A place for all

What’s behind it?

Activating civic engagement, close cooperation among local stakeholders, strengthening equal opportunities and integrating all segments of the population into social life are crucial for the development of a community. Meeting places in a city that make this possible can be seen as a key success factor in overcoming demographic and social challenges. One such place in Hoyerswerda’s Neustadt is the “Nikolai Ostrowski Youth Clubhouse”, colloquially known as “Ossi”.

This was opened on 30.04.1964 as “Kreiskulturhaus-Jugendklubhaus Hoyerswerda” in residential complex number one (WK I). Some fixed points of cultural life were regular dance events for different age groups and cinema events. These events shaped the experiences of the Neustädter. The Ossi was also a venue for coming-of-age parties along with training and further education events for the staff of surrounding companies, just to name a few uses. With the takeover of the sponsorship by the RAA Hoyerswerda/Ostsachsen e.V. since 01.07.2005, more projects and actions for education towards democracy, prevention and competence development were carried out.

To secure and further expand this offer for the urban society, the following measures are planned in the course of the structural change:

• Renovation of existing buildings
• Extension of buildings
• Reconstruction of the planetarium

This will result in numerous additional possible uses in the future.

The main goal is to establish a children’s, youth, family, meeting and education center that will focus on the following areas:

• Reduction of educational disadvantages
• Becoming an anchor point for lifelong learning
• Strengthening social cohesion
• An inclusive, intercultural and intergenerational district center
• Promotion of cooperation between school and non-school institutions and initiatives
• Competence development for the promotion of democracy and tolerance
• Offers of open work in the social space for children and youth
• Strengthening of networks

The Neustadtforum will thus play a central role as a meeting place and communication interface in the sustainable process of structural change. It presents a further opportunity in coping with demographic change and attracting young people to the region.

Facts and figures