Vogelsbergkreis launches youth participation project

The Vogelsbergkreis district has launched a new project titled ‘Our Voice Counts – Not Without Us’ to enhance the political participation of children and adolescents. Introduced by District Administrator Dr. Jens Mischak, the initiative aims to translate the rights established in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into practical local governance.

The project focuses on informing young people about their rights to be heard in municipal decisions and developing participation formats designed by the youth themselves. By involving them in the early stages of local planning—such as the redesign of public spaces—the initiative seeks to create meaningful ways for them to influence communal politics.