🖤🤍What people love about the Jeugdsjoel🤍🖤

I've visited the Sjoel a couple of times during different events, and there really is nothing else like it in Groningen. It's an open, welcoming space for everyone, and offers community and connection for some of the people who struggle with it hardest. People who don't have a lot (or any) money to spare can't often afford to go out, to attend parties, to visit markets, to go and watch a film... and the people who can't afford to participate in social life, aren't able to make friends and connections, aren't able to build their own support networks, and end up struggling more. The Sjoel not only offers an accessible space in the heart of Groningen for people who have a little less, but also offers the only large and accessible open space for these kinds of people to host their own events, markets, fundraisers, workshops, etc. Every other option is either far from the city center, too small for many types of events, or simply isn't affordable for everyone. It really is irreplaceable, and losing it would be a terrible loss for a community that needs it most.