Marktgemeinde Jenbach

Information on the hosting organisation  The youth center “point” is a public institution, located in the community of Jenbach in Austria, Tyrol, with about 7.300 inhabitants.  The youth center focuses on the areas of leisure activities – indoor & outdoor activities, sport activities, cultural events, health etc. – for youngsters who live in and around Jenbach. There are popular programs that take place on a regular basis. For example, we have "Meal of the Day" every week: We cook with young people and everyone can eat for free. Additionally, young people can listen to music, play games, billiards, football, table tennis and basketball. We regularly organize projects for and with young people. We provide different possibilities to spend their spare time in a meaningful way. Information, consulting and accompanying young people in their individual needs like finding a job, dealing with conflicts (e.g. in their families) and offering decent information concerning drug abuse, sexuality, education, Climate change, environmental protection … are other important issues in our work. Conversations often arise spontaneously in which young people show interest in such important topics. We exchange information and knowledge. This is a form of non-formal education.  The most important principles of our work are: voluntariness, anonymity, openness, acceptance, participation  The visitors are between 10 and 18 years old, young people from different ethnic and social background. We provide a safe place where we try to meet their needs. We support a respectful atmosphere and a relaxed location where everybody is welcome, irrespective of their religion, background, nationality, gender, ...  We always work in teams (pairs) in the youth center. The visitors are supported by youth workers and can talk to them about their interests and needs. It is important that young people have adult caregivers - outside of the family and school.  Here some information about our rooms: Young people don't have to pay anything if they want to spend time in the youth center. (Equal opportunities) We have a large main room with lots of games and comfortable sofas. Small groups can retreat in the chill room. We have a cozy bar area and also a kitchen in which we sometimes cook together – the Team with our visitors. Outside we have a garden. There is a small basketball court and also a green area where we can plant vegetables and fruits together or make a campfire in summer. The youth center is regularly open from Tuesday to Saturday from 4 p.m. until evening.  Our rooms are used in the afterschool care, too. Parents can register pupils from the middle school in Jenbach (10-15 years of age). The usual process in the afterschool care: The leisure assistant, the teacher and all students have lunch together, the students do their homework and they learn. After that there is leisure activity. At 4 p.m., the students are released home. An important part of the volunteering-project is dealing with plurality – Our experience shows, that it is valuable for the youth to meet people from different origins and discovering the resources of different cultures, characters and mentalities. These enrich living together because you can learn a lot from each other. In this way solidarity and acceptance are practiced and young people learn that solidarity and acceptance are natural and natural components of our lives. The main tasks and activities of the volunteer in this project  The most important activity in the youth center is to get in contact with the young visitors. It is important that the person likes to play and communicate with youngsters and likes to listen. Each of us in the team is a kind of role model, also the volunteer  Involvement in leisure activities with our visitors – for example: table tennis, cooking, creative workshops, football, workshops on different topics like health, self-esteem etc.  The volunteer is warmly invited to provide information about h