, I'm keen to find out which young people (and where) we are consulting re opening hours so that we can get a clearer picture of what they ALL are saying (not just the regulars).
The second question does indeed provoke a lot of debate for me. The wider community in some of the areas I work would prefer to have no young people hanging around street corners on any day of the week! (Or in fact would prefer not to have young people in the community!!) If we open at times the wider community thinks that we should open and young people don't want to access provision then who's needs take priority?
PS - like the new layout!
Interesting questions - I agree with the first, I'm keen to find out which young people (and where) we are consulting re opening hours so that we can get a clearer picture of what they ALL are saying (not just the regulars).
The second question does indeed provoke a lot of debate for me. The wider community in some of the areas I work would prefer to have no young people hanging around street corners on any day of the week! (Or in fact would prefer not to have young people in the community!!) If we open at times the wider community thinks that we should open and young people don't want to access provision then who's needs take priority?
PS - like the new layout!
1 reply
That does remind me of how much it used to get on my nerves at local community meetings when some people used to refer to just about the whole youth on the estate as "my young people" (as in somehow all my responsibility) - it prematurely aged me (I was only 23 at the time!).
It does stir up a much bigger debate though doesn't it - wrestling between the demands of the local community to see provision at 'problem times', and the desire from youth services not to be 'baby sitting' for the benefit of keeping the streets 'clean'!
I'm wrestling with this in my head because on the one hand I'd accept the argument that provision should be available at times to suit both young people and the needs of the local community, but I think the point you make that some people would prefer to never see young people is really important and something to be challenged (although that alone is a lifetimes work isn't it?!)