ijab.de: Mr Rummenhöller, how are the youth organisations getting through the coronavirus crisis?
Jochen Rummenhöller: Like everyone else, it took us by surprise and so we have had to take every day as it comes. Meaning, we need to keep reassessing what we can and cannot do. We’ve already had to cancel the exchanges that were planned for May and June; now we need to take a decision regarding the summer’s events. But our own activities are not our only worry. We need to keep in mind our international partners’ situations and check in with them on a regular basis. Unfortunately, in many of our partner countries the situation isn’t great.
ijab.de: In a recent position paper, the Federal Youth Council stated that children and adolescents are particularly impacted by the coronavirus crisis. At the time, the image that the general public had of young people was quite different. They were reported to be holding “corona parties”, and adolescents were seen as “superspreaders”.
Jochen Rummenhöller: Of course we were uncomfortable with this negative image and wanted to redress the balance. It’s often forgotten that the pandemic has massively impacted the lives of children and adolescents. Kindergartens, preschools and schools were closed down for a very long time and are only just gradually reopening. The same is true for playgrounds, youth clubs, youth centres and sports clubs. Much of what you do as a young person simply vanished. Young people were forced to think about what would happen to their final exams. Would they be able to find an apprenticeship after graduating? Would they be able to go to university? When could they expect to travel again? What about their plans to do a voluntary placement? We want to ensure that decision-makers in government consider the needs and concerns of young people, too, rather than just focus on how to get businesses up and running again.
ijab.de: What kind of response would you like to see from the government?
Jochen Rummenhöller: We want to them to consider the social and economic situation of families, too. Just one example: not all families can afford to buy a computer so their kids can do their lessons online. If all you do is decide that lessons must be given online, without considering the ramifications, some children and adolescents will be left behind.
Right now we’re collecting examples of what can be done better. Another consideration is what youth organisations can offer over the summer beyond online group activities. We have a lot of rethinking to do, and that includes getting youth organisations to work together to offer joint activities. And we need a clear legal framework to ensure that sufficient funding is available. We want policymakers to take account of that, too.
ijab.de: It seems that moving everything online is almost the only option these days. What is the organisations’ position on digital alternatives?
Jochen Rummenhöller: We need to get back to in-person activities as soon as we can. Digital tools cannot replace genuine human interaction. That being said, it’s great that these tools are being developed and adapted for use by the youth work community without becoming dependent on major corporations. For years the Federal Youth Council and IJAB ran their own projects to develop software for youth work, and that’s now paying off. However, we see major problems with activities in rural areas that still lack high-speed internet. Over the last few years not enough has been done in that field.
ijab.de: It sometimes seems that when it comes to debating digital tools, all you end up with is a list of suitable products. Are the youth organisations talking about new methods, too?
Jochen Rummenhöller: Of course. It’s not enough to have access to tools – you need a proper concept to go with it. It’s like preparing for a seminar: you need people who prepare and debrief the event; you need people to deliver the seminar; and you need people to design a concept. You need experienced educational staff. Some people think that just because an event is online, there’s no cost involved. That is not the case. It needs to be made very clear that digital methods come with a price tag.
ijab.de: Let’s dare to look ahead. When do you think that youth exchanges will be possible again?
Jochen Rummenhöller: Well, if I had a crystal ball I could tell you. I have no idea. Once exchanges are possible again, I expect that they will be local or regional to start with, possibly national. Of course we’re monitoring the situation in neighbouring countries to see how they are doing. For instance, what destinations are reachable by coach? Do the institutions we’ve worked with in the past still exist? Once this crisis has passed, things will be different. So we’ll have to stay flexible in regard to designing the exchanges, but also in terms of adjusting funding programmes. We will have to settle for what works, not for what fits in with the programmes’ prescriptions.
ijab.de: How are your international partners doing?
Jochen Rummenhöller: Some of them are in a precarious situation. In countries that have a national youth policy or where youth councils are recognised partners, the impact has been manageable. In other countries, things are getting very difficult. We can’t just consider our national situation; we need to show solidarity. We need a fully diverse range of organisations, so we need to maintain a considerate and flexible mindset and respect the needs of others, too.
ijab.de: Some are warning of a resurgence of nationalism. Do you share that concern?
Jochen Rummenhöller: We’re seeing a renewed focus on national interests, yes. International structures such as the EU or the UN are currently not seen as strong actors. A populist-nationalist party is represented in Germany’s Federal Parliament and indeed in all state parliaments. Racist and anti-Semitic statements are frequently uttered in public. That said, I am optimistic. Young people still want to go out and explore the world. They want to stay in touch with their friends abroad, and they want to be able to continue seeing them. I believe this urge will ultimately be stronger than nationalism and racism.
What we now need is a strong EU. Germany’s EU Council Presidency in the second half of this year needs to put out a strong message to that effect. After all, our coexistence as European citizens is at stake.
