Planting Seeds of Democracy: Building youth opportunities in Thuringia
A new project, “Democracy Seedbeds - Growing in Thuringia,” has been launched to tackle a serious issue in Eastern Germany: the lack of sustainable, value-based youth work in many areas of the state.
Thuringia has many regions struggling with a shortage of long-term, value-driven youth initiatives. This problem has become more urgent as political division among young voters increases, trust in democratic institutions declines, and extremist groups get better at connecting with young people, especially through social media.
Recent studies underline the urgency for action. Surveys reveal very high levels of dissatisfaction regarding the current state of the democratic system in Germany, with over four in five respondents in Thuringia expressing grave concerns. Additionally, youth work has been affected by structural challenges and the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in a significant drop in volunteer participation. In this context, parties and movements with anti-democratic tendencies have staged themselves as being “close to the people”, speaking a language that resonates with young audiences and presenting themselves as alternatives to traditional political categories that many young people no longer find meaningful.
It is precisely in response to this situation that “Democracy Seedbeds – Growing in Thuringia” has been created. The project seeks to counter apathy and frustration with constructive engagement. Instead of leaving young people to face disappointment over political developments, it aims to activate and empower them through practical experience. By creating new groups within the Scout Movement, the initiative enables young people to shape their own value-driven contributions to society.
Youth work can be a positive alternative
“Democracy Seedbeds, Growing in Thuringia” aims to reverse these trends by offering a positive, practical alternative: inclusive, community-based youth groups that emphasise openness, responsibility, and democratic participation. The initiative believes that strong local youth communities are one of the most effective long-term safeguards against political extremism.
Over the next few years, the project will establish 15 new Scout groups across Thuringia while also stabilising and improving the existing ones. These groups will provide young people with safe, welcoming spaces where they can learn through hands-on experiences, take on responsibility, and understand what it means to contribute to a democratic community.
The initiative builds on the success of a similar program in Saxony. There, carefully supported growth and dedicated full-time staff have helped to create resilient Scout groups that continue to thrive well beyond the initial funding period. By combining professional coordination with volunteer engagement, the Thuringia project aims to create lasting structures that endure.
A joint effort
The project is led by the Ring deutscher Pfadfinder*innenverbände Thüringen (rdp) in close collaboration with Germany’s three largest National Scout Associations: the German Scout Association Saint George (DPSG), the Association of Christian Scouts (VCP), and the Association of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts (BdP).
The project also aims to expand access to non-formal education and youth engagement. It benefits from the support of the World Scout Foundation and the European Scout Region, as well as partnerships with other initiatives in Saxony, Hesse, and Bavaria.
Together, they are working to strengthen local communities. Their goal is to ensure that children and teenagers have access to non-formal education that promotes dialogue, critical thinking, and democratic values.