Organizacijos aprašas

Kekava municipality Youth initiative centre (JIC) is a place where an open, free and non-formal environment is available for young people with different interests and background in order to develop themselves. In 2019., JIC celebrated its 8th birthday and as a youth centre specifically JIC is working for 6 years now.
JIC aims are:
* to encourage support for the initiatives of young people from Kekava region;
* to ensure organising of non-formal education events and activities that are suitable for local children and youth needs;
* to encourage children and youth to develop and express themselves in amateur arts (such as music, theatre, art, dance) and technical creation (3D printing, laser engraving, drones etc.)
* to let youth participate in the process of improving of their life quality;
* to encourage quality free time spending for children and youth.

JIC main audience are children and young people (age 7-25).

Thanks to the project "Miera Balodis" ("Peace Dove"), in 2015 JIC gained a chance to buy all equipment needed for non-formal education workshops and classes. Thus in JIC, during the school season, there are numerous different weekly workshops that youth can attend: journalism studio, photo and video studio, theatre, percussion studio, DIY workshops, DJ school. In year 2018, 3D printing studio also started happening. The content of all those workshops is created by youth together with group leaders who have a professional experience in every of those fields accordingly.

Since October of 2018., there is an open coworking space especially for youth. It is a separate room where any young person can individually or in group use one of 4 workspaces to work, study, realise some project or activity initiative. Additionally, those young people can use all JIC equipment to make their ideas come true (all non-formal education activities' equipment, as well as laptops, printer, laminating machine
etc.)

In JIC, a hip-hop dance studio, karate and vocal studio has found a working space. These workshops, however, are not organised by JIC and therefore have to be paid for if young people want to participate in those.

As there is the New Idea Centre currently being built (with finishing
term: summer 2019), JIC will have found a home for good and it will be a valuable investment in consolidating local society. The New Idea Centre will offer wider opportunities not just for youth, but for whole local society - NGOs, seniors, young parents etc., who will be able to use the space in the mornings when youth is at school, and in evenings (coworking space, workshop rooms etc.)

JIC traditions are numerous annual events - Hill sliding festival (january or february), Youth annual prize (march), Youth day "PaRamPamPam" (in June), preventive work with children and work day camps "A Step Forward" (summer), Season opening event (September), Halloween scary race (October), Lāčplēsis day torch parade (November).

Local youth is offered a chance to do voluntary work not just in JIC activities, but also activities organised by other collaborators with JIC.

In 2019., JIC is planning to renew Kekava municipality youth consultative council or so called "Young leader club", by which Kekava district school youth councils will have a chance to improve their skills, knowledge and competences about different topics, at the same time strengthening opportunities for youth to participate in decision making and social life.

JIC is also doing mobile work with youth in Mellupi, Daugmale and Baloži (all in Kekava district), by regularly meeting youth in Mellupi social house and during school season, visiting pupils in the schools of Daugmale and Baloži.

To ensure availability of topical information for youth about EU opportunities, JIC in 2019. has made a contract with JSPA, thus becoming Eurodesk info point.

JIC regularly is collaborating with partners internationally to make different kinds of international projects as for youth, as startegical partnership projects within the Erasmus+ programme. Also, a project has been implemented within Europe for Citizens program. Until now, JIC has taken part in more than 20 international projects both as a partner and organiser.