Youth Office – Something for Everyone

Jugendbüro – für alle was dabei

In Offenburg, the Jugendbüro (Youth Office) and Mehrgenerationenhaus (Multigeneration House) in Glaserstraße 8 have exciting activities planned throughout the year. People of all ages, different backgrounds, and diverse interests come together here. Melanie Frühe, responsible for Citizen Engagement, Volunteering, and Counseling, works for the Jugendbüro and Mehrgenerationenhaus and presents some of the groups and activities.

A significant part of the work takes place in spring and summer, with the planning for the holiday program in full swing. Together with Anne Sieferle, also from the Citizen Engagement, Volunteering, and Counseling department, Melanie Frühe plans the holiday program for Stadtranderholung (City Recreation) and Ferienspaß (Holiday Fun). The Stadtranderholung program is divided into six weeks, each with a different theme such as “Pirates at Gifiz” or “Environment and Nature at Pfadiheim.” Everything from bus transfers to lunch is organized, ensuring the safety of children aged seven to eleven. In the last two weeks, there is a special Stadtranderholung program for younger children aged five to eight at Käfersberg and Marienhof.

Aside from Stadtranderholung, there are various day offers. The program will be available online from May 2nd, and registrations can be submitted. About 50 volunteers are needed to implement these activities and teenagers aged 14 and above can join as team members. For those interested, they can send an email to [email protected]. Melanie Frühe is also the contact person for neutral advice on voluntary services such as the Freiwilliges Soziales Jahr (Voluntary Social Year) or the Bundesfreiwilligendienst (Federal Voluntary Service) across the entire city.

Engagement and Participation

The Jugendbüro also organizes the “Sag’s laut” (Speak up) student forum, which takes place annually in spring and autumn. Schools or the student council nominate young people for this participatory format in Offenburg. They can then contribute to participation processes or make their own suggestions. The city provides support for the implementation of their own projects through counseling or the provision of spaces. The next student forum will be held in November 2024, and in the last session, the youth had the opportunity to share their opinions on the topic of the train station.

Community Initiatives and Services

In cooperation with the Museum im Ritterhaus, the Jugendbüro opens the Mikwe every first Friday of the month. Access to the monument is located in the courtyard of the building at Glaserstraße 8. Youth and seniors not only oversee the venue but also take care of the café.

Twice a year, babysitting courses are held in collaboration with the Kinderschutzbund (Child Protection Association). Ten teenagers aged 14 and above are trained as babysitters over five evenings, and at the same time, they can receive their first assignments through the Jugendbüro.

Every month, the Spieletreff (Game Meetup) takes place on a Tuesday at 5 pm in the Jugendbüro. People of all ages can come together to play board games. The size of the group varies from two to ten participants, and the dates can be found on the website.

On every third Wednesday of the month, the InterNetterTreff is held in cooperation with “young caritas.” People seeking help can receive free advice on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. A 45-minute consultation spot can be booked by telephone at 0781/2842446.

The Fluss e.V. offers individual counseling sessions on queer topics such as “Bullying in the Workplace” every third Thursday from 10 am to 4 pm. To register for a session, an email to [email protected] is required.

The “Café Pride” meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month at 6 pm at Glaserstraße 8. Queer individuals aged 18 and above can gather there to exchange ideas and network. Contact can be made via email at [email protected].

The “Bunter Block” queer youth group meets at the Jugendbüro’s café every Monday from 6 pm to 9 pm. Inquiries can be sent via email to [email protected].

The self-help group TINA (Trans, Inter, Non-Binary, Agender) provides a safe space for exchange every last Tuesday of the month from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Contact: [email protected].

For more information and events, visit the website seniorenbuero-offenburg.de or send an email to [email protected].