YOUTH

Together Gibraltar is a strong believer in engaging with and investing meaningfully in young persons. The youth embody the future aspirations of our community. We recognise the excellent work of the Youth Service in this respect and will equip it with better tools and resources to support efforts further going forward.

Rooke Youth Complex

Our centrepiece project will be the construction of a purpose-built youth complex in the Rooke area. This will serve as a hub from which to provide a range of services for the young. Our focus will be on helping young people achieve their full potential, by engaging with them in a range of social and community activities at every level of our society. These will foster participation, citizenship and mental wellbeing.

In addition, we will create spaces where young persons can participate in activities such as learning zones, homework clubs, debating societies, music rehearsal rooms, theatre, the arts and projects fostering young enterprise. We will also ensure that all our policies in this area are particularly inclusive of those hard to reach and disaffected young persons, as well as those with disabilities.

Separate from the Youth Complex, we will incorporate amenities in the Rooke area which will allow for recreational, sporting activities and other events specifically for the entertainment of young persons. These will also allow young persons to enjoy the nightlife in a safe and supervised environment. These will be designed in such a way that they can easily be adapted for use by the Gibraltar Fair, which will finally have a permanent home.

Rooke Youth Complex

Overhaul of Existing Infrastructure

We will also invest in existing youth clubs which have always served as a valuable focal point in the neighbourhoods within which they are embedded.

Our policies in relation to youth in other areas include:

  • Guidance for young persons to pursue university degrees relevant to our economic development and business environment. Degrees that will encourage our youth to return to Gibraltar after graduating and address the talent drain.

  • Properly indentured apprenticeships to create excellence in local craftsmanship, which we run the risk of losing.

  • Programmes within schools promoting civic responsibility and participation.

  • Robust Drug and Alcohol Awareness programmes based on proven effective, and evidence-based practice, to include specific help for young people displaying symptoms of addiction.

  • Programmes that focus on their emotional and mental well-being.

  • Programmes encouraging a responsible, appropriate and safe approach towards sex.

  • Programmes to address bullying and the social unacceptability of this behaviour.