Janne Sophie Engeleiter: Young people as a strong voice in Rathenow!

Janne Sophie Engeleiter: Young people as a strong voice in Rathenow!

The city of Rathenow has a new voice that will advocate for the needs of young people. Janne Sophie Engeleiter, who was born in Rathenow and lived in Cottbus for many years, was appointed the new Engeleiter. With her impressive sporting past and a degree in social work, she brings fresh perspectives to the region's child and youth policy. She has also qualified as a child and adolescent psychotherapist in her professional career and feels settled in her new role after taking on this position “by chance”, reports Meeting point Brandenburg.

For Engeleiter it is important to build a sustainable system for the participation of children and young people. She compares the challenges in youth politics with painful training sessions from her sporting career and plans to establish a new children and youth parliament in Rathenow. Their approach: low-threshold and supported participation that gives young people a say.

Projects for lively participation

Engeleiter is currently working on the exciting “Democracy Life” project. Here, young people have a say in how funding for democracy projects is distributed. She is also planning to introduce a Wahl-O-Mat for young people for the upcoming mayoral election. These initiatives aim to actively involve young people in political processes and offer them a platform for their opinions and ideas.

Another highlight is the youth consultation with the mayor, which will take place on July 15th from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Officers' House. “We have to go where the young people are,” explains Engeleiter. Therefore, meetings in youth clubs are also part of their strategy. Anyone interested can contact her at any time via email or telephone: janne-sophie.engeleiter@stadt-brandenburg.de, (03381) 58-7060.

National framework conditions strengthen youth participation

In line with the Federal Government's efforts, the National Action Plan (NAP) for child and youth participation will be implemented by 2025. This was launched by the Federal Ministry of Youth in collaboration with the SPI Foundation and aims to promote the direct and visible participation of young people. The NAP creates framework conditions that ensure equal treatment and youth-friendly communication in participation processes. The first results have already been published in a brochure that was presented to the Federal Cabinet BMFSFJ reported.

More than 1,700 young people and professionals raised their voices in over 14 nationwide events. Providing information about participation opportunities and support from trained specialists are central concerns. All young people should be heard in their diverse forms of expression and included in decisions, which should strengthen engagement and self-efficacy, like the platform jugendrechte.de emphasized.

Janne Sophie Engeleiter is not only a breath of fresh air in Rathenow, but also part of a far-reaching plan that aims to strengthen political participation for young people. Their efforts and national initiatives are paving the way for a new generation of young citizens who can play an active role in shaping their future.