“40 years of Haus Haifa—that’s 40 years full of encounters, ideas, opportunities, and shared stories. Generations of children and young people have found a place here where they are welcome, heard, and able to explore their potential. That is exactly what makes open child and youth work so valuable: it creates spaces where young people can forge their own paths while also experiencing that they are part of a community,” says Jana Schmöller, Director of Children and Youth Services.

Haus Haifa is a facility of the state capital of Mainz and is funded by the city. It is part of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families within the Office for Youth and Family.

As a provider of open children’s and youth work, Haus Haifa serves as a point of contact for all children, adolescents, and young adults aged six to 27, as well as for their legal guardians. The focus of its work is on the lives, needs, and wishes of young people. This involves not only providing specific programs but, above all, taking young people seriously, opening up spaces for them to exercise self-determination, and supporting them in their development.

The Open Center offers children and youth a wide range of opportunities to spend their free time, make new friends, and pursue their own interests. Various spaces are available for this purpose, including a café, a dance and exercise room, a disco, a recording studio, and workshops. The Open Center is complemented by regular activities, recreational outings, and an extensive vacation program.

The facility is deeply rooted in neighborhood work and collaborates closely with relevant stakeholders in the neighborhood. Networking with schools, daycare centers, clubs, initiatives, and other partners enables the center to respond collectively to the diverse needs of the neighborhood. In addition, the center makes its facilities available for collaborations with private and public organizations as well as clubs.

“For four decades, Haus Haifa has been a place that shapes and brings Mombach together. It is an essential resource for the neighborhood, not only because of its facilities, but above all because of its social function. Here, relationships are built, participation is fostered, and community is lived out. This is of inestimable value for young people and for all of Mombach,” emphasizes Schmöller.

The anniversary celebration invites everyone to experience and celebrate this 40-year history. In addition to an exhibition on “40 Years of Haus Haifa,” visitors can look forward to food and drinks, arts-and-crafts and games, a printmaking workshop, and other activities. The anniversary is intended not only to look back but also to showcase what Haus Haifa stands for today and the role it hopes to play in the neighborhood in the future.

An important, long-standing partner of the organization is the Förderverein KIBS Haus Haifa e.V. The association has been supporting Haus Haifa and numerous projects in the neighborhood for many years. These include, among others, the “Fit fürs Lernen” after-school program (2011–2026), the Mobile Sports Project (2013–2020), and the Mombach tutoring program “MoLe,” which has been in operation since 2014. In addition, KIBS supports numerous other projects at schools and daycare centers, for example in the areas of reading promotion, social learning, and sports.

With this Open House, Haus Haifa hopes to celebrate its anniversary together with the neighborhood while also opening its doors to anyone who would like to get to know the facility. “After all, Haus Haifa’s 40th anniversary is not only a reason to look back, but above all an occasion to look forward together,” says Jana Schmöller.