Listening to young people and helping

The Streetwise Guide for Young People

„Young people can trust us when they see us in the blue,“ says Gísli Geir Gíslason, who is working at the Streetwise project this summer, just like Jón Leví Steinsson and Saga Guðlaugsdóttir. They describe the importance of teenagers being able to sit down and trust an adult, get help in difficult situations or have a listening ear. „We want them to feel safe in the blue.“ This article was published in Fjarðafréttir.

The Streetwise is a mobile youth club, and this is the first time it has been operating during the summer, but the young people know it from the winter work in the town's youth clubs. This light blue colour is seen widely, as all the municipalities in the capital region use it for this preventative work. There, our young people find shelter.

But how do they work at Götuvitanum? „We check in with the teenagers in the work-school groups, build trust and establish relationships. We get a feel for the atmosphere, hear what's on their minds and are then there for them if they need us,“ says Jón Leví.

Saga Guðlaugsdóttir, Jón Leví Steinsson and Gísli Geir Gíslason are working for Götuvitann this summer. They sit down and have a relaxed chat with the teenagers – they are there for them.

Contact via Instagram

The teenagers know that they can always call on The Streetwise. „You can contact us on Instagram,“ says Jón Leví. „The kids can use it if they're in a situation they can't handle; see a fight, are scared, or are at a party that's getting out of hand. Yes, you can always get in touch with us then.“

Götuvitinn works with the social norms that young people are familiar with, and Gísli, Saga and Jón Leví say that teenagers often don't dare to call the police, and so it's extremely good that they have Götuvitann. They are trustworthy. Saga says human interaction is their number one, two, and three tool. They have built up experience. Gísli interjects.

„Yes, experience takes us a long way in this work,“ he says. „The kids we work with need to talk and vent. There's a lot going on in their lives. They need to be able to tell adults, and we're here for them.“

Saga, Gísli and Jón say the first month has gone beyond their expectations. „We've met many people and can now see how the groups stretch across schools. There's a definite Hafnarfjörður youth network here. It's a close-knit group,“ they say.

The Need for Street Wisdom

The Streetwise has been operating for a long time, but with greater emphasis in recent years than in many before. „The need is simply greater. You could say that the communities have been caught napping. Teenage drinking has increased, they can easily get hold of hard drugs. We are therefore feeling the call now and have got our sleeves rolled up to keep our teenagers on the right track and connected with their surroundings.“

The Streetwise project then carries on into the winter, operating as the young people know it. The same colour, a new venue this winter. „Yes, we're there for those young people, and it's great that we've managed to build a connection with so many this summer.“