E/CN.4/1996/72/Add.2
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Youth groups
19.
The municipal council's interdepartmental immediate action programme
entitled “Youth with a future” deals with the problems of young people and can
be considered as a preventive measure against animosity towards foreigners.
20.
Noteworthy achievements:
Extension of the opening hours of youth centres during weekends and
school holidays;
Utilization of schools for spare time activities;
Continuation and development of “street workers' programmes” (there
are 17 teams working in the western districts of the city and 5 in the
eastern districts);
Support through preventive measures in sport: for example, a project
addressed to football fans and another concerning sports and backing for
young people's sports clubs (in particular at Lichtenberg).
21.
The following projects of the social affairs department of the municipal
council (through which the Office of the Commissioner for Aliens operates) are
of especial importance in the fight against racism and animosity towards
foreigners:
The cultural workshop, located in Weissmannstrasse, creates
possibilities of intercultural encounters, particularly for young
people;
The programme “Youth with a future”.
22.
The tasks of the project “For non-violent intercultural understanding”
are as follows:
Counselling and documentation on various cases of ethnic discrimination;
Discussions and arbitration in conflict situations;
Discussions with the public authorities responsible for housing, owners
of discothèques, employers and competent representatives of the Berlin
public services on the possibilities for dealing with conflicts, stress
being laid on equality of treatment for non-Germans and ethnic
minorities;
Assistance in the organization and guidance as to the content of the
project “Youth against violence”;
“Training courses to combat discrimination and violence” designed for
young delinquents and outreach workers;
Aid to the “Independent interdepartmental board for the prevention and
suppression of violence in Berlin”;