Youth Section and the Youth Working Group
General Information
Mann-O-Meter has been involved in youth work since 1994. Since June 2000, the full-time staff member in the youth department has been supported by volunteers from the Youth Working Group in leading youth groups, running sex education workshops and attending various gay and lesbian events, including CSD and the Lesbian and Gay City Festival.
Mann-O-Meter is a recognised youth support organisation offering services for gay and bisexual teenagers and young adults. These services help young people feel more confident in their identity, making them more receptive to prevention messages. In this way, Mann-O-Meter helps ensure that young gay, bisexual and other individuals identifying within the queer-male spectrum can protect themselves against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. The open youth groups, which can be attended without prior booking, also offer interested teenagers and young adults the opportunity to familiarise themselves with Mann-O-Meter’s services, such as psychological counselling or testing.
Services and Activities of the Youth Section:
Jungschwuppen Late Night, the gay youth and leisure group for boys and young men aged 14–27, every Friday from 8 pm at Mann-O-Meter. The group is run by volunteers from the Youth Working Group. Participants can make friends with peers, cook together or watch films, get to know the gay scene and receive support with coming out. Themed evenings on gay life and sexual health are held regularly.
The Jungschwuppen Mittwochsclub (Wednesday Club) runs under the motto “Navigating everyday gay madness with a cup of hot chocolate”. Here, gay and bisexual boys and young adults aged 14 to 27 can meet up under the guidance of a youth group leader to chat, gossip and get to know one another in a relaxed atmosphere – every Wednesday from 6 pm.
Psychological counselling for teenagers and young men, covering issues relating to coming out, aspects of gay or bisexual life, and sexual health.
Delivering sex education workshops in school classes and youth centres on the topics of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, gender roles, homophobia and coming out.
Sex in the City! – The Neighbourhood Sex Education Rally
is organised in partnership with Berliner Aids-Hilfe, pro familia and the LSVD Verband Queere Vielfalt Berlin-Brandenburg. Four groups, four tablets, one app – with the help of which young people can independently explore the services offered by the four participating organisations and places of remembrance and commemoration in Schöneberg’s Regenbogenkiez. Awarded by Sirius (national HIV/STI prevention competition organised by the BZgA and the Association of Private Health Insurance Funds).
The blog www.jungschwuppen.de (currently only in German) is constantly updated with the latest dates for youth group meetings, news from the (young) gay community, and information on coming out and sexual health.
The volunteers and full-time staff meet twice a month for a two-hour plenary session. During these sessions, they discuss current topics, plan the dates for youth group meetings and undertake further training. In addition, a team retreat is being held once a year.