Blumenthal is starting anew: youth forum for active participation!

Blumenthal is starting anew: youth forum for active participation!

In Blumenthal, youth participation has fallen by the wayside in recent months. There has been no active youth forum for about six months, after the Senate Chancellery decided in August that the participation of just three young people was not enough to maintain the forum. However, local office manager Oliver Fröhlich and his team would like to change that. The district administration therefore invited high school students to an initial meeting to develop new ideas for the design of the district.

The next youth participation event will take place in the local office on Thursday, October 9th. It is estimated that around ten young people from the four Blumenthal high schools will take part, including seventh, ninth and tenth graders. The goal is clear: Blumenthal should be designed better and everyone is welcome to help. There is no electoral process, which means commitment and fresh ideas are the priority. Thomas Backhaus, an employee of the local office, will continue to accompany the meetings and receive additional support in order to create optimal conditions for the young people. The invitations are sent via various channels, including Instagram, email and even through notes in the school mailbox, as the Jugendforum Blumenthal reports.

A new forum for everyone

In the new youth forum, participants have the chance to have an active say. The aim is to create an open forum for the exchange of ideas. Every young person can get involved and present suggestions for changes in Blumenthal. Participants can look forward to a lively culture of discussion that sets no limits as long as voting is not tied to elections.

The agreements and results of the discussions will flow directly into the urban renewal process. This is in line with current research findings that address the role of young people in local projects and civil society initiatives. According to a study on youth participation that will start in January 2025, engaged young people are already having a significant impact on the design of urban spaces. These developments are being researched as part of Participatory municipal practice and could also provide a new incentive for engagement in Blumenthal.

Events and outlook

There are other important dates coming up in November, including a round of introductions by the students to the advisory board and a debate about the new youth participation structures. The hardships of the past should not be forgotten; The new forum should be provided with more support than the previous one. It is time to breathe new life into youth participation in Blumenthal. Do the young people live up to their responsibilities and manage to form an active community?

The anticipation is great, and with this new initiative everyone involved is hoping for a stable group of at least ten young people. Only together can they set the course for Blumenthal's future. Interested young people can register directly with Thomas Backhaus to take part in the meetings. Blumenthal needs them – and everyone has the chance to make a difference!