Introduction

Laboratory target group

The target group for this laboratory is young people and professionals who work with them in various ways and contexts.

Why?

Young people are an important part of society, its future. But at the same time, they most vividly reflect the problems existing in society, the shortcomings of various systems. Their problematic behavior is a response to the shortcomings and excesses experienced in various environments.

In Latvia, social work with young people facing social and psycho-emotional problems is currently in its infancy. There are many interested specialists working in the field who sincerely care about the well-being of young people. Various valuable programs and services are being developed to support young people, but they lack mutual connection and continuity. Therefore, it is necessary to develop cooperation between specialists and institutions so that the invested work and resources bring the best results.

At the same time, it is essential to involve young people and their communities in decision-making (we need to learn to "talk to" rather than "talk about"). For example, social service providers can learn from representatives of the field of non-formal education. While various social services often fail to reach those young people who need them most, in non-formal education young people are actively involved and interested.

Think about the questions on the flip cards!

In summary:

Two target groups are reached during the laboratory.

• The primary target group is youth support professionals.
• The secondary target group that will benefit are young people with various challenges (at risk of breaking the law/ at risk of social exclusion and others).

The laboratory provides a safe space for creating common solutions for more successful preventive work in the community.