Tips | Receiving groups of young people from youth care
Siene Hollemans
Receiving groups of young people from youth care requires extra attention, flexibility, and coordination. These young people often bring different backgrounds, experiences, and needs with them. With the right preparation, a cultural visit can be not only pleasant and safe for them but also inspiring and enriching. By working with attention, respect, flexibility, and patience, you create an environment where young people feel seen and welcome – and where culture can truly touch them. The following tips help cultural organizations and venues to handle this in a warm and professional manner.
1 - Coordinate well in advance with supervisors
- Inquire in advance about the composition of the group and any specific needs.
- Make clear agreements about roles, responsibilities, and what is and is not allowed.
- Ask how best to deal with tensions or unexpected behavior.
- See supervisors as partners and trusted persons for the young people: they know the young people best.
Tip regarding price: For youth care organizations, it is often difficult to plan far in advance. Last-minute changes occur regularly, and purchased
tickets sometimes mean lost money. An arrangement with ticket
reservation and payment on-site or afterwards reduces pressure and makes
participation more feasible.
2 - Ensure a safe and open atmosphere
- Get to know the young people in a personal way; for many young people, the trust bond with a supervisor or staff member is sometimes more important than the activity itself.
- Preferably work with a fixed contact person who receives the group. This helps build trust and lowers the threshold for returning independently later.
- Provide sufficient guidance: young people often do not know what to expect. A short tour beforehand can help familiarize the environment.
- Consciously plan time for a snack and drink; this makes young people feel welcome and lowers barriers.
- Offer a debriefing in which young people can ask questions and share their opinions.
3 - Communicate clearly and positively
- Explain rules and agreements simply and positively.
- Avoid jargon and complicated explanations.
- Address young people respectfully and on an equal level.
- Name desired behavior instead of undesired behavior.
4 - Be flexible and realistic
- Take into account a shorter attention span.
- Do not see unexpected reactions as "difficult," but as signals.
- Success sometimes lies in small moments of contact or interest.
- Working with young people also means that they sometimes arrive late or leave unexpectedly. Take this into account and respond wisely and flexibly.
5 - Reflect and learn
- Briefly discuss with supervisors afterwards how the visit went.
- Be open to feedback, even if it is critical.
- Use experiences to improve future visits.
- A frequently heard tip from youth care organizations: “Keep asking us.” Patience and repetition are essential to build sustainable collaborations.
The above tips are based on conversations with professionals from youth care and a brainstorming session within the framework of AlacARTe, in which both cultural partners and youth care partners participated.