A gathering of teenagers in the centre of Hafnarfjörður
This autumn, a group of young people has been gathering in the town centre to hang out in and around Fjörð. This has been happening after school, at weekends and into the evening. This gathering can have serious consequences.
A message to parents in Hafnarfjörður from Geir Bjarnason, Sports and Leisure Officer
This autumn, a group of young people has been gathering in the town centre to hang out in and around Fjörð. This has been happening after school, at weekends and into the evening. This gathering can have serious consequences.
Fjörður is a shopping centre in the heart of Hafnarfjörður, a transport hub and the finest shopping centre. There you can pop into cafés for a chat and make use of a variety of services. Negative aspects of such a central location in our town centre can arise when teenagers gather there to hang out. There has been a persistent gathering of teenagers around Fjörður, mostly of secondary school age. A lot of things are going on there that we don't want our children to be involved in. There are all sorts of older individuals interacting with the children, and it is known that drug dealing takes place there, with teenagers having been seen smoking marijuana at Fjörð. This situation can escalate and spread, drawing more children in.
Effective ways to prevent substance misuse include parents knowing what their children are doing, who they are with, respecting the rules of outdoor activities and taking an active part in organised sports or youth work. There is no organised social activity in Firði; there are no coaches or other positive role models working with the children on exciting projects, and no one knows if it is possible to intervene should anything undesirable happen. Taking part in the parents' walk is one way to ensure the safety of our children, practise neighbourhood watch, and maintain the good condition of the town's neighbourhoods. We encourage parents to take a stroll into the town centre and see for themselves. It is my hope that by reading this short message, parents will realise the situation and stand with us in ensuring that children lead a healthy lifestyle in a safe environment.
Geir Bjarnason, Sports and Leisure Officer
A submitted article was first published in the Fjarðarpósturinn on 4 October 2018.