Encouraging Youth in the Neighbourhood (JUSTiQ)

In selected model municipalities nationwide, the "Encouraging Youth in the Neighbourhood" programme ("JUGEND STÄRKEN im Quartier" - JUSTiQ) was testing how municipal structures and collaboration across multiple areas of jurisdiction must be organised in order to improve individual support for young people within the scope of Section 13, I of Book VIII of the Social Code. This was based on Section 13, Paragraphs 1 and 4 of Book VIII of the Social Code in connection with Section 83, Paragraph 1 of Book VIII of the Social Code (federal role to encourage youth welfare services). The findings from the model regions were to be used to identify need for legislative measures - particularly for Section 13 of Book VIII of the Social Code.

Geographically, the pilot programme was concentrated on the development areas in the "Socially Integrated City - Investing in the Neighbourhood" urban development assistance programme and other disadvantaged areas where the situation for young people was particularly difficult. In terms of content and methodology, the selected municipalities could choose from four modules which they could adapt to fit their local needs: the aim was to link youth work offering one-to-one support (case management, outreach youth social work, low-threshold counselling/clearing) to micro-projects which delivered added value to the disadvantaged area.

The core objectives of the measures were to:

• stabilise and strengthen personally and socially disadvantaged young people
• develop integration prospects, where possible in the form of training positions or employment

A characteristic feature of the programme was that the measures are co-ordinated and controlled by the municipalities (local sponsors of public youth welfare services). The municipalities worked closely with non-state bodies in the area of youth welfare, job centres, employment agencies, neighbourhood management, businesses and other local partners so that the programme also contributed to strengthening local collaborative structures in transitional areas.

44,000 young people reached
In the first funding phase (2015-2018), almost 44,000 young people have been reached in 178 municipalities: Almost 30,000 young people have already completed the program and just under 60 percent of them have completed a school or vocational training or have found a job.More than 1000 projects have been implemented in the social spaces of young people.

The "JUGEND STÄRKEN im Quartier" local youth empowerment programme was implemented by the Federal Ministry of Youth in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of the Interior. It was the follow-up programme to the JUGEND STÄRKEN (Youth Empowerment) initiative and the "Education, economy and work in the neighbourhood (BIWAQ)" programme from the 2007-2013 ESF programming period.