EUKN - Netherlands - The Powerbike

The Powerbike

Introduction

The Powerbike is a customised carrier tricycle being used by youth workers in the streets of Utrecht’s Kanaleneiland District to inform young people in a streetwise, pro-active and easily accessible manner about all the activities being organised by the agencies in the Kanaleneiland District.

Problem

During an extensive district survey carried out by Stichting De Bakkerij within the framework of a Kind-in-de-Wijk (kid in the district) project, the young people of Kanaleneiland indicated that they are often bored. This usually results in nuisance-generating activities. The youth workers of Kanaleneiland, on the other hand, said they were organising a great number of activities.

According to the Stichting De Bakkerij, this classic gap between residents’ demands and the supply of services by agencies can be closed by the Powerbike.

Description

Involved young people from the district itself support the youth workers in staffing the Powerbike project. They go around as a group in search of young people and look into how these young people could make use of the existing welfare services. The talks they have with young people also serve as a basis for examining how these services could be adjusted.

Approach

The Powerbike makes the rounds of streets after school hours, and its staff appeals to young people, informs them about organised activities, and asks them what else they would like to have organised besides what is already available.

Results

Well-attended activities held by Doenja Dienstverlening (a welfare agency): young people are no longer bored and causing nuisances.
Powerbike is encouraging Doenja Dienstverlening to work on demand-oriented activities.

Beneficiaries

Young people – they are better informed about activities in their district and can more easily join in these activities according to their own talents and interests;
Doenja Dienstverlening – it found an effective way to reach the target group. The Powerbike also offers a way to keep track of what the target group wants;
The municipality / housing corporations – because there are fewer nuisances generated by young people loitering on the streets;
Other welfare organisations – other welfare organisations are also very interested in the concept of the Powerbike. They, too, know that a gap exists between what they are offering and what their target groups in the district want, and see the Powerbike as a good way of closing this gap.

Resources used

Doenja Dienstverlening (a local welfare organisation) –the Powerbike project was realised in collaboration with Doenja. Doenja is now responsible for its everyday operation, too.
Young people from Kanaleneiland – committed young people help support the youth worker by staffing the Powerbike. They usually get involved in the project via a Regional Training Centre work experience placement.
Subsidies obtained from the Municipality of Utrecht; community centre Zuid-West; the Portaal, Mitros and Boex housing corporations; and De Rabobank Utrecht.

Contact info

Stichting De Bakkerij
Maarten Smakman, tel. +31 20 4277007

Project start date

01/08/2006

Links

Stichting De Bakkerij Doenja Dienstverlening

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Integration of social groups

Keywords

Young people