Templin: Young people can win 10,000 euros for their ideas!

Templin: Young people can win 10,000 euros for their ideas!

In Templin, preparations are in full swing for an event that will involve young people in the city's decision-making. On Monday, November 10th, from 4 p.m. in the Hyparschale at the Bürgergarten, the motto will be “Make up your mind!” a special meeting takes place. The organizer of this initiative is Jacob Schnaak, the representative for children and youth participation.

The aim of the event is to give young people the opportunity to vote on proposals for the 2026 children and youth budget. The city provides an annual amount of 10,000 euros, which can be used for creative ideas and projects by children and young people. This year, the young participants are spoiled for choice, as there are nine different proposals on the ballot.

New voice for youth

Another exciting point in the program is the election of the new youth advisory board for the 2026/2027 term. This advisory board consists of seven members who act as a mouthpiece for the youth in Templin. The members of the youth advisory board have the opportunity to initiate their own projects and coordinate these with regular meetings of the mayor, city council and administration. Jacob Schnaak describes the youth advisory board as the “voice of young people in Templin”. This is an excellent opportunity to gain experience in teamwork, communication and also political responsibility.

To further encourage participation, free pizza will be offered during the break. Jacob Schnaak also calls on all adults to encourage young people to take part in the event, whether they want to vote or run for the youth council themselves.

Participation cannot only be observed in Templin

The Templin event is part of a larger trend to promote child and youth participation in Germany. Particularly in Baden-Württemberg, co-determination has developed rapidly since 2015. According to the study “Municipal child and youth participation in Baden-Württemberg 2023”, the number of municipalities with corresponding offers increased from 53% in 2018 to 68% in 2024. What is particularly striking is the increase in child participation, which is now over 55%. These developments show how important it is to take the voices of young people seriously in local decision-making processes. Various forms of participation, such as youth community councils or open youth conferences, enable young people to actively contribute their ideas and be heard.

The event on Monday in Templin can be seen as a further step in this direction and offers the next generation the opportunity to express their concerns and visions.

Anyone interested can find further information about child and youth participation on the website of the Baden-Württemberg State Center for Civic Education lpb-bw.de.

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We look forward to numerous participants at the event and hope that many young voices will be heard!