First they were travelling around Schwerin with cargo bikes, now there is a mobile vehicle as a contact point: The street social workers of Caritas in the North, Sozial-Diakonischen Arbeit – Evangelische Jugend gGmbH and Bauspielplatz Schwerin eV are there together for teenagers and young adults and have started a new project.
They stand with their street work vehicle on the edge of a central celebration zone in the city, the floating meadows, and are available when it comes to settling disputes, providing a safe space or simply having a good conversation.
Andreas Scherer works for Caritas. He says: “It makes sense to be here locally and to send a signal that young people are welcome here. The young people definitely seek contact and speak to us. Sometimes it’s about life issues, for example when someone doesn’t know what to do next. We then offer an initial consultation and can refer them to other offers of help if necessary.”
The street work team is on site every Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The project is funded by the Innovation Fund of the Archdiocese of Hamburg.
