Let's talk about Jena - First youth forum takes place on 28.9.2023

"We need more open spaces where we can listen to our music undisturbed and hang out with friends." This or something similar is how the wishes of adolescents and young adults are repeatedly expressed to professionals from administration and youth work. But how do these wishes and needs coincide with a constantly densifying city? In a city whose valley location is not conducive to emission control. This could be one of the topics for the youth forum "Let's talk about Jena", which will take place for the first time in the city on September 28, 2023, from 4:30 to 9 p.m. at Kassablanca Gleis 1 e.V.. Teenagers and young adults from all over Jena are invited to submit their topics online at www.jena.de/jugendforum.

Having your say and being heard

The event format is an initiative of the Paradies 21 steering group, since June 2021 exists. It is intended to be a special format. Here, young people not only have their say, but they are heard and enter into direct exchange with employees from the Jena city administration, the municipal enterprises of the city of Jena as well as the Jena police inspection.

"In its evaluation of last year's work, the Paradies 21 steering group was looking for an idea on how to directly involve young people. In our regular meetings, the youth parliament was always present, but the topics are so diverse that the youth parliament alone cannot map them," says Benjamin Koppe, department head and initiator of the Paradies 21 steering group.

Submit topics related to Jena in advance to get answers at the youth forum

Which topics come up at the youth forum, young people and young adults can co-determine themselves. Questions, topic suggestions and proposals can be submitted at www.jena.de/jugendforum. It is important that the topics have a relation to Jena. Whether lighting situations, event possibilities in Jena or the public local traffic - the range of the topics is not given. Unfortunately, topics that have to be clarified by other authorities such as the state of Thuringia or the federal government (for example, for school-related topics) cannot be addressed.

Inga Riedel, youth social worker at Drudel 11 e.V., explains how the evening will proceed: "The topics submitted will be reviewed in advance by us youth workers and discussed again with the submitting young people. Afterwards they are passed on to the responsible coworkers in the departments or authorities for the preparation to the youth forum. In this way, we want to ensure that there will also be a real exchange on September 28."

Creating mutual understanding

The aim of the youth forum is to open up mutual understanding. Administrative employees should gain an insight into the needs and concerns of young people, who in turn should gain an insight into the working methods of the city administration and the municipal enterprises of the city of Jena. The mutual exchange is in the foreground on this evening in the youth forum.

Christian Keppler from the youth work/youth social work team of the Jena city administration adds "Of course, you can also come to the Kassa without a specific topic and simply listen or dial in at one of the various topic tables on site."

Further participants of the youth forum are among other things Jugendarbeiter:innen from completely Jena, participants of the advisory board Soziokultur, city development departmental head Christian Gerlitz, the JenaKultur plant manager Carsten Mueller, Sebastian Wick as specialized service leader local order or the director of the police inspection Jena, Rico mold.

Department head Benjamin Koppe once again calls on all teenagers and young people between 12 and 21 years in the city of Jena:

"Come by the Kassa on 28.9. and get actively involved in the city society. We are interested in your opinions and perspectives."

Machen Werbung für das erste Jugendforum in Jena (v.l.n.r.): Ludwig Hettmann (Straßensozialarbeit bei drudel 11 e.V.), Christian Keppler (Sachbearbeiter Jugenda © Stadt Jena