The association Scenit, which runs Fritte, receives SEK 850,000 in grants each year. The other eleven leisure centers receive between SEK 2.3 million and even up to SEK 8 million, something that caused the deaf community to react. Not least considering that Örebro has been named Europe’s sign language capital for many years.
– It says that deaf people should feel trusted and have the power to influence society as a deaf person. So what kind of signals does this send, asks Mårten Ferm-Högberg, one of all who chose to protest.
Great pressure on the leisure farm
With around 20 to 40 visitors on each occasion, Fritte is an important meeting point for young people.
– Fritte is like my second home and here you can identify with others, says Calina Sayapina, who often visits the leisure centre.
Visitor figures obtained by SVT Nyheter Örebro show 1,951 registered visits in the spring of 2023 – an increase of almost 450 visits compared to the previous spring. But today there is only one full-time employee and one hourly employee in the business, which is tough according to the business.
Big differences between holiday farms
The difference in what the youth farms in Örebro municipality receive in grants differs greatly.
SVT Nyheter Örebro has also been in contact with a similar leisure center for the deaf in Stockholm, Dukis, which has three full-time employees, despite only having about 20 children who actively visit the leisure center. This shows how large the target group is in Örebro, where Fritte is significantly more popular.
And by protesting every Wednesday, the deaf community is now hoping for change.