Wegberg young people demand to be heard: Politics in dialogue at the grill!

Wegberg young people demand to be heard: Politics in dialogue at the grill!

In Wegberg, the dialogue between youth and politics is flourishing: Under the motto “Hot grill, clear words,” Katho officials have launched a format that is intended to offer young people a platform to address their concerns directly to politicians. The event aims to provide an open ear for the interests and concerns of young adults and thus give them a voice. Over the past few weeks, social worker Franziska Fuge has worked with young people to collect a number of topics that are existential for Wegberg youth.

The focus is on particularly pressing issues such as the expansion of local public transport, climate protection, leisure activities and the search for affordable housing. These concerns are not only important for young people, but also reflect larger societal challenges that are becoming more important in rural regions. Between the young people's words and the politicians' answers, a constructive conversation could emerge that looks far beyond the horizon.

The importance of a youth strategy

An important aspect in the background is the nationwide youth strategy, which is intended to improve the living conditions and prospects of young people in Germany. With 14 million young people between the ages of 12 and 27, making up 17 percent of the total population, youth is a diverse group that faces different challenges, including independence, education and social integration. The federal government has responded to these needs and developed a comprehensive youth strategy in nine areas of action, such as the websites bmbfsfj.de and jugendstrategie.de explain.

These fields of action include topics such as mobility, education, environment, health and much more. The focus is on cooperation between all federal ministries to ensure that young people are actively involved in shaping their future. Through interministerial exchange and formats such as the YouthPolicyDays, young people have already been able to contribute their opinions and recommendations, which underlines the relevance of their concerns.

In Wiesberg's practical implementation

The event held in Wegberg not only shows the willingness to participate politically, but also the urgency with which issues such as those mentioned above must be addressed. Young people are not just perceived as passive listeners, but are actively involved in the development of solutions. This is a step in the right direction, considering that the Youth Strategy has been strengthened through many workshops and conferences since its launch.

Overall, the combination of direct dialogue and strategic support from federal policy is a promising approach to addressing the needs of young people and actively integrating them into society. Wegberg could act as a model community that shows how to successfully bring youth and politics together and thus sustainably improve the lives of young people.