At first glance, it may look like just a delivery van, but nothing could be further from the truth. This is a youth centre – on wheels. ‘Unfortunately, it’s not possible to have a permanent location in every neighbourhood, so we come to where the young people are.’
The orange bus was unveiled on Friday afternoon at the football pitch in ‘t Hool in Woensel-Noord. Inside, there is plenty to do: play games on the PlayStation, listen to music, play board games, paint your nails or get help with your homework. ‘But it’s mainly about meeting each other. You can make it as fun as you want,’ says youth worker Elize Sijtsema of Pitstop, the organisation behind the initiative.
It is the first youth bus in Eindhoven. Not all neighbourhoods have sufficient facilities for a youth centre, or there is simply no space for a permanent location. ‘This way, we can still reach young people in those neighbourhoods. What’s more, in winter they have a warm place to sit and meet each other,’ says Sijtsema.
Responsibility
Councillor Samir Toub also got on the bus and even drove it around a bit. ‘You can see how neatly it’s parked,’ he says with a smile. ‘There are also young people who don’t go to a youth centre on their own. I think it’s our responsibility to reach out to those young people. And how cool is it that we can do that with a bus?’
What’s more, the bus is completely emission-free. ‘There is no engine noise, it’s nice and clean, and you can go anywhere with it,’ says Toub.
Source: Studio040
Translated by: Vanya
