Youth welfare in dialogue: What do our children in Potsdam need?

Youth welfare in dialogue: What do our children in Potsdam need?

The 2nd regional youth welfare dialogue will take place in Potsdam on November 12, 2025. The dialogue, which is planned from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Freizeit Meeting Point, Am Neuen Garten 64, is aimed at local youth welfare actors from the northern parts of the city. Councilor for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Torsten Wiegel, will also be present and involved in promoting the exchange. This format is intended to provide a platform to better understand and discuss the needs of children, young people and families.

The first regional dialogue took place in June 2023 and brought together 92 participants who exchanged views on nine relevant topics. The key points included youth places and spaces, the care of children and aspects of violence prevention. The positive response from participants shows that there is a clear need for such exchange formats. The results of this first event will be processed and passed on to the relevant participation structures, which promotes a continuous dialogue to improve the living conditions of young people in Potsdam.

The topics of the dialogue

This year, the topics from the first dialogues are once again in focus, with the actors' specific wishes and needs already identified in advance. The organizers rely on an open and cooperative atmosphere in which listening and creating together are the top priority. The aim is to identify and address the most important challenges in supporting families and children.

Education and human rights in the classroom

In a broader context, a current discussion highlights the role of education in terms of human rights. As Nelson Mandela emphasized: “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” On the occasion of the upcoming Human Rights Day on December 10th, we encourage people to cover the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in class. This approach is intended not only to impart knowledge, but also to develop independent, thinking citizens who actively contribute to society.

Teachers are advised to use creative methods to make human rights topics tangible for students. These include, among other things, interactive projects in which students process knowledge about rights and their meaning and put it into their own words. In this way, education is not only imparted, but actively experienced.

Interactive approaches to promote engagement

Another interesting trend in education is the use of quizzes. These interactive elements increase user engagement and increase time spent on educational platforms. Through targeted questions and playful approaches, content can be conveyed more sustainably and interest in complex topics can be promoted. Such methods could also be incorporated into the educational offerings in the regional dialogue.

Overall, it is clear that both youth welfare and education in Potsdam and beyond have a vital interest in promoting dialogue and finding solutions together. The upcoming events could represent crucial steps towards improving the lives of young people, while raising awareness of important issues such as human rights.

For more information about the regional dialogue, we recommend visiting the detailed announcement on the City of Potsdam website: Potsdam.de, and for pedagogical approaches to human rights education, take a look TeachersFirst. If you would like to learn more about the benefits of interactive quizzes, we recommend you read the information on Commoninja to read.