Girls feel more at home when they have the youth club to themselves
The youth club has only been open for half an hour on Thursday evening, but it's already full of girls recording music, dancing hiphop, playing billiards or computer games.
”We thought perhaps about 20, but 60-70 girls turned up,”Leonora Krasniqi, youth recreation leader
– Girls' Night has become the high spot of the week. We had no idea how many girls would turn up the first time. We thought perhaps about 20, but 60-70 girls turned up, says youth recreation leader Leonore Krasniqi.
This is the third girls-only evening. There are at least as many as on the other girls' evenings. All activities go on as usual, but the girls can also decide on different themes for each evening.
The first evening was make-up and nails, the second time they made chocolate balls. This time, third time round, the theme is dance.
”It's fun with girls. It's harder when the boys are here”Najma Abdirahim
Shantul Resaldar is the leader in the dance studio. The girls follow her movements before the mirrors.
– Activities are more fun on girls' evenings,they have things we like doing, says Amino Sharmake.
Najma Abdirahim is on her second visit to the youth club. The last time was a year ago. But then she met one of her friends who told her about Girls' Night, so she went along.
– It's fun with girls. It's harder when the boys are here. It's easier to be allowed to come here when there are only girls, she says.
A few boys are crowding at the door, but they go away when Leonora Krasniqi shouts to them that it's Girls' Night.
”Now more girls actually come along on ordinary evenings too”Leonora Krasniqi, youth recreation leader
It was the girls themselves who came up with the idea of a Girls' Night. The youth club has 200 members between 11 and 18, but only 30-40 of them are girls.
The leaders and the head of the club asked the girls some time ago what could get them to come to the club. The answer was - that's right - evenings just for girls.
– We'd really prefer to have everyone together, but we must make a start somewhere, says Sami Elyassir, head of the clubs art Näsby and Österäng.
He hopes that through time numbers will even out between girls and boys.
– Our ambition is to have 50-50 or 40-60.
A lot of girls just sit and talk or try out make-up.
– Girls open up when the boys aren't there. They aren't afraid to show what they're really like. Otherwise there are things they don't want to do, they're scared the boys will judge them, says Faiza Ali.
– It's good that there are just girls, that you can do what you like, says Madina Jacoobi.
On an ordinary evening perhaps three to ten girls come to Näsby youth club. This is starting to change.
– Now more girls actually come along on ordinary evenings too, says Leonoea Krasniqi.
Youth clubs in Kristianstad
In Kristianstad municipality there are nine youth clubs: Näsby, Österäng, Barbacka and Vilan in Kristianstad , Tollarp, Öllsjö/Vä, Fjälkinge, Åhus and Degeberga.
All are run by Kristianstads Fritidsgårdsforum Association. The Association also runs All-Activity Centre Slottet and 'Vi möts i musiken.
The association also runs Slottet (the Castle) and ”Vi möts i musiken” (We meet in music).
The aim is to give young people the chance of active, all-round, meaningful leisure activities without drugs.
Source: Kristianstads Fritidsgårdsforum
