Developing a multi-year strategic plan to improve the city’s child-friendliness

As part of the Child Friendly Cities Initiative, the Department of Municipal Youth Work of the City of Regensburg, Germany, undertook a process called ‘Jugendhilfeplanung’ to develop a multi-year strategic plan to improve the city’s child-friendliness. The main goal was to involve children and young people in identifying issues of importance and, together with professionals, turn the findings into a strategic plan. The aim was to move from daily evaluation of the work to a more strategic approach that looks at the bigger picture of child well-being.

Support from community organizations and other networks was important to mobilize children and young people to fill in the survey. Schools (headmasters and teachers), social workers and members of the youth council were all important in advocating for the importance of taking part. Local businesses donated gift certificates to a prize draw for all survey respondents to give young people an incentive to participate. A situation analysis was done combining existing data and statistics, questionnaires to children aged between 8 and 14 during the ‘Mini Regensburg’ event (190 respondents), a survey to professionals working with children and young people, and a youth survey developed together with the local youth council (1,249 respondents).

The CFCI project team, the local youth council and different departments of the local government were involved in turning the findings and recommendations of the analysis into a strategic plan that includes an insight into the living conditions, needs, strengths and weaknesses of Regensburg. This plan, and the associated budget, was approved by the City Council in 2019.