Low-Threshold Adolescents Club as an Element of the Urban Landscape. Discussion

Abstract

What is a “low-threshold teen club”? What is it for? How does it fit into the urban space? This discussion took place in the spring of 2020 at the height of the self-isolation period on the Zoom platform, when most of the work processes, including psychological counseling and work in teen clubs, switched to the online format. The transition of activities from face-to-face interaction to remote interaction allowed us to distance ourselves from direct experience. Experts reflected on some features of the functioning of clubs as spaces for communication, localized in certain territories and depending on the physical and social characteristics of a particular area.

The discussion discusses the features of psychological clubs for teenagers located in two districts of Moscow: Brateevo (South-Eastern part of the city, right Bank of the Moscow river, population 110 thousand people, 77th place in Moscow in terms of housing costs) and Krylatskoye (Western part of the city, right Bank of the Moscow river, population 83 thousand people, 26th place in Moscow in terms of housing costs).

The club in Brateevo was established in 2015 and exists within the non-profit organization “Perekrestok Plus”. The club in Krylatskoye appeared in 2016 and operates within the City psychological and pedagogical center of the Department of education and science of Moscow.

Teen clubs as a format of social and psychological-pedagogical work were created as platforms for spending time, alternative to the street and entrances, where teenagers can come and spend time as their age dictates, without the use of psychoactive substances and in a safe environment. The main goals of the club are to promote the personal and socio-psychological development of teenagers, unlock their potential and support their ability to build their lives in a positive and creative way.

Experts discussed what are the main features of youth clubs, how what happens in the club depends on where it is located, and how Moscow can change if such clubs appear in each district.