Spaces of connection and belonging: young people’s perspectives on the role of youth cafés in their lives

Abstract

A youth café is a relaxed, drug and alcohol free meeting space for young people. The youth café model has become a prominent form of policy provision for young people in Ireland over the past decade, with in excess of 160 youth cafes now in operation. While the youth cafe model is not unique to Ireland, there has been little published research internationally on the perspectives of young people regarding the role of youth cafes in their lives. Drawing on qualitative research with 102 young people in ten youth cafes in Ireland, this article presents findings in relation to six thematic areas; feeling supported, belonging and connection, personal and identity development, safety, alcohol and drugs and education. The findings indicate that the attraction of the model for young people is that it respects their individualised preferences for engagement, whilst providing them with a sense of ownership and connection. It is argued that the values and principles underpinning the model are instrumental in creating 'care-full' spaces that enhance the well-being of children and young people.

From care packages to Zoom cookery classes: youth work during the COVID-19 “lockdown”

“…However, our study found the more informal, relationship based youth work, such as youth clubs and project activities did not transfer to the online format so successfully. Previous research has shown that young people value the relationships and sense of belonging and safety that arises from “hanging out” in youth spaces, such as projects and youth cafes (Brady et al , 2018). While communication via digital technology is an intrinsic aspect of contemporary youth culture, the ways in which young people use these media in their everyday lives is complex and regulated by the social norms of peer groups (Buckingham, 2009, MacIsaac et al , 2018).…”

College students’ perspectives on an alcohol prevention programme and student drinking – A focus group study

“…Elsewhere, research by Nolas (2014) on youth clubs shows that the young people were far less interested in the activities on offer and more interested in the opportunities provided by these activities to relate to each other and the youth workers. The author concluded that such "liminal spaces" need to be protected to ensure that young people can interact freely and "truly become themselves" (Nolas, 2014;Brady et al, 2018).…”

The Voices of “At Risk” Young People About Services They Received: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Shared spaces need to be developed and allow "co-clients" to attend in a shared space. Peers can be used as co-mentors, co-motivators and co-facilitators in group work and team activities (Brady et al, 2018).…”

“…Young people emphasised the importance of being connected to peers and having social networks. Relationships with peers encouraged young people to engage with services where they felt safe and not judged, and where they could receive and give support to one another (Brady et al, 2018). Young people valued being able to maintain their peer group and make new friendships within services, which helped build their confidence (Ritchie & Ord, 2017).…”

“…Trivasse (2017) recommended workers need to be more self-aware and have a holistic understanding of each individual's situation by considering the young offender's personal and social lived experiences and circumstances. Young people said they wanted to be listened to and encouraged to make decisions with practitioners, and to feel supported and connected (see for example, Brady et al, 2018). For successful intervention to occur, Munford and Sanders (2016, p. 284) recommended workers "take time to understand young people's contexts and how young people make sense of these contexts" while providing consistent support.…”