Football, popcorn and a play equipment for World Children’s Day in Salzgitter

Salzgitter. Balloons, a decorated archway, a large football field, popcorn machine, make-up table, trampoline, a wheel of fortune, information stands and a police car for inspection: World Children’s Day was able to offer all this and more to the more than 260 children in the residential area in Lebenstedt. The event was hosted by the integration facility of the Diakonie in Braunschweiger Land: the START.Punkt!

Facility manager Noura Labanieth, who came to Salzgitter from Syria in 2015, knows what children like. With the help of TAG Wohnen as a cooperation partner at START.Punkt and with the support of many parents, she transformed the four meadows in front of the facility into a play world. And the children’s enthusiasm was a good confirmation. At the European Football Championship festival in June, TAG Wohnen promised to give the children the opportunity for another afternoon with the inflatable soccer arena this year.

Children want a play tower

The children had filled out greeting cards from the future that were supposed to predict the development of the district. “The children left very specific wishes on the greeting cards that amazed us,” says Henrik Kreime, TAG boss in Salzgitter. Clean meadows, clean garbage sites, children’s afternoons with ice cream and popcorn. All of this was written there. “We were already able to fulfill some of them on World Children’s Day,” says Henrik Kreime.

But the highlight was presented by Eva Kretschmann, the TAG housing manager responsible for the area around Berliner Strasse. “The children’s main wish was: a playground with attractive play equipment.” TAG press spokesman Günter Ott brought 14 photos of such play equipment as a selection. Pinned to a pin board, the kids were able to find out more and vote on which of the 14 pieces of play equipment should be on the new playground in the spring. Clearly in the lead: a play equipment with a climbing section, bridge, tower house and slide.

Protection from exploitation and protection from violence

“The children have chosen a very nice and versatile device,” says police commissioner Andreas Kelm, who provided another attraction with a police patrol car. In his speech, he particularly emphasized children’s rights, but not without also referring to the duties of a mixed national society. Diakonie district leader Petra Behrens-Schröter had previously had children’s rights printed on large banners. “Protection from education, protection from violence, right to education, right to health” was one of the slogans that could be read on them.

On this occasion, Theresa Sieber from the health department of the city of Salzgitter informed about the possibility of receiving a flu vaccination or a corona vaccination at the START.Punkt facility from September 27th and over the next four weeks. “With our stand here on World Children’s Day, we can reach parents and, through our local offer, significantly lower the barrier to participation in vaccination campaigns,” she explains. In addition, the personal discussions are intended to create a relationship of trust with the parents when it comes to health matters.

Women are the door openers to families

Petra Siems from the city’s prevention council pointed out at the event that work with children and parents in combination with local counseling centers contributes to the climate of togetherness. She also announced a new initiative for Salzgitter that will focus on children’s rights and their implementation.

Claudia Bengelsdorf from the Salzgitter Job Center praised the efforts of the TAG Wohnen neighborhood facilities together with the city, the AWO, the Diakonie and the Caritas in the residential areas. In recent years, through targeted work with women, these have led to a significant increase in self-confidence in this group of people, especially those from refugee families. “And women are the ones who open doors to families to convey the issue of equality and employment.”

PAZ