E&C second Part

premises & goals

The current focus of the second research phase is grounded in two premisis:

First, the E&C program successfully strengthens existing initiatives in child and youth care and effectively networks the activities and resources of the broad range of actors involved. It must be kept in mind that future developments such as the introduction of the HARTZ IV reform will further broaden the spectrum of actors involved in a city district's developmental activities.

Second, even though local level participatory decision-making processes vary among city districts, and although it has not been implemented everywhere, target- and problem-oriented political coordination has gained in importance. A good example of this is the local action plan instrument for target- and problem-oriented political coordination developed by the E&C program.

Both premises bespeak the thesis that the success of both programs depends on the structure of local political decision-making. Regarding child and youth support, for example it is been empirically validated that widely disparate decision-making strategies are used in the various city districts.

The increasingly important role of the concept „urban governance“ in international political and sociological discussion and research is in part due to these developments. Moreover the discussions surrounding a host of related concepts such as „urban governance“, „participatory governance“, „local regulatory governance“ and „collaborative planning“ is in part a reaction to the increasing number of decision-making actors affecting people’s daily lives, and to the fact that there is an increasing demand for decentralized, cooperative and participatory systems and decision-making structures because these networks of actors are less and less hierarchical.

Due to the fact that child and youth care NGOs are the primary partners of the E&C program, it follows that research efforts are concentrated on the role of these NGOs in the city districts in question.
National and international scientific discussion shows very different european ways in youth policy for better social and vocational integration of children and young people. On this account the German Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) hold an European Congress in context of german EU-Presidency. Scientific organization and documentation of this european congress titled „Children and young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods – New strategies of cohesion“ finalized second part of scientific steering of E&C-Program. Within the context of this congress will be idintified and compared different european strategies, programs and methods concerning better integration of children and young people in order to develop possible common european strategies.
The Congress takes place from june the 26th to 28th 2007 in city of Leipzig. Further information to this congress: www.eyc2007.eu