Young people should have access to affordable, youth-friendly and accessible sports, leisure and cultural opportunities.

What is the situation?      

Young people living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods:

• Do not have access to a full range of sport, leisure and cultural opportunities because they have become increasingly exclusive and expensive.
• Do not always have information of the range of sports, leisure and cultural opportunities available to them.
• Are often unable to take part in sports, leisure and cultural opportunities due to a lack mobility and poor accessibility of facilities.

Transcript:
"A lot of problems of school drop-outs, poverty, discrimination, and also a little racism, is discrimination but its very present racism issue in our neighborhood, there are 11 thousand people in our neighborhood, so it’s the largest one in the neighborhood this is the main problems, problems of reading, writing; speaking in public, all these kinds of difficulties young people are facing."

What should public authorities do?

• Provide fully accessible and affordable sports and leisure facilities in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, and improve existing sports and leisure facilities. Local communities should be involved in making decisions about these facilities.
• Integrate community development and participation strategies so as to make the best possible use of existing provisions, including youth work, schools, community services, information and counselling services and cultural institutions.
• Recognise that sport, leisure and culture have many benefits. They can promote youth participation, active citizenship, social cohesion, inclusion and well-being. These agendas should become increasingly important in community development schemes.
• Ensure that sport, youth work and other activities, are accessed by young men and young women from different cultural backgrounds. Make sure this provision is gender and culturally sensitive and can be accessed by young people with disabilities. Recognise that many young people face specific challenge in participating in activities outside of their families’ control.
• Make cultural opportunities such as theatre, concerts or exhibitions, more accessible and affordable for young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
• Provide opportunities, guidance and support to allow young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods to use their talents and cultural creativity to improve their communities.  

Examples from the Enter! Project