Enhancing collaboration and linking connections
The City Youth Office recently hosted a Carrier Day to foster collaboration with partners of the stationary and ambulatory free youth welfare services in the city area. The event, attended by 35 specialists, aimed to deepen understanding and strengthen cooperative efforts.
At the opening of the specialist day, Corinna Müller, the new head of the City Youth Office, welcomed all participants. Müller highlighted the importance of partnership cooperation for the success of their work, emphasizing that mastering the broad task spectrum of the City Youth Office—which includes addressing challenges faced by families, children, and young people—requires close and trusting cooperation between youth offices and institutions of free youth welfare.
Müller also addressed the impact of the Corona pandemic on families and young people, stating that it has put them to their limits. Weakening social cohesion, feelings of "being left behind", and concrete problems such as financial hardship have strained families, according to Müller. Effective cooperation occurs when specialists know each other, have a common understanding of social work, and exchange professional knowledge, she added.
Small workshops were held throughout the day to inform about individual tasks of the youth office, exchange views, and give feedback on existing cooperations. The participants agreed that this one-time meeting should not be the only one, but that everyday good cooperation should be expanded and deepened through such formats.
The inclusive orientation of youth welfare has been brought into focus as part of the Children and Youth Strengthening Act (KJSG) passed in 2021. The challenges for children and youth welfare are increasing due to constant changes in work through reforms and changes in the law. Continuous cooperation at eye level will be crucial for the future success of youth welfare, as both sides must form a strong axis to succeed.
Despite the City Youth Office's efforts to promote the development of young people, support parents, and protect children and young people from dangers, the search results do not explicitly list which free youth welfare institutions in the city area participated in the cooperation meeting with the City Youth Office. However, the participants agreed that this is just the beginning, and they look forward to expanding and deepening their collaborative efforts in the future.
