October 4, 2011, Foundation October 4, 2011, Foundation Archimedes, Tallin Estonia Archimedes, Tallin Estonia

Prof. Dr. Walther SpechtProf. Dr. Walther Specht

Mobile Youth Work in Mobile Youth Work in

the Global Contextthe Global ContextAims, principles and methodsAims, principles and methods

October 4, 2011, Foundation October 4, 2011, Foundation Archimedes, Tallin EstoniaArchimedes, Tallin Estonia

Prof. Dr. Walther SpechtProf. Dr. Walther Specht

Mobile Jugendarbeit Mobile Jugendarbeit auf unserem auf unserem

PlanetenPlanetenInformelle Informelle

Bildungsangebote auf Bildungsangebote auf der Straßeder Straße

October 4, 2011, Foundation October 4, 2011, Foundation Archimedes, Tallin EstoniaArchimedes, Tallin Estonia

Prof. Dr. Walther SpechtProf. Dr. Walther Specht

Global Situation:Global Situation:In nearly all countries of the world exist youth In nearly all countries of the world exist youth

and social work approaches dealing with formal and social work approaches dealing with formal and informal education problems, the problem and informal education problems, the problem

of subcultural groups, juvenile delinquency, of subcultural groups, juvenile delinquency, gang violence and drug addiction. Youth and gang violence and drug addiction. Youth and social workers therefore practise Street Work, social workers therefore practise Street Work,

outreach youth work, detached youth work, outreach youth work, detached youth work, travail du rue, Gassenarbeit or Mobile Youth travail du rue, Gassenarbeit or Mobile Youth

Work.Work.

What are the target groups of What are the target groups of Mobile Youth Work?Mobile Youth Work?

Why do we need Why do we need Mobile Youth Work?Mobile Youth Work?

Difficult circumstances for Difficult circumstances for street children and edangered street children and edangered

youthyouth

PovertyPoverty School drop outSchool drop out UnemploymentUnemployment Broken homeBroken home HomelessnessHomelessness ImprisonmentImprisonment HungerHunger Drug addiction, Internet addictionDrug addiction, Internet addiction Health problems (HIV, veneral disease)Health problems (HIV, veneral disease)

Definition of Street Children Definition of Street Children

Street Children are children under 18 who, for shorter or Street Children are children under 18 who, for shorter or longer periods, live in a street milieu.longer periods, live in a street milieu.

They have their peer groups and contacts in the street. They have their peer groups and contacts in the street. Officially they may have as their address their parents‘ Officially they may have as their address their parents‘ home or an institution of social welfare. home or an institution of social welfare.

Most significantly they have very few or no contacts with Most significantly they have very few or no contacts with those adults, parents, school, child welfare institutions, those adults, parents, school, child welfare institutions, social services, with a duty towards them.social services, with a duty towards them.

(Council of Europe 1994)(Council of Europe 1994)

Dominating Reactions Dominating Reactions of the Societyof the Society

Help or ControlHelp or Control Care or Exclusion Care or Exclusion Treatment or PunishmentTreatment or Punishment Exclusion from formal Education Systems (schools)Exclusion from formal Education Systems (schools) Leasure time activities, sports or RepressionLeasure time activities, sports or Repression Ignorance, don‘t care, it‘s not my business; Ignorance, don‘t care, it‘s not my business; Rejection of responsibility Rejection of responsibility

The History of Mobile Youth WorkThe History of Mobile Youth Work

Mobile Youth Work goes back to street work Mobile Youth Work goes back to street work approaches in the USA of the 20ies of the approaches in the USA of the 20ies of the last century. last century.

Target groups for social worker were Target groups for social worker were delinquent and violent acting street gangs delinquent and violent acting street gangs (street children) in large cities of the US.(street children) in large cities of the US.

Today Mobile Youth Work is a highly Today Mobile Youth Work is a highly developed professional concept of Social developed professional concept of Social Work and Love for street children.Work and Love for street children.

What is Mobile Youth Work?What is Mobile Youth Work?

It is a professional answer It is a professional answer of youth and social workers towards social of youth and social workers towards social problems children and youth at risk have problems children and youth at risk have

in our society.in our society.

2011 we have two approaches of 2011 we have two approaches of Mobile Youth WorkMobile Youth Work

First approach of Mobile Youth Work is:First approach of Mobile Youth Work is:

Social area oriented Social area oriented oror Community-based Community-based oror

Takes place in living quarters.Takes place in living quarters.

Second approach of Second approach of Mobile Youth WorkMobile Youth Work

is: is:

Focused on certain areas or places of several quarters like Focused on certain areas or places of several quarters like city centers, downtown areas, parks, railway stations, city centers, downtown areas, parks, railway stations, sports stadions, underground transportation, drug sports stadions, underground transportation, drug scences and others;scences and others;

concentrated on action places of youngsters and gangs;concentrated on action places of youngsters and gangs;

target group oriented, like towards punks, skinheads, target group oriented, like towards punks, skinheads, hooligans, drug consumers, violent gangs, excluded hooligans, drug consumers, violent gangs, excluded ethnic youth groups.ethnic youth groups.

5 Basics for Mobile Youth Work5 Basics for Mobile Youth Work Social area analysisSocial area analysis Street Work, outreach workStreet Work, outreach work Case WorkCase Work Group WorkGroup Work Community Work Community Work

Social area analysisSocial area analysis

Goals: Goals: 1. Getting hard and soft data about the 1. Getting hard and soft data about the

living situation of street children and living situation of street children and violent youths.violent youths.

2. Development of an empowerment 2. Development of an empowerment social work strategy on the basis of social work strategy on the basis of these data.these data.

3. Taking in consideration the different 3. Taking in consideration the different cultural backgrounds.cultural backgrounds.

Street WorkStreet Work

Street corner workStreet corner work Street Gang WorkStreet Gang Work Area youth workArea youth work Outreach youth workOutreach youth work Detached youth workDetached youth work Field work.Field work.

Case WorkCase Work Principles:Principles:

Trust between the girl or boy and the Trust between the girl or boy and the social workersocial worker

VoluntarinessVoluntariness AdvocacyAdvocacy Gender.Gender.

Group WorkGroup Work Main goal: Peer group learning by using the Main goal: Peer group learning by using the

positive powers within the group for the individual positive powers within the group for the individual endangered child or youngster.endangered child or youngster.

What else is to be seen? The function of cliques What else is to be seen? The function of cliques and gangs as compensation for the weak or and gangs as compensation for the weak or missing family (broken home);missing family (broken home);

advocating for group work against the global and advocating for group work against the global and dominating tendency to individuate counsel and dominating tendency to individuate counsel and therapeutic concepts;therapeutic concepts;

turning against the denunciation of juvenile turning against the denunciation of juvenile cliques and groups.cliques and groups.

Community WorkCommunity Work

Community work is a professional and Community work is a professional and local policy form of social work. It should local policy form of social work. It should be seen as a holistic approach of be seen as a holistic approach of Inclusion. It creates: Inclusion. It creates:

social capitalsocial capital empowermentempowerment supports integrationsupports integration prevents exclusion.prevents exclusion.

International Society for Mobile International Society for Mobile Youth Work (ISMO)Youth Work (ISMO)

Goals of ISMO:Goals of ISMO:

Fostering of local, regional, national and global Fostering of local, regional, national and global networks, discussions und developments in networks, discussions und developments in context of the concept of Mobile Youth Work.context of the concept of Mobile Youth Work. Strengthening the European Network for Mobile Strengthening the European Network for Mobile Youth Work.Youth Work. Offer of training and qualification in the concept Offer of training and qualification in the concept of Mobile Youth Work in European countries.of Mobile Youth Work in European countries.

VisionVision

Each neglected child, each youngster living in a Each neglected child, each youngster living in a precarious situation anywhere in the whole world should precarious situation anywhere in the whole world should be able to relay on a social liable reaction of its society. be able to relay on a social liable reaction of its society.

A female or a male Mobile Youth Worker will step up to A female or a male Mobile Youth Worker will step up to give him or her support in the process of (re-)integration give him or her support in the process of (re-)integration into the surrounding community.into the surrounding community.

This reaction must be based on the UN Convention on This reaction must be based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.the Rights of the Child.

(Walther Specht)(Walther Specht)

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Thank you!Thank you!

www.ismo-online.dewww.ismo-online.de