Giving security, living in community
Meaningful leisure activities form the glue of every social community. In particular, we would like to show children and young people from troubled families how to shape community in such a way that everyone feels comfortable. For this reason, cds Wohnbau GmbH in Frankfurt is donating money for the new construction of a youth center for the Caritas youth housing association "St. Martin".
On the grounds of the parish of St.Johannes Goldstein, the new youth residential association “St. Martin" arise. With the groundbreaking ceremony on November 11, 2019, the association marked the official start of the construction work. The youth hostel is intended to provide a home for 27 boys aged 12 to 18 who can no longer live with their families. We are building the new residential group specifically as community-enhancing accommodation: the young people live in three living groups, each of which has an individual structural character. In the common rooms, the young residents can make music together, do sports or spend their free time. There are also outdoor facilities with a garden and basketball court. Each living group will contain barrier-free living and working opportunities, so that residents and employees with walking disabilities will also have access.
Volker Kusnierz heads the youth housing association "St. Martin" since 2007: "Our goal is that every boy takes responsibility for his own life and learns social behavior in order to feel comfortable in a community". Human warmth and a supportive emotional framework form the pillar of the pedagogy.
Providing a clear structure for everyday life is the second pillar of the pedagogy in "St. Martin". Every boy pursues an apprenticeship or an internship, has to make ends meet and stick to fixed times. “Many find it difficult at first to stick to a clear structure. At home nobody cared if they play on the computer at night and sleep through the day. But over time, most people understand that clear rules allow them to feel young again and to think about their own development," explains Kusnierz. "We encourage young people to believe in their abilities, not to let setbacks throw them off course, and in this way to enable themselves to have a good future".
Fotos: © Caritasverband Frankfurt e. V.
