Smith launches ‘Teenspace’ policy to expand youth cafes nationwide

MOVES to introduce more youth cafes for teenagers are under way following the launch yesterday of the Government’s new National Recreation Policy for young people.

Minister for Children Brendan Smith launched the new Teenspace policy and said a survey of existing youth cafes would examine the best ways to allow other people to set up their own equivalent facility.

“A survey of existing youth cafes is being undertaken by my office and I have asked the National Children’s Advisory Council for support in producing a toolkit and guide to setting up a youth cafe,” the minister said.

“The launch of the recreation policy, coupled with these processes, will support the development of a structured programme for youth cafes.”

The idea of a number of places where children and teenagers could ‘hang out’ and possibly access advice and counselling services in a non-pressurised and alcohol-free atmosphere was identified as a central plank of any recreation policy by the Government.

Last week, the minister said the involvement of communities and local authorities would be vital as he did not wish to see a situation where his department was completely responsible for the success of individual facilities.

The youth cafe idea is part of a plan to counter alcohol and drug use among teenagers while also allowing them access to places where they can safely engage in activities like skateboarding or surfing the net.

Mr Smith said his office would also be looking at ways of making it easier for young people to access facilities, such as lowering the cost. “We need to work with a variety of agencies so that they increase support for recreation facilities at local level,” he said.

The Teenspace strategy was finalised after consultation with more than 3,000 youth representatives, such as Dáil Na nÓg, who had voiced concerns about the lack of facilities overall for young people and also a shortage of non-sporting facilities.

The 179-page Teenspace document outlines policies aimed at young people between 12 and 18 years and also looks at the challenges faced by other groups such as teenagers from low income families or ethnic minorities.