In Laholm, a new buddy program run by Ung i Laholm aims to help young people feel welcome, safe, and included at youth centers in Laholm, Veinge, and Våxtorp. The program is intended to create a safer entry into open activities, as many young people may find it daunting to visit a youth center for the first time. The program targets students in grade 6 who are entering Ung i Laholm's open activities, with the youth centers welcoming them on Thursdays and odd Fridays.
The buddy program involves six buddies in total: three girls and three boys. The buddies are themselves active in Ung i Laholm, have shown great commitment and responsibility, and have been involved in both planning and implementation. Their task is to take care of and introduce new young people to the activities, meet them, be present in the premises, invite them to activities, and create a positive atmosphere.
We want to create a safer way into our open activities. For many young people, it can feel big to come to a youth center for the first time, and then it is valuable to be met by other young people who already know the activity and can show that you are welcome.
According to Hallandsposten, Khadije El-Baba noted that the buddies work closely with staff to create clear frameworks and a welcoming culture. In Åtvidaberg, the municipality is hiring two youth mentors to strengthen cooperation between school, social services, police, and leisure activities, and to work crime-preventively among the municipality's youth. The youth mentors are intended to be safe adults in young people's everyday environments, build relationships in schools and public settings, and ensure that interventions are implemented early when young people are at risk.
According to Östgöta Correspondenten, Anton Bergström Grabowska described the initiative as smart, aiming to start before a big problem arises and to implement interventions as early as possible. Specific crime prevention strategies and the exact start dates for these programs have not been detailed. The effectiveness measurement and selection criteria for participants also remain unclear.
We want new visitors to quickly feel at home with us, dare to be themselves, and participate in activities. It is also a way to strengthen young people's influence in our own activities.
The buddies themselves are active in Ung i Laholm. They have shown great commitment and responsibility and have been involved in both planning and implementation. They are good role models and do a really great job.
They meet new young people, are present in the premises, invite them to activities, and create a positive atmosphere. They help lower the thresholds and show how it works with us, always together with staff on site.
It is important that older young people get this role in terms of responsibility, trust, and participation. When young people get responsibility, they grow, and at the same time, the activity becomes more lively. Younger young people often listen more easily to other young people, and it creates a natural sense of security and community. It strengthens the relationships and shows that Ung i Laholm is a place where you get to be involved.
Safety is always in focus with us. There are always leisure leaders on site, and the buddies work closely with us adults. Together, we create clear frameworks, a welcoming culture, and a place where everyone should feel seen and respected.
We hope that it will lead to more young people visiting our activities, feeling safe, and wanting to stay. In the long run, it is about building relationships, preventing exclusion, and creating a positive and meaningful leisure time for young people in Laholm.
They are very proud and engaged. Many find it meaningful to help others and be part of something bigger. It is noticeable that they take the assignment very seriously.
When young people get responsibility for other young people, something beautiful happens.
I think it's really great. Åtvidaberg is doing something smart to start this up before we have a big problem.
We want interventions for children and young people to be implemented as early as possible, so that it doesn't go too far before things are discovered.