The Youth Conference grew out of Wiesbaden’s youth participation concept, which was developed as a result of the 2017 youth survey and the “Enabling Youth” action plan. The survey had made it clear that many young people want more opportunities to voice their interests, ideas, and concerns. The action plan created a framework to make youth participation in Wiesbaden more widespread, accessible, and binding. The Youth Conference is designed and implemented by the Youth Work Department of the Office of Social Work for the State Capital of Wiesbaden. 

“Youth participation is not an optional extra, but a central component of a vibrant democracy. Young people experience Wiesbaden from their own perspective. They see where there is a lack of places to hang out, which routes are unsafe, what recreational opportunities are needed, and where schools, transportation, or public spaces need improvement. If we take their perspectives seriously, better ideas will emerge—and ultimately, better solutions for Wiesbaden,” says Dr. Patricia Becher, Commissioner for Social Affairs. 

The Wiesbaden Youth Conference deliberately goes beyond traditional participatory events. Participants not only develop ideas but first engage with municipal decision-making structures: What can the city itself change? Which departments are responsible? What steps are needed to turn a proposal into a realistic project? Together with staff from various departments, concrete approaches are then developed. 

A central element is the Gallery Walk, where the young people present their findings to representatives from politics, the administration, and the youth parliament. Even during the event, administration staff take on sponsorship of individual projects and continue to support them alongside the young people. In this way, participation does not end with the conference but becomes an ongoing process. 

Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende also emphasizes the importance of this format: “The Youth Conference brings the perspective of the younger generation directly into city policy. Ideas on climate, public spaces, leisure, and social cohesion are transformed into concrete tasks for the administration and policymakers. This is exactly how a city is created that shapes its future together with the people who will shape it in the years to come.” 

The impact of the Youth Conference is now visible in several locations throughout the city. A particularly vivid example is the solar benches. The idea originated at the first Youth Conference on November 3 and 4, 2023. As early as 2024, the first two solar benches were installed on the Dern’schen Gelände; and in August 2025, six more were added—including at the Krautgärten soccer field in Kastel, at the Reduit on the Messerschmidt grounds, at Gummiplatz in Klarenthal, at the Klarenthal community center, and at Wallufer Platz in the Rheingauviertel. The benches provide seating, allow users to charge their smartphones with solar energy, and combine a pleasant public space experience with sustainable technology. 

Numerous concerns raised at the second youth conference on November 8 and 9, 2024, were also addressed. Among other things, young people advocated for designated areas for legal graffiti, better sports and recreational opportunities, youth discos, alcohol-free gathering places, public water fountains, greater safety in public spaces, and improved conditions at schools. Some of these proposals have already been implemented; others are currently being addressed or are being further developed in collaboration with the relevant city departments. 

The “AG Plätze” working group plays an important role in this effort. It was established as part of the “Enabling Youth” action program and brings together various municipal departments, including Social Services, Sports, Green Spaces, and School Buildings. The task of the “AG Plätze” is to implement project ideas from young people for young people in public spaces, to create new spaces, or to further develop existing ones. It also explicitly supports projects that emerge from the Wiesbaden Youth Conference. 

As a result, further projects have been and continue to be initiated through the youth conferences: In response to the desire for more legal graffiti areas, a space has already been approved in Delkenheim; in the Sauerland, a space is also being considered as part of the redesign of a playground. In Sauerlandpark, disc golf baskets are planned, and a calisthenics facility has already been built. A youth shelter is to be built on the Gräselberg. At Langendellschlag, improvements for young people have been initiated, including seating areas and the expansion of the basketball court. In addition, several youth discos have been successfully organized by dedicated young people, including at the Kulturpalast Wiesbaden. 

The third Wiesbaden Youth Conference took place on November 7 and 8, 2025, at the Schelmengraben Community Center. With 134 young people between the ages of 12 and 17 from all over Wiesbaden, more young people participated than ever before. A total of 23 projects were developed to make Wiesbaden a better place. The topics ranged from climate and environmental protection to mobility, culture, digitalization, accessibility, and safety, as well as learning spaces, youth cafés, and programs that address discrimination. For the first time, a mini-youth conference was also held at the Friedrich-von-Bodelschwingh School, allowing young people with disabilities to share their perspectives and develop their own project on accessibility. 

A recent example from the youth conference is the “Study Wiesbaden” project. Young people identified the need for a study-friendly, free space where students can work together, exchange ideas, and support one another. The idea is a study café or youth café run by young people for young people—with a good working atmosphere, large tables, opportunities for interaction, and affordable food and drinks. The project is being pursued in cooperation with the Office of Social Work; a meeting proposal is currently being submitted. This also makes it clear that the Youth Conference doesn’t just put issues on posters, but brings them into concrete municipal consultation and implementation processes.

“For me, the key point is this: young people should experience that their voice matters. Not every idea can be implemented immediately, but every idea is taken seriously, reviewed, and followed up on transparently. That is precisely what builds trust—in the city, in democratic processes, and in one’s own ability to bring about change,” emphasizes Dr. Patricia Becher. 

An important component is the ongoing documentation of project statuses. This allows young people to track which projects have already been implemented, which are currently in progress, and where legal, technical, or financial issues require further coordination. This transparency is a key element of the participation concept. 

The Youth Information Center (JIZ) also plays a central role as a low-threshold point of contact for information, counseling, and participation. It emerged from the “Enabling Youth” action program, specifically from the “Information Flow” action area. Since September 30, 2022, the website jiz-wiesbaden.de and the storefront at Schwalbacher Straße 6 have been open to young people. There, young people can find information on opportunities for participation, receive support for their own ideas, and learn about programs such as Youth Bank, the Youth Forum, or the AG Plätze. 

The next Wiesbaden Youth Conference will take place on Friday, November 13, and Saturday, November 14. It is intended to once again give young people from all over Wiesbaden the opportunity to raise issues that matter to them, further develop their own ideas, and work together with city officials and policymakers to make improvements to their city. Further information on the Youth Conference can be found at www.jiz-wiesbaden.de/mitmachen-und-beteiligen/jugendkonferenz (opens in a new tab). 

At the same time, youth participation in Wiesbaden is being further expanded. With funding from the Hessian Ministry of Labor, Integration, Youth, and Social Affairs as part of the “Participation” Youth Action Program, neighborhood youth discussions will be piloted as a new format for two years starting in the fall of 2026. These discussions will allow young people to engage directly with their local neighborhood council and contribute their ideas for shaping their neighborhood. This creates another avenue for bringing participation closer to the places where young people live.

The Youth Conference is thus a particularly visible example of participation that makes a difference. The goal remains to involve young people early on, take their perspectives seriously, and structure participation in a way that is transparent, binding, and effective. 

“A youth-friendly city isn’t created solely at a desk. It’s created where young people are consulted, where their experiences are taken seriously, and where the administration and policymakers are willing to develop solutions together with them. This is precisely the path we’re continuing to follow with the Youth Conference,” said Dr. Becher.