Żgħażagħ Azzjoni Kattolika (ŻAK) in collaboration with Aġenzija Żgħażagħ is expanding the services it currently offers in order to continue being of relevnce in today's society. ŻAK is offering a safe space, a Youth Cafe', where young people, between the age of 13 and 17 can meet. A Youth Café is currently being organised on a weekly basis in Paola and Qrendi. In the coming months, another space in Qormi will also be used for this purpose. The Youth Cafe' in Paola can be found in Pjazza Antoine De Paule (next to HSBC), whereas the Youth Cafe' in Qrendi can be found in the Pastoral Centre of Qalb ta' Ġesu in Żurrieq Road. The young people who make use of this service amount to around 18 in Paola and 25 in Qrendi.

Through the Youth Café, the young people are being offered:

●       A space where they feel accepted and where everyone is welcome;

●       A space to provide young people with the opportunity to talk and discuss without feeling pressured or judged;

●       A place of care where young people can spend their recreational and leisure time and also find time to relax;

●       A place where young people can have access to information and find mentors who can guide them in their decisions; and

●       A place where young people can build and strengthen positive relationships with other young people and their youth workers.

These youth cafés have been developed with the needs of young people in mind. A properly managed youth café can be a very important source of support for young people, offering mentorship and support through challenges and guiding them towards opportunities during the most difficult period of transition in their lives. Such mentorship can be a way to assist young people in becoming more resilient and better equipped with life skills.

Young people are being invited to attend one of the youth cafés, open every Thursday between 4.30 and 7.30pm in Paola or between 5 and 8pm in Qrendi, in order to get a taste of what goes on at a youth café.