Why?

Democracy is the only social system which cannot be decreed, but must be relearned every time. Strengthening it and keeping it alive is not the sole task of the state, but requires all forces – including that of civil society. In order for citizens to stand up for democracy it is necessary to gain their enthusiasm and support when they are still young. Studies have shown that people who learned as children or adolescents how to represent their interests effectively and to have an influence on their environment will also more frequently take an active interest in democratic processes as adults. And working with young people teaches us that people who are heard and taken seriously, who can contribute and assume responsibility, will take an active stand on behalf of democracy.

Traditional forms of political involvement in party democracy offer fewer and fewer incentives for this as younger people in particular hardly feel any identification with politics. Their relationship with the parties and political institutions is characterised by scepticism and distance, and the prospect of being able to contribute to changes in the youth organisations of the political parties has lost some of its appeal. The fact that young adults are still quite prepared to become actively engaged in the community is demonstrated by their continued lively interest in voluntary work and their performance of offices in societies, youth groups or the local parish. They are also increasingly active outside fixed organisational structures, for example in initiatives, projects or informal networks, especially when they can achieve concrete goals in reasonable periods of time and thus alter their environment. From the renaming of a street as the result of a memorial project and the writing of a petition in favour of establishing a youth club to online platforms for European political debates – sustainable learning of democracy means learning by doing.

In order to encourage youths and young adults to take a competent look at problems in the community and to take their own stand in dialogues with decision-makers from politics and society, a wide range of support is required from civil society: young people need space to test themselves, serious situations for responsible actions and the possibility to conduct a dialogue on an equal footing. The ability to acquire as well as to use democratic skills is the key to securing a living democracy in Germany and Europe.