Can the Geretsried youth councils make a difference? Two ex-members, soon to become city councilors, criticize the work of the body.
Geretsried - Two former youth councils have made the leap: Peter Curtius moves for the Greens, Felix Leipold for the free voters in the new city council (we reported). The two ex-members criticize the body in which the young Geretsrieder made their first political attempts. Youth council spokeswoman Nicola Heucke admits that the work is “sometimes pretty tough”. The youth councilor of the city council, Heidi Dodenhöft, does not want to leave the general criticism unchanged.
Curtius (22) and Leipold (21) agree. "In principle, the youth council is a good idea," Leipold told our newspaper. As the Council is currently involved and perceived, it makes no sense, Curtius thinks. Since 2015 there has been a committee in which young people between the ages of 12 and 18 can get involved. The future city councils are not satisfied with the panel's track record. Curtius: "We organized two events in the first three years - and that's about it."
Leipold goes even further: "We were occasionally involved in tasks that nobody else wanted to do." The young politicians took over the barbecue at an urban event. When the organizer of the Kulturherbstes filed for bankruptcy, "we carried the flyers around town". The real meaning that both hoped for from their commitment was not fulfilled by the work. "Political work did not take place," says Curtius.
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In his eyes, there are several reasons for this: "The council members are between 12 and 18 years old - and a 12-year-old cannot be expected to familiarize himself with local political issues." Mayor Michael Müller (CSU) was once in the youth council was a guest to present the plans for the "New Center" and to get the opinion of the young people - "but there was hardly any political information beyond that". The topics of the city council passed the youth committee. Leipold is therefore not surprised that it was so difficult to find enough applicants for the second youth council election in 2018. "The work is perceived by many as a Larifari fun event," he says. It was sad for the city: "The best thing would be that, as a young person, after three years in the youth council you know enough to run for the city council." He and Curtius chose this route, "but the rate is bad ".
Youth officer Heidi Dodenhöft is surprised by the harsh criticism. "The Council gives the youth a voice," she says. Admittedly, she admits that this "great body does not yet reach the young people as we would like it to". However, she noted "some very dedicated people who are involved". The members were particularly enthusiastic about projects and events that could be implemented at short notice - “If the work is lengthy, it will be more difficult,” says Dodenhöft's experience.
Dodenhöft finds the criticism of the lack of interest of the city councils in the youth council "not in order". There were always visitors to the meetings and there was the possibility that the young people could express their opinions. The fact that two former youth council members are now moving into the city council is "very pleased". Dodenhöft sees the basic idea of the committee confirmed in the choice of the two young men.
Youth Council spokeswoman Nicola Heucke "can understand the boys a bit". The 17-year-old is one of two youth councilors who were involved in the first term. "A lot of ideas that we bring in are then shattered." A problem that she recognized: "Some of the councilors are now working, studying in other cities or spending a few months abroad." In the past, some of them did not once half of the members came to the meetings. Under these conditions, it is “difficult for us to get involved on political issues”. However, she does not consider the youth council to be wholly uninvolved: two youth councils were sent to workshops on the “New Center”, and the youth council also has the right to make proposals.
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