DC LÄRJEDALEN
www.larjedalen.goteborg.se
The population has risen throughout the district. More pre-school places and more school premises are needed despite major expansion in 2002. Cooperation with other organizations in the district and the involvement of residents in society have been a continuing theme of the work of the District Committee of Lärjedalen for many years. Ensuring that people feel safe in their homes and further extending services are important issues for the future.
| LÄRJEDALEN | ||
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| The first figure is for the district and the second for Göteborg in total during 2002, unless otherwise stated. | ||
| No. of inhabitants | 23,196 | (474,877) |
| Percentage of children 0–15 | 28.0 | (17.3) |
| Percentage of pensioners over 65 | 7.9 | (14.7) |
| Average income, KSEK (over 16) 2000 | 120.4 | (174.6) |
| Percentage of job applicants 18–64 | 6.2 | (4.1) |
| Percentage of people with higher education (20–64) 2001 | 19.3 | (38.9) |
| Percentage of gainfully employed (20–64) 2000 | 51.0 | (69.5) |
| Percentage on social security benefits | 31.7 | (9.5) |
| Social security benefits paid, SEK per inhabitant* | 6,545 | (2,128) |
| * Excl. introduction remuneration. | ||
This influx means there is increased demand for places in schools and pre-schools, as well as greater demand for financial and social support. Housing segregation is still high in Lärjedalen and in comparison with Göteborg as a whole. Most people who live in the rural areas of the district are Swedish families, while immigrants from other countries are settling in areas of the district that were built in the seventies. In Hjällbo and Hammarkullen overcrowding is a growing concern. It is not unusual to find several families with children living together; relatives and friends all live with each other.
Two new school buildings were brought into service last year, and further school premises are being planned, since the number of pupils will continue to rise over the next few years. New places were added in pre-schools and after-school centres. Around 350 more children were given places during the year. However, the new places are insufficient to meet demand fully.
Various initiatives have been taken and are still being taken to ensure that people feel safe in their homes and to improve the built environment. Cooperation with various organisations in the district, such as housing companies, is continuing.
Preventive social work is being developed in close cooperation with pre-schools and compulsory schools. The services that the prevention units provide have been tailored to the living circumstances and various support needs of many of the district’s residents.
More adults obtained work during the year compared with the previous year, but there are still many who cannot support themselves. Young people who have come into the Swedish school system at a late stage often lack the necessary grounding when they move on through the education system.
An initiative to develop alternatives to institutional placement was agreed during the year. The employment unit of the individual & family care service is involved with the democracy project HjällboForum and the housing company HjällboBostaden in an occupational training project to strengthen the resources of individuals so that they can become self-sufficient.
Despite broad local collaboration between various organizations, the task of improving living conditions in Lärjedalen is a social planning issue in which the district alone can only achieve lim-ited results. This is an issue that the whole of Göteborg must give even higher priority in the future.
The district committee’s meetings are open to the public and are preceded by an open preliminary meeting at which current issues are discussed. In each of the four areas of Lärjedalen there are local public health councils and area forums or association councils where residents can discuss issues that affect the local area.
A local pensioners’ council and drop-in centres for the elderly cooperate with voluntary organizations. A disability council consults with the district committee and administration on issues that affect people with disabilities. User councils or local school boards exist for most schools and pre-schools.
Local associations again received large financial grants, primarily for working with children and young people in the district. In total, the committee invested just over SEK 7m in grants to associations. Around 7,690 people are members of associations in Lärjedalen.
Two subsidiary projects were launched under the EU URBAN project: one in Eriksbo, to support parents; and one in Hammarkullen, to improve the sense of security in the area. Work on the Metropolitan Areas Initiative continued in Hjällbo, and 42 different projects were underway last year. HjällboForum, which is a democratic form of meeting largely composed of residents, is now involving more and more residents.
Hammarträffen day centre in Lärjedalen is a popular drop-in centre in Göteborg. Visitors’ satisfaction with this service is clear from the latest user survey carried out as part of the City of Göteborg’s quality assessments. Its rating was among the highest for drop-in centres for the elderly in Göteborg, and Hammarträffen is the most popular service in Lärjedalen.
The pensioners’ council and contacts with relatives were improved through training. Procedures have been established for passing on information in ten different languages, and information is currently being produced. Themed activities to improve knowledge of self-care for the elderly, reduce social isolation and improve well-being will begin in spring 2003. A trial scheme in the form of a mentor system is currently being organized between homes for the elderly and secondary schools in order to bridge the generation gap and reduce alienation.
Demand for services for people with disabilities continued to grow, which meant that the budgeted funds were insufficient to cover the measures required. It has also been difficult to meet the demand for contact staff, and work in this area is continuing. Three new supported accommodation units are expected to be ready for occupation in 2003. An accessibility guide has been compiled and should be complete by summer.
Wide range of arts and recreationLoans from the library increased in comparison with 2001, particularly at Hjällbo library. The library had around 118,000 visitors and just over 66,000 loans were recorded. Children and young people account for a large proportion of loans. This shows that interest in reading has increased in Lärjedalen.
The arts school attracted the attention of the media for its commitment to IDM, International Dance and Music. In contrast to many other districts the recreation centres continued to offer a very wide programme, including contacts, activities and events.
The working environment for staff has been brought into focus in various ways, particularly the heavy workload and continuing high level of sick leave. Total sick leave increased in 2002 and now stands at 9.7 per cent. Recruitment and the provision of staff will remain important issues in 2003, especially in pre-schools, school childcare, individual & family care and services for people with disabilities. Pre-school teachers, social workers and personal assistants are among the occupational categories that are difficult to recruit.
The financial situation for the district at the end of 2002 was good, with equity standing at SEK 58.3m. The result for 2002 is a deficit of SEK 1.5m. The balance sheet total was approximately SEK 900m.