Read this article in German:
H&F vernetzt Jugendliche mit Berlin
Youth and social workers from the German capital recently spent a week in H&F to kickstart an exciting new cultural exchange programme for local young people.
The delegation arrived last week and explored the borough's rich network of youth clubs and services, including the new WEST Youth Zone in White City, Masbro Community Centre in Hammersmith, and Action on Disability in Fulham.
The visit combined professional development with local culture, including taking in a QPR match at their MATRADE Loftus Road stadium in South Africa Road, White City – giving the German visitors a taste of British football atmosphere.
The exchange was organised by Gareth Dixon, CEO of the Young Hammersmith & Fulham Foundation, who said:
This is a significant milestone in our commitment to innovative youth work. By bringing together professionals from Berlin and H&F, we're creating unique opportunities to learn from each other's experiences and build a global network of opportunities and support for young people."
Building bridges
The nine-strong German team brought together experts from diverse backgrounds – including youth welfare planners, social workers, as well as specialists in LGBTQIA+ support to understand how a youth exchange programme could benefit both cities.
Berlin's 'Mitte' district already runs successful exchange programmes with several international cities, including a 30-year partnership with Tokyo in Japan.
Berlin-based project manager and former H&F social worker Daniela da Costa explained: "London and Berlin have many similarities as urban capitals. We want to understand what matters most to young people in both areas and help drive a cultural exchange. It's about offering a real exchange of perspectives and opportunities for young people."
The delegation was particularly impressed by Hammersmith & Fulham's Youth Council, as well as the new WEST Youth Zone in White City – part of the council's £150m investment to build the EdCity development.
"We were so impressed by the H&F Youth Council – there's so much we can learn from how they get young people to engage and participate in society," Daniela added.
The Youth Council continues to amplify local young people's voices, including through an upcoming podcast series on healthy relationships to mark the start of our 16-Days-of-Activism-Against-Gender-Based-Violence campaign. Follow them on Instagram for updates.
International agreements
The visit from German colleagues builds on Hammersmith & Fulham Council's growing work with global experts and economic pacesetters, with six new international economic partnerships forged this year alone.
It's part of our pioneering Industrial Strategy, launched in 2017 to share the prosperity and opportunities of our booming borough equally across H&F.
