Experiencing democracy, having a say, expressing your own opinion - that was the focus of the U18 election week at the youth center on the market. In the week leading up to the symbolic election for under-18s, children and young people were able to experience what democracy means, how elections work and why their vote counts in various workshops.
The U18 election is a Germany-wide project that gives young people a voice and enables them to engage with political processes at an early stage. "Many young people have the feeling that their opinion doesn't count - yet they are the future of our society," explains the team at the Jugendtreff am Markt. The aim of the theme week was therefore to make politics tangible and to show children and young people that every voice, no matter how young, is important.
The theme week for the U18 election was organized in the context of the participation project JumP-!O (Jugend macht Politik für Idar-Oberstein). This project offers young people in Idar-Oberstein a platform for political participation and promotes awareness of democratic values and the importance of commitment. JumP-!O creates an environment in which young people can actively participate and contribute their ideas for changing their environment. In this way, the theme week not only became an opportunity to understand electoral processes, but also to inspire young people to bring about change themselves.
In interactive activities such as a party check, a 'dream trip' to the ideal city and an election workshop, participants were able to engage intensively with political issues. The photo tour through Idar, where various party election posters were scrutinized, was particularly exciting for many. The children and young people realized that each party uses a specific color, that individual people are usually depicted as representatives and that the choice of words on the posters indicates which issues are particularly important to the respective party.
A key finding of the week was that although many children and young people are interested in politics, they often lack incentives and low-threshold access to the necessary information. At the same time, it became clear that they have clear ideas about their future. As part of the Dream City campaign, they gave an overview of the values and opportunities required for their idea of an ideal living environment: plenty of leisure opportunities for young people, a clean environment with green spaces and parks, no waste accumulation, a good infrastructure, co-determination for children and young people and a society that is free from racism and exclusion. Social justice, fair educational opportunities and support for financially disadvantaged families were also key concerns.
The highlight of the week was the U18 Election Day, on which the children and young people were able to vote themselves. The turnout showed that young people have political opinions - they just need the opportunity to express them. It was particularly pleasing that not only the young people from the youth club, but also various youth groups from other institutions and school classes took part in the program.
The high level of participation and the commitment of young people underline how important it is to give young people the opportunity to participate and make their voices heard. This fits in with the aims of projects such as JumP-!O, which offers young people a continuous platform for co-determination, even beyond the scope of the U18 election.
The organizers draw a positive conclusion: "The week has shown how important it is to involve young people in political processes at an early stage. Democracy thrives on participation - and our participants proved this impressively." It is not only special occasions such as the U18 election that invite people to get involved. Anyone who has something to say can do so at any time in a variety of ways - even if they are not yet allowed to vote. Be it by signing petitions, taking part in demonstrations or getting involved in youth organizations of political parties. Young people can also become active through the JumP-!O participation project and contribute their ideas to the shaping of their city.
JumP-!O is a flexible concept that offers young people an easy way to help shape their district and community politically and socially. The project promotes direct participation and enables the wishes and concerns of young people to be included in political discussions. All projects and initiatives are initiated by the young people themselves and supported by the youth work department, resulting in genuine co-determination.