For more than two years the youth work lay idle - there was almost no club life, there were no youth camps and programs.
So there is a lot of catching up to do.
The district has recognized this - and now wants to put significantly more money into the youth work of clubs and associations - and thereby expand the range of funding.
Erding - To ensure that this is done precisely, a meeting of all institutions that had recently received funding from the district took place at the end of May.
30 out of 100 accepted the invitation, including representatives of the Bavarian and district youth councils.
The head of the youth welfare office, Christian Numberger, presented the suggestions for improvement to the youth welfare committee of the district council, which unanimously accepted them.
The only discussion was about the further progress.
Deputy District Administrator Franz Hofstetter (CSU), who chaired the meeting, said that a second round with the clubs was planned anyway.
Several speakers, including KJR chairwoman Andrea Jarmurskewitz and SPD parliamentary group leader Ulla Dieckmann, thought it would be better to have their own working group, which bundles the ideas and prepares them for the decision-making district committee.
The vote for the AK ended 7:6.
However, when that meeting was not discussed.
The second club meeting should take place anyway.
In an interview with our newspaper, District Administrator Martin Bayerstorfer (CSU) explained the background to the change.
Numberger had expressed the same opinion in the committee.
"Because of the restrictions caused by the corona pandemic, we want to expand the valuable, important youth work and support it more than before," says Bayerstorfer.
It is crucial that the money goes directly to the organizers.
Erding is again focusing on more international youth encounters and language trips, which on the one hand strengthen personality and language skills, but also intercultural competence.
So far, inclusion events have not been funded at all.
"Unfortunately," comments the district administrator.
He also wants to promote projects aimed at (Ukraine) refugees in order to improve integration.
Bayerstorfer is certain: "Yes, we want to and will spend more money on youth work in the future."
Numberger reported from the association meeting that their representatives had spoken out in favor of more sustainability in the projects, less bureaucracy and inflation compensation.
The wish was also expressed to change the application process from analogue to digital.
“We were advised that young people in particular might apply for more projects if this was possible online.
The paperwork may be off-putting to some.”
As far as the promotion of so-called "leisure activities" is concerned, according to the head of the youth welfare office, the officials spoke out in favor of also taking (sports) competitions into account, as well as special training courses, for example for youth fire brigades or Maltese, the increase in the reimbursement of travel expenses and the possibility of using more than three vehicles to go to a leisure time.
Day events should also be eligible.
More money should flow for the grants for youth leaders (currently 60 euros per person and year).
The flat-rate grants for clubs should also be "adjusted" - up to a maximum of 1500 euros for clubs with 100 or more members.
In a statement, the Bavarian Youth Association welcomes the amendment, but criticizes the fact that it was not discussed in the youth welfare committee as a democratically legitimized body.
However, BJR and KJR were represented.
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