Güell Youth Space: educational and social accompaniment to serve youth and community

Abstract

This article presents the genesis, philosophy and dynamics of the Güell Espai Jove, a space created to serve young people living at the confluence of the neighborhoods of Sant Narcís, Santa Eugènia and Can Gibert del Pla, Girona. We highlight the flexibility of the project, which has been built on the knowledge of the young people to whom it is addressed, and which has changed as young people that have approached the service (themselves diverse and with very different interests and needs) have also changed. We also highlight the way of understanding socio-educational support and the community and involved conception of the Space, two characteristics that links El Güell with the original conception of social education and that make it different from other youth services. The article emphasizes the flexibility of the project (which does not have the preconceived character, defined and finished from the beginning, but has been built over time and is rethought as which evolves), because we consider that it is precisely this characteristic that enables it to res- pond and accompany young people who make regular use of the service, and that makes it unique, but also more difficult to fit in with the political dynamics and institutions that feel comfortable with services that have clear, well-defined goals, and quantifiable results.