Digital discussion on scenarios for children’s and youth work in 2035

On 1 July, the online event ‘Looking to the Future with Confidence!? Scenarios for Children’s and Youth Work in 2035’ – organised by the Bundesjugendring in collaboration with youth work researcher Prof. Dr Katrin Valentin and the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Offene Kinder- und Jugendarbeit e. V. (BAG OKJA). The focus was on the question of which developments might shape children’s and youth work in the coming years – and how youth organisations, youth federations and other providers of children’s and youth work can already begin to respond to them today.

The project was based on a study carried out by the Protestant University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg under the direction of Prof. Dr Katrin Valentin. In collaboration with academics and young people, three future scenarios for the year 2035 were developed: a ‘rosy’, a ‘trendy’ and a ‘gloomy’ scenario. The project examined both organised and non-formal child and youth work in Germany.

Following an introductory presentation by Prof. Dr Katrin Valentin on the background to the research project and a presentation of the various scenarios, the group engaged in a joint discussion. What do these visions of the future mean for work on the ground? Which developments seem realistic? And what implications does this have for practice in both full-time and voluntary work?

Finally, possibilities were highlighted for how the scenarios could be applied in work with children and young people, as well as with external stakeholders. The event highlighted just how valuable it is to look ahead together – including for networking between youth organisations, youth federations and providers of open child and youth work.

About the scenarios

Themen: Democracy Volunteering