Ohmstede: Young people urgently demand more meeting places and offers!

Ohmstede: Young people urgently demand more meeting places and offers!

In Ohmstede, a district of Oldenburg, young people face a major challenge: there are hardly any meeting places to spend their free time in a meaningful way. Despite the beautiful landscape around the flute pond, which invites you to take part in activities, there is a lack of concrete offers for young people. Hannelore Lüllwitz, the headmistress of IGS Flötenteich, and teacher Annegret Meyer share the young people's concerns and demand changes. “It’s important that we improve the infrastructure here so that young people don’t wander around in the dark or in dangerous places,” said Lüllwitz.

The redesigned schoolyard with a new playground has attracted some young families and young people, but access was severely restricted during the extensive renovation work, which demotivated many students. A football field had to be moved to make room for a new building. Instead, there is now a so-called “multicourt” that combines several sports. However, basketball hoops were damaged and have not yet been replaced, which is not appreciated by the young people.

Placement needs for young people

Annegret Meyer describes the situation as alarming: “Without goals or basketball hoops, young people have little opportunity to meet up.” She would like professional support from street workers who could act as local contacts. Despite various offers provided by the church, sports clubs or youth cultural work, these often appeal to other target groups or are subject to a fee.

“We need to strengthen the infrastructure around Ohmstede and Bornhorst,” emphasizes Meyer, pointing out the need to improve roads to increase accessibility for skaters and cyclists. This view is also supported by information on mobile youth work, which aims to break down classic structures and actively involve young people in the design of their meeting places. In Greven, for example, young people, with the support of educators, have successfully created a space that serves their identification and is actively used. This form of participation could also provide valuable impulses in Oldenburg and shows that participation by young people is probably the key to success.

Conflict resolution and collaboration

Another critical point is the often conflictual relationship between different youth groups. This is where the approach of mobile and social space-oriented youth work comes in, which could also be implemented in Ohmstede. With suitable mediators, conflicts between youth groups could be resolved and the young people could work together to promote their interests. According to the Outreach initiative, it is about making the interests of young people audible: “We bring the actors in the district into conversation and work on solutions that benefit everyone.”

So the challenges are big, but not insurmountable. Lüllwitz and Meyer's call for an improvement in the general conditions could offer the opportunity to activate unused potential in the district. Because one thing is certain: in order for Ohmstede to develop positively, an open ear for the needs of young people is essential.