DC MAJORNA
www.majorna.goteborg.se
A process of reconstruction had already begun when the current district manager was appointed on 1 March. Its aims include improving control and follow-up activities and raising the standard of services. Over the next few years the finances of the District Committee of Majorna must be brought into the black and the scope of services must be adapted to suit the prevailing circumstances.
| MAJORNA | ||
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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 | 28,424 | (474,877) |
| Percentage of children 0–15 | 14.3 | (17.3) |
| Percentage of pensioners over 65 | 12.3 | (14.7) |
| Average income, KSEK (over 16) 2000 | 165.9 | (174.6) |
| Percentage of job applicants 18–64 | 4.7 | (4.1) |
| Percentage of people with higher education (20–64) 2001 | 50.3 | (38.9) |
| Percentage of gainfully employed (20–64) 2000 | 72.1 | (69.5) |
| Percentage on social security benefits | 6.3 | (9.5) |
| Social security benefits paid, SEK per inhabitant* | 1,327 | (2,128) |
| * Excl. introduction remuneration. | ||
Demand has risen by around two per cent since the maximum charge was introduced. The time children spend in pre-school has increased by just over five per cent. The resulting overall increase in care time is equivalent to around 35 places.
Over the course of the year an average of around 35 children have been waiting more than four months for places. The most urgent future task is to increase the number of pre-school places so that the waiting time does not exceed four months. This would require around 70 new places.
Funding provided by the Ministry of Schools and Adult Education has been used to reinforce teaching management. Two school managers have been appointed to take some of the administrative burden off head teachers.
The number of children in City schools and childcare facilities for schoolchildren has shown a continuing downward trend. The number of teachers will be adjusted in 2003 to match the reduced number of pupils.
The introduction of the maximum charge has meant that demand for childcare for schoolchildren has increased. Work on introducing health plans is in progress at all schools.
Test results for year 9 show that pupils in Majorna’s schools score slightly above the average for Göteborg. A school development programme that puts the emphasis on collaboration and teaching development was introduced during the year. One important issue for the future is communication with pupils and parents concerning future development work.
The number of visits to the library and the number of loans have both increased. The library in Majorna reached its centenary year and this event was celebrated by over 400 residents of Majorna. The two after-school centres had a total of over 250 visitors per day.
As a result of collaboration with schools and individual & family care services, recreation services have provided activities for children and young people with special needs. Recreation services are managed with the clear objective of increasing ethnic diversity and improving equality. A range of activities were planned and implemented on the basis of this goal.
The number of Majorna residents with physical disabilities who require extensive assistance has increased. Through collaboration with property owners, housing for 15 people with mental health problems has been organized in Majorna. Work has begun on encouraging women with mental health problems to have the confidence to visit day centres that are otherwise male-dominated. An important issue for the future is to improve cooperation with psychiatric nursing services, especially in the case of young people with difficult problems. The recruitment of staff is a general strategic problem in providing services for disabled residents of Majorna.
An extensive programme of prevention initiatives has been implemented for people with serious drug problems, families with older children in need of support, to provide parenting support to teenage parents, social support in various forms to school pupils who are at risk, women who have been subjected to violence, and drug prevention work with young people. The continuing development of home-based solutions reduces the need for bought-in institutional care.
Growing drug problems and mental health problems among children and young people have meant that the number of days in institutional care has increased markedly over the last three years.
An important issue for the future is the continued development of collaboration between the various authorities.
Costs for social benefits and support have continued to fall, thanks to a favourable trend in the employment market. However, in the fourth quarter a significant increase was reported in the number of unemployed young people who have not yet managed to find work.
The number of hours spent on home help is high in relation to the City as a whole, and the proportion of the population who receive home care benefits is low. The high demand for home help is partly a result of poor health, weak social networks and low incomes. Other factors include a large number of small apartments with cramped bathrooms, housed in buildings that do not have lifts.
In the latter half of the year there was an increase in the number of vacant places in several homes for the elderly. Between September and December there were on average 17 vacant places. The old nursing homes have been converted into modern homes for the elderly, with the result that the number of places fell by 126 in two years.
A routine has been established for dealing with complaints. Complaints are divided into categories and can be presented in groups on the basis of treatment, nursing care, etc.
The costs for complete medical treatment have fallen, as have the costs for buying in nursing services.
Collaboration with home nursing care has been extended. The creation of a palliative team in home nursing care has improved the quality of care for patients who are terminally ill.
Important issues for the future include personnel recruitment, preventive work in cooperation with voluntary organizations and extending collaboration with primary care services.
The organizational responsibility for Dahlheimers hus is being reviewed. The activity centre has the potential to become a national and international centre of expertise for people with disabilities.
The Majorna HIV team works all over Göteborg. Other districts may have to acquire their own expertise in this field or take shared responsibility for the provision of this service in the future.
The disability unit coordination office works on methods of improving support to organizations for disabled people throughout the City, as well as projects and services for disabled people in other municipalities.
The escort service is intended for people who are entitled to mobility allowance or are judged to be in need of mobility allowance. The aim is to make it easier for people with disabilities to take part in community life.
The youth initiative in the central districts of the City is responsible for the development of a youth centre known as Meeths Unga Salonger, as well as organizing joint events and local meeting places.