London

1
mitWirkung! ? with Effect! Children and
Youth ParticipationData, Facts, Perspectives
Research co-operation with Prof. Reinhard Fatke,
University of Zürich Dr. Helmut Schneider,
University of Münster

• London
• 18 November 2005

2
From the mission statement of the Bertelsmann
Foundation
The belief that civic involvement forms an
essential basis for social progress is crucial to
the foundations work.
3
mitWirkung ? with effect!Overall Objective

• To inform and motivate young people to get
  involved in democratic processes.

Phase 1 (01/2004-09/2005) Generating
knowledge
Phase 2 (10/2005-12/2007) Testing models
Phase 3 (01/2007-12/2007) Sharing
experience
4
mitWirkung ? with Effect!Goals

• to gain insight into current youth participation
  practice, including
• spectrum of programmes and projects offered and
  youth response
• analysis of influences on youth participation
• to identify examples of good practice
• to develop effective strategies for fostering
  youth engagement in public affairs
• to develop staff training programmes for local
  authorithies
• to demonstrate proven models of participation
  and provide practical tools for implementation
• .

5
mitWirkung ? with Effect!Method and Sample

• Method
• data collection by responses to questionnaire
  items
• 4 different questionnaires administered to
  students, head teacher and staff, local
  communities
• Representative sample consisting of
• 42 communities
• 422 public schools and head teachers 631
  teachers
• 12.084 students between 12 and 18 years of age

6
Findings Participation in Varying Aspects of Life
very low
low
mixed
high
very high
Home
School
never
always
seldom
sometimes
often
Community
Key
Average
2nd quarter
3rd quarter
7
Further Findings

• Consistent through all three aspects,
  participation is influenced significantly by
  previous experience.
• Interest and desire for change are vital for
  active participation.
• Issue disinterest and mistrust in politicians
  causes non-participation.

8
Assumed Factors Influencing Communal Youth
Participation
Satisfaction with life
Intrinsic motivation for participation
Intensity of participation at home
Clear wish for change
Intensity of participation at school
?



Satisfaction with participation in the community

Peer group's affinity to participation


Attractiveness of offers

Recognition by social environment
Participatory behavior in the community


Interest in politics
Level of information regarding participation

-

Satisfaction with politicians

-

Significance of associations / clubs
Intensity of participation during leisure time
sense competence
Limited time
Regarding satisfaction with life, both positive
and negative connections can be established.
9
The Participation Spiral 7 Influencing Factors
Intensifying participation
Level of informationregarding participation
10
The Participation Spiral 5 selected factors of
mitWirkung! focus
Intensifying participation
Level of information regarding participation
11
The Participation Spiral Conclusions and
Discussion
Intensifying participation

• The differentiated needs of young people must be
  addressed accordingly
• offer of a wide spectrum of schemes
• use of a variety of communication channels
• Face to face communication is necessary.
• Location of interaction should take place where
  young people spend their leisure time and feel
  most comfortable.

12
The Participation Spiral Conclusions and
Discussion
Intensifying participation

• Participatory satisfaction is related to the
  quality of offered schemes.
• From the target group perspective quality is
  generated by
• - Attractiveness of schemes
• - Process design
• - Implementation of results
• Communities must provide structural preconditions
  for quality assurance.

Level of information regarding participation
13
The Participation Spiral Conclusions and
Discussion
Intensifying participation
Young people feel competent when considered as
equal partners.

• Supporting measures should therefore focus on
• target group oriented activities with a low entry
  threshold
• Development of mentoring models
• Training courses for adolescence

Level of information regarding participation
14
The Participation Spiral Conclusions and
Discussion
Intensifying participation

• Participation motivating
• Modification of civic engagement education for
  use in schools
• Multi-sectoral co-operation
• Participatory Learning is essential to teacher
  training

Level of information regarding participation
15
The Participation Spiral Conclusions and
Discussion
Intensifying participation

• Young people, who are already members of
• clubs / associations, are more willing to
• participate.

• increase recruitment of association membership
• increase recruitment in the low income and
  immigrant community

Level of information regarding participation
16
Further Steps in 2006
Practical project
Testing comprehensive participation models

• SWOT-analysis in four cities
• Staff Training Implementation

Promoting public awareness of young people's
participation
Expert community
Communication

• Publication of survey and project findings
• Gathering examples of good practice
• Developing Implementation guidelines
• Position paper on youth participation to be
  disseminated among political decision-makers