On November 11, 2025, Deutsche Gesellschaft e. V. and numerous regional partners are inviting young people aged 16 to 35 to the Q children’s and youth center in Hof from 3:30 pm. Hof University of Applied Sciences is also taking part. Under the title “Voice(s) of Youth”, the forum offers the opportunity to discuss key issues of the future in an open atmosphere.
We spoke to Dr. Heike Tuchscheerer, a consultant in the Politics and History Department of the German Association, about the purpose, process and opportunities of the event.
Dr. Tuchscheerer, why is a youth forum so important in Hof in particular?
“Young people in rural areas often have limited opportunities to voice their concerns and ideas in public. With the youth forum, we want to give them space to discuss key issues for the future and make their perspectives visible. Hof is an ideal place for this – there are committed young people here who want to get involved and make a difference.”
What topics are the focus of the event?
“We have prepared three world cafés: It’s about spaces for young people, migration and integration, and social justice. These topics were selected together with the city of Hof, are directly relevant to many young people and offer great starting points for contributing your own experiences.”
How does the forum actually work?
“After a welcome and a brief introduction to the results of the 2025 federal elections, we start the discussions straight away. The participants choose two of the three world cafés and discuss specific topics in small groups. The aim is to discuss challenges and opportunities as well as problems and regional particularities. At the end, the results are evaluated and discussed in the plenary session with a focus on solutions. Everyone is invited to take part.”
Politics & History at the Deutsche Gesellschaft e. V.
Are there any particular highlights you would like to highlight?
“The aim is to stimulate a broad debate about what makes young people and young adults tick with regard to future issues and what regional concerns there are in this regard. With the ‘Voice(s) of Youth’ project, we can look forward to a fairly free format that gives the target group of young people and young adults aged between 16 and 35 in particular the opportunity to make their voices heard and to sound out where opportunities exist with regard to the three main topics, but also to ask where the shoe pinches. The discussions will be recorded using graphic recording – creating images that creatively document the ideas and debates.”
What then happens with the results of the discussions?
“The open final discussion with the expert leaders of the three World Cafés and the Mayor of Hof serves to formulate proposals for solutions and recommendations for action for (regional) challenges and problems, which are then presented to the Federal Ministry of the Interior and incorporated into the future work of Deutsche Gesellschaft e. V.”. A report on the results will also be published online on the ‘Voice(s) of Youth’ project page.”
When and where will the event take place – and how can interested parties take part?
“We will meet on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Children and Youth Center Q, Hans-Böckler-Straße 4, in Hof. Participation is free of charge – group registrations are also possible.
We would be delighted to welcome you and ask you to register by November 7, 2025: Email address for registration: zukunft@deutsche-gesellschaft-ev.de”
Why is it worth taking part?
“Young people usually have clear ideas about their future and the social challenges of their time. However, especially in rural and structurally weak regions, there is often a lack of opportunities, spaces and possibilities to discuss these issues in an open and constructive setting and to be heard. The educational project ‘Voice(s) of Youth’ creates precisely this space. If you want to help shape how our society deals with important future issues here in Hof and in Germany as a whole, the Youth Forum offers you a unique opportunity to have your say, contribute ideas and network. Be part of it!”
