Since our founding in 2019, forum JUGEND! e.V. has been a youth-led organization rooted in the community. We strongly believe that youth should not only participate in projects — they should lead them, design them, and take ownership of them.

All key decisions within our projects are made collectively. We follow a democratic and participatory approach where every voice matters and young people have real influence. This culture of shared responsibility creates trust and strengthens confidence.

Empowerment and participation are at the heart of everything we do. We encourage young people to discover their strengths and recognize their potential to create change. They are involved in every stage — from brainstorming and planning to implementation and evaluation.

Our educational programs, workshops, and training sessions provide spaces for personal growth: social justice, diversity, political education, equality, environmental awareness, and civic engagement.

A particularly important aspect of our work is peer engagement. Many of our older participants become volunteers, mentors, and youth leaders, sharing their experience with younger members.

Bringing together young people from diverse cultural, social, and personal backgrounds is central to our mission. We see diversity as a strength and actively promote dialogue, mutual understanding, and respect.

We are proud to be officially recognized as an independent youth welfare organization (anerkannter Träger der freien Jugendhilfe) in Dortmund. This recognition confirms that our work meets high professional standards.