To create the local development strategy (LES) for the Kassel-Land region, aconium GmbH, together with the Kassel-Land region association and a moderator, carried out the youth future workshop.
On 19 March 2022 from 11:00 to 17:00, young people aged between 12 and 25 gathered at the Schlachthof cultural center in Kassel to develop best-case scenarios based on their needs and wishes with regard to youth-friendly regional development.
Youth work stakeholders and experts were also invited to take up practical perspectives and make possible collaborations between regional development and youth work visible. Invitations to the event were sent out via social media and press work.
The basis for the future workshop for young people was formed by the prepared results from the previous formats of the participation process that aconium GmbH had carried out with the client, the Kassel-Land region association. These included the online citizen participation for young people and the dialogs with the pupils. With the help of creativity techniques and methods, the participants approached the key question of what the Kassel-Land region needs to look like for them to want to live and work there from different perspectives. By taking on different roles, the young people were able to examine the issues from all sides. In concrete terms, this means that they had the opportunity to criticize, create utopias and finally give a realistic assessment of what needs to be done.
Following the event, the results of the future workshop will be assigned to the four fields of action from the LES creation – services of general interest, tourism and local recreation, regional economy and bioeconomy – in order to ensure transferability from the other participation formats with the citizens.