The student council of Geel, which has been bringing together students since 2023 to represent the voice of Geel's youth, is facing challenges. After four school years, engagement is decreasing and attendance is dropping, meaning the council less accurately reflects the broad group of secondary school students. To address this, the city is focusing on a renewed strategy.
For a pilot project, a core group of students from Geel's secondary schools will be formed. This group, in collaboration with the youth department of the city of Geel, will develop two participation events. These events will be open to all interested Geel youth, offering them the chance to engage directly with the city administration on important themes. The core group will also assist in evaluating the project and formulate recommendations to make Geel more youth-friendly.
Students who wish to contribute to shaping their city can apply to join the core group. This group, comprising several representatives per school, will convene three times during the 2026-2027 school year. They will help determine the content of the participation events, identify relevant themes for young people, and evaluate the project afterward. Their efforts will be rewarded with a concluding activity.
The commitment is intentionally kept limited, involving a few meetings spread throughout the school year, along with the preparation and evaluation of the two participation events. Candidates can register via an online application form.
Following the pilot project, the city will analyze which young people were reached, which working methods were effective, and what lessons can be learned. These insights will form the basis for further developing youth participation in Geel.
“"With this new approach, we want to lower the threshold for participating in discussions about Geel. Young people can join concrete participation events without immediately committing to a full school year. This way, we hope to hear more voices and gain a better understanding of what concerns Geel's youth. This fits perfectly within Geel's vision as a child- and youth-friendly city, where children and young people are valued co-citizens."
