2GetherLand 2019 shows how to tackle social injustice with young people

The 2GETHERLAND 2019 Germany Results Report has been published

Seeking to investigate the assumption that young people affected by social injustice have their very own view of the problem, the 2GETHERLAND 2019 project has confirmed this notion. 

2Getherland was a unique event with 220 participants including 28 delegations (including young people aged 8 upwards) from 10 federal states in the German town of Werbellinsee in October 2019. The objectives of 2GETHERLAND 2019, part of an initiative set up by Eurochild member Learning for Well-being Foundation, were to empower disadvantaged young people and encourage them to get involved; to work on an equal footing with young people, and to develop solutions for tackling social injustice together with those affected – to get them to meet. A report on the event has been published by the Bertelsmann Foundation, showing that 2GETHERLAND 2019 fully achieved its objectives on the strategic goals of participation, acceptance, cooperation and communication. In terms of long-term impact, some initial positive impressions are clear. 

The report shows the success of a broad consortium including Eurochild members who actively contributing to the success of the German project which took form of a camp. These organisations were amongst others the Deutsche Kinderschutzbund, the National Coalition Germany, SOS Kinderdorf e.V. and the Learning for Wellbeing Foundation. The event, which was co-organized with a Youth Expert Team, resulted in 17 local and regional German follow-up projects, each of which received a start-up budget from the Robert Bosch Foundation in Germany and a customized training program. Examples of the 2020 follow-up projects include video production on children in foster families; school discussions on the subject of exclusion; Talk2gether: Panel discussion with children and young people, with YouTubers and policy makers.

“Something really special appears to have been accomplished at the Werbellinsee! For us at the school, a process has begun at the camp that is simply brilliant and most promising. “Our thing” has begun; the all-day school management, the pupils’ parliament and the school conference are already on board. It is simply unbelievable what 2GETHERLAND has started in terms of ideas and activities.”  

The school management

While the project in Germany has finished and the final report been published, this program continues to have lots to offer. The long-term goal must be to work together with specialists from child and youth services and educational institutions in Germany to pass on insights gained from the camps, and to work against social injustice and towards equal opportunities together with decision-makers from the political, administrative, civic, scientific and professional spheres.

Download the full report here!