Stadtjugendring - standing conference of local youth organisations

 

Stadtjugendring Buxtehude e.V. (SJR) is a standing conference of local youth organisations. SJR is the local umbrella organisation for 47 youth organisations of Buxtehude that are active in the area of non-formal education. SJR in Buxtehude was founded in 1949.

 

Our Members

All of our member organisations are youth departments of local clubs, from different religious institutions, political youth organisations or youth initiatives of different kinds. Several members are sports clubs, for example one of them is the BSV, which has a professional handball team in the first women’s Bundesliga and an very active youth training division.

 

Our structure

The nine board members of SJR work voluntarily and they organise SJR's activities and meetings. Each quarter of a year the members of SJR gather for networking at a local youth center or club to discuss local youth politics and inform themselves about new youth work projects, cooperations and benefits. SJR is registered as non-governmental association (Verein) and it is recognised as charitable organisation (gemeinnützig).

 

Our youth work and lobby activities

SJR has two main objectives: First to represent the interests of its members and the interests of youth in the city of Buxtehude. Second to offer youth work services (in correspondence with the German social code, SGB VIII). Our activities include:

  • Youth leader education (Jugendleiterausbildung)
  • Youth leader trainings (Jugendleiterfortbildung)
  • All-year open space and project oriented non-formal education for children living in disadvantaged areas in Buxtehude (Kinderforum)
  • Holiday activities and trips abroad for children and youth including international youth exchange programs to Israel and Russia (Internationale Jugendbegegnung)
  • Mobile youth work with our vehicles "Wolverine" and "Balu" (Spielmobilarbeit)
  • Support to the local youth work structure by lending material, cars and tools for youth work
  • Consultation and political support for our member organisations
  • Best-practice operations and procedures for youth organisations for our members.

Funding

SJR is supported by the local council with an quarterly grant. Addtional funding is sourced from foundations, participation fees or donations. Due to sufficient funding from various sources the member youth clubs are not charged with membership fees.