Two youth centres will be opened

Young people invited to make an impact in Hafnarfjörður

„Young people need to have a purpose, have friends and be part of a community,“ says Geir Bjarnason, the sports and leisure representative for the City of Hafnarfjörður, in The Hafnarfjörður youth of Fjallfréttir which was released yesterday, 12 September.

Two new youth centres are poised to open for young people in Hafnarfjörður. One of them is in the old Lækjar­skóli, the Innovation Centre. The focus there will be on the arts and creativity. A day centre for disabled young people who have finished secondary school will then be set up at Selhellu 7, which is also home to the Hafnarfjörður Skateboard Club. There will also be group and club activities for various groups in the evenings.

„These two buildings are taking over from the Hammer,“ says Geir, adding that the push is on. „More than twice the space. The service will be more varied and the total opening hours longer,“ he says. „Yes, the service is to be changed, strengthened and to give more people the opportunity to take part. It takes time to set up operations in the new buildings and we want to get it right,“ says Geir. Therefore, a Youth Assembly will be called for Tuesday, 24th September at Flensborg at 5 p.m.

Young people matter

„We are going to invite all young people aged 16-24 to the conference. We want to hear how they think the service can be made the best.“ A working group will now lay the groundwork, meeting with the leaders of Hið Hús and Mosann in Mosfellsbær so that the work is tailored to the groups and also reaches marginalised groups.

„This young people matter to us,“ says Geir, adding that disabled young people and those from ethnic minorities, who might be less likely to take part in such a conference, will also be targeted. Staff are being recruited and the operation is expected to begin in October.

„Yes, we have made changes and are now working towards the clear goal of making the youth club stronger. We are going to do better for the young people of Hafnarfjörður. This service is very important, because young people need to meet up. We need to combat isolation and give them the opportunity to learn and grow together,“ he says.

We should not fear change.

„It is so important not to be afraid of change. We must keep up with the times. That's why the youth centres have to be on their toes and keep up with what's current at any given time. Right now, for example, they should be discussing a culture of violence, just as they do in schools and youth clubs,“ he says.

„When young people don't have the facilities to create music, it's our job to step in. When the job market is tight, we should be offering jobs. This is the aim, and it is extremely important that we have the young people with us to find the right solution each time,“ says Geir.

„Youth centres are facilities where young people are trained in communication and social skills, which helps them to find their feet in life. It is therefore very important to us to work quickly to open the centres, and that is what we are going to do,“ says Geir.

The article was published in the Hafnarfjörður youth section of Fjarðarfréttir.