Stern im Norden – Space for community even in corona times

With its large rooms and the play area in the inner courtyard, Stern im Norden occupies a special position among the family meeting places in Dortmund’s Nordstadt: Events for children and teens can still be offered despite strict hygiene regulations. “Of course we are feeling the effects of the pandemic,” says Peter Keulertz, head of Teentreff and a member of the team for seven years, “but we are very pleased that around 20 teens are still coming regularly to the programme for 11 to 14-year-olds. We divide them into groups of ten as required by the regulations. In this way we can easily maintain social distancing.”

Eating round the campfire

The common meal is often moved outside at the moment and is now combined with a campfire in the cooler season. For the children, who mostly come from small rented apartments, this is a highlight in the middle of the big city and also only possible because of the large outdoor area around the building.

But even inside, the young visitors can move around a lot and keep out of each other’s way. “Table tennis, football, basketball or inline skating are particularly popular,” explains the trained educator. There is even a games console and a large screen at Stern. “The children ‘play’ together there. That’s better than sitting alone in front of the device at home. Most of the time, the game on our Playstation quickly loses its appeal because of the many other things to do,” he says.

Separate offers for girls

Successful hygiene concept

The fear of infection is not unfounded. Dortmund’s Nordstadt is one of the districts with comparatively high infection rates. And many residents of Nordstadt are in quarantine. In order to give the children and their families at Stern the greatest possible safety, the personnel of “Stern im Norden” meticulously make sure that all rules are observed in the house. So far with success.