connecting youth with society

1. Connecting
youth
with
society:
sharing
innovative
approaches
to
youth
inclusion
Antwerp
8
and
9
december
2011
Brief
summary
Kris
De
Visscher,
Demos
vzw
The
connection
of
young
people
to
society
touches
upon
the
very
heart
of
every
community
because
its
future
depends
on
the
mutual
recognition
and
solidarity
between
generations.
In
the
media
nowadays,
it’s
fashionable
to
state
that
is
the
responsibility
of
the
young
people
themselves
to
achieve
recognition
as
a
full
member
of
society.
Youngsters
who
fail
to
get
this
recognition
are
labelled
as
‘troublemakers’
rather
than
as
victims
of
a
system
that
marginalizes
them
and
frustrates
their
sense
of
self-­‐worth.
To
break
this
cycle
of
stigmatisation,
discrimination
and
social
exclusion,
a
diverse
group
of
marginalised
youth
needs
to
be
engaged
and
supported
to
express
their
views
in
their
own
way.
Having
a
voice
is
the
first
step
to
feeling
included
and
listened
to.
But
it’s
not
only
young
people
who
need
to
be
encouraged
to
take
up
dialogue.
Local
and
national
government,
youth
workers
and
other
stakeholders
who
deal
with
youth
often
show
their
goodwill
but
need
to
adapt
and
learn
new
skills
and
take
the
necessary
measures
in
order
to
interact
constructively
with
the
diverse
community
of
young
people.
If
the
inclusion
of
young
people
is
to
be
meaningful,
it
cannot
just
be
the
young
people
who
attempt
to
build
bridges.
Those
who
are
responsible
for
representing
their
interests,
protecting
them
and
serving
them,
also
need
to
be
engaged
if
discrimination
and
social
exclusion
are
to
be
tackled.
During
this
conference
we
explored
the
concept
of
‘meaningful
youth
inclusion’
in
relation
to
building
bridges
between
marginalised
youth
and
authorities.
We
considered
this
issue
from
a
diverse
range
of
perspectives
and
listened
to
different
stakeholders
in
this
process.
Together
we
exchanged
innovative
approaches
to
youth
inclusion.
We
started
with
several
keynotes
and
debates.
Keynote
speaker
Bruno
Vanobbergen
reminded
us
how
the
UN
declaration
for
the
Rights
of
the
Child
can
serve
as
a
valuable
framework.
Filip
Coussée
invited
us
to
remain
critical
about
the
methods
we
use
to
avoid
the
silent
reproduction
of
an
unfair
and
injust
society
towards
young
people
and
certainly
to
those
who
find
themselves
marginalised
and
criminalized.
This
became
very
clear
when
we
learned
how
police
policy
isn’t
only
a
trigger
but
also
an
underlying
cause
of
discrimination-­‐related
violence.
Especially
the
humiliating
-­‐
and
actually
very
inefficient
-­‐
start
and
stop
searches
hurt
young
people
and
make
them
angry.

2. Yet,
the
experience
in
Gouda
points
out
that
once
you
get
police
and
youngsters
together
in
a
well
coached
conversation,
it’s
seemingly
easy
to
make
them
discuss
the
tensions
that
arise
in
the
use
of
public
space.
Is
remarkable
to
see
how
relieved
and
proud
both
groups
are
once
they
have
crossed
that
bridge.
Everybody
wants
a
good
policeforce,
so
do
young
people.
This
stresses
the
importance
of
bringing
young
people
and
adults
together
and
creating
dialogue.
We
learned
that
the
we
should
involve
young
people
in
every
action
we
take.
Most
of
all,
the
conference
offered
lots
of
workshops
with
positive,
hands-­‐on
methods
and
techniques.
From
games,
roleplays,
peer
education,
flash
mobs,
debate,
film,
photography,
theater,
music,…
to
just
a
good
old
fashioned
honest
and
open
talk.
These
methods
are
used
to
bring
out
the
voice
and
the
capacities
of
young
people
and
to
bridge
the
gap
between
vulnerable
youth
and
their
neighbourhood,
the
school
and
the
authorities.
In
her
final
conclusions,
Isabel
Deviendt
of
the
Flemish
Youth
Council
strongly
recommends
a
bottom-­‐up
approach.
Start
at
the
local
level
from
the
dreams
and
interests
of
young
people
themselves.
Recognize
that
young
people
have
the
necessary
competence
and
skills
to
form
and
express
their
opinion.
Acknowledge
that
young
people
participate
in
different
ways
and
use
different
communication
channels
such
as
music,
theatre,
dance,
etc.
Don’t
regard
adults
and
young
people
as
enemies.
Adults
are
able
to
create
good
conditions
for
young
people
to
express
their
point
of
view.
In
return,
they
can
learn
from
the
perspective
of
youngsters.
Young
people
have
their
own
point
of
view
because
they
are
young,
adults
should
respect
that.
If
we
do
so,
young
people
will
feel
needed
and
see
themselves
as
actors
for
positive
social
change.
Of
course,
not
every
youngster
has
to
be
a
forerunner
and
certainly
not
on
every
issue.
Especially
schools
and
youth
work
initiatives
can
function
as
a
micro-­‐society
where
young
people
can
gain
positive
experience
in
participation.
And
last
but
not
least,
police
and
young
people
sitting
together,
guided
by
some
good
coaching,
works
far
better
than
other
more
repressive
measures.
Even
though
the
conclusions
didn’t
come
as
a
quite
a
shock,
it’s
putting
these
principles
into
practice
that
is
the
biggest
chalenge
for
all
of
us.
It’s
up
to
us
to
consequently
involve
young
people
in
every
action
we
take,
to
adjust
our
language,
to
create
optimal
conditions
for
participation
and
to
take
young
people
serious
in
our
day
to
day
practice.
Certainly
young
people
who
had
negative
encounters
with
society
and
its
institutions
in
the
past,
won’t
believe
us
straight
away.
For
everyone
who
genuinely
wants
to
make
a
connection
with
every
young
person,
this
conference
offered
lots
of
inspiration.
Use
it.
Kris
De
Visscher
Dēmos vzw info@demos.be t. +32 (0)2 204 07 00
Sainctelettesquare 19 - 1000 Brussel www.demos.be f. +32 (0)2 204 07 09