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Description
In Bielsko-Biała, people aged 15-19 represent approximately 7.3% of the city’s residents (2020 demographic yearbook). The support available to this age group is insufficient, and young people spend their free time on the street, engaging in risky behaviours. We diagnosed the three most important areas concerning the specific nature of late adolescence issues: mental health issues, addiction (social media, Internet, computer games, but also stimulants and narcotics), trouble with the law, and teenage pregnancy (38 births in this age group in 2019).Measures to help vulnerable young people (15-19) in Bielsko-Biała will be improved.We will expand the streetworking measures in meeting places of young people (regular meetings, creating an alternative for spending free time, providing information about support opportunities). We will employ an addiction therapist (providing information about the dangers and consequences, building relationships and a positive adult role model). We will operate a school for parents with young mothers in mind, but will include parents of all participants. We will provide psychological counselling, and teaching and legal advice. We will organize training for our personnel on motivational dialog, crisis support, networking, and suicidal behaviour among children and young people.The measures will help to improve the situation of young people in Bielsko-Biała, leisure facilities will be provided for young people in the older age range, and young mothers will also be helped. Fourteen personnel members will enhance their abilities.Young people (twenty people aged 15-19), six young mothers, and the parents of these young people will participate. Personnel working with young people will be given separate training.
Summary of project results
The project responds to the need to empower young people at risk of exclusion in Bielsko-Biała. In Bielsko-Biała, people aged 15-19 make up about 7.3% of the city''s population (Demographic Yearbook 2020). The offer of support for this age group is not attractive and diverse enough, young people spend their free time on the streets, engaging in risky behaviour. Young people are often lost, have mental health problems, fall into addictions (to social media and the Internet, computer games, stimulants and drugs), there are those who come into conflict with the law or experience early motherhood (in 2019, 38 births in this age group were recorded).
The project was based mainly on street work activities and accompanying counselling and support for young mothers to prepare them for their new role. The young people benefited from addiction therapy, legal advice, mentoring, psychological assistance and educational support. There were also 50 meetings for young mothers and their guardians as part of the School for Parents - the meetings were educational and developmental in nature. There were also 6 trainings for youth workers: crisis intervention, communication with young people in emotional crisis, networking, motivational dialogue.
The project benefited 46 young people aged 15-19 from Bielsko-Biała - people at risk of social exclusion, including those who engage in risky behaviour, with low socio-economic status, in early pregnancy. In addition, 16 youth workers improved their skills in crisis intervention or motivational dialogue. Girls - young mothers - learned how to build relationships with their child and the environment, recognize their needs and resources, and set boundaries in relationships. Adolescents at risk of social exclusion, with difficulties in daily functioning and with risky behaviour received emotional, psychological, legal, educational and mentoring support.