About the Queer Youth Network NRW

The picture shows the logo of Queer Youth NRW. It consists of a red “Q” and the middle is punched out in the shape of NRW. To the right of the “Q” is “Queer Youth NRW” divided into 3 lines

The Queer Youth Network NRW is the platform for networking, exchange and political participation of young volunteers in LGBTIQ* youth work in NRW.

Queer Youth NRW has existed since 2014, when the volunteer-led queer youth meetings in NRW barely had any contact with each other. At the first networking meeting, initiated by the Queer Youth Department in NRW, there was a desire for regular exchange, a joint online presence and networking. The name of the network, “Queer Youth NRW”, has also already been voted on there. Since then, find Networking meetings twice a year for volunteers up to 30 years of age instead of and all queer youth gatherings in NRW have the opportunity to present themselves on this homepage.

The network has developed steadily since 2014 and is constantly growing — both in terms of the number of groups and in terms of the topics that are discussed. The queer youth of North Rhine-Westphalia depends on volunteers who want to get involved and further develop the network. Since 2016, the Queer Youth Network NRW has had a Youth Advisory Council, which is elected in accordance with electoral regulations. This is intended to ensure participation and representation of the youth network. At networking meetings, young committed working groups on various topics are regularly proposed and founded. For example, the Queer Youth NRW working groups organize activities such as a youth foot group on the CSD or develop content knowledge and suggestions, which are then brought back into the network and discussed. In 2017, for example, in a working group at a gemeinsamen Selbstverständnis gearbeitet, welches auf einem Vernetzungstreffen abgestimmt wurde. Alle Dokumente, die im Jugendnetzwerk entstehen, können auf Vernetzungstreffen neu diskutiert und bei Bedarf verändert werden. Dem Netzwerk Queere Jugend NRW steht jedes Jahr Geld für die lsbtiaq* Jugendgruppen zur Verfügung, das vor Ort für bestimmte Aktionen, Fortbildungen oder z.B. für Flyer genutzt werden kann. Über größere Ausgaben entscheidet der Beirat. Wie das Geld beantragt werden kann, erfahrt ihr bei der Fachstelle oder in der "Anleitung" für Projektanträge.

As a matter of course, the work of the Youth Network and the Queer Youth Department of North Rhine-Westphalia began in 2018 on a Protection concept for volunteer-led LGBTIQ* youth groups in NRW. This focuses on the following questions:

Under the motto “For self-determination, against border crossings” Various agreements and tools have been developed in the network so far, including the following:

Im Zuge der Schutzkonzeptentwicklung ist 2022 der Jugendgruppenleitungsordner fertiggestellt worden, der nun allen queeren Jugendgruppen in NRW zur Verfügung steht. Hierin finden sich Impulse zu den Schutzkonzept-Bausteinen Risikoanalyse, Prävention und Intervention. Die Fachstelle berät Ehrenamtliche, Fachkräfte und Träger gezielt zu queersensiblen und intersektionalen Schutzkonzepten.