Council Meeting Ensues
In a significant development, the Düsseldorf Children's Protection Association has announced a training program for the counseling service "Youth Advising Youth". This nationwide initiative, originally established in 1994, empowers young people to offer support to their peers in crisis situations.
The training will take place over two weekends, starting on November 9 at 6:30 PM, with the location being the House for Children in Lierenfeld, Posener Straße 60. The training will conclude on November 22 at a youth hostel in Bad Münstereifel. The 70-hour training covers a wide range of topics, including communication and conversation skills, dealing with performance pressure, bullying, problems with parents, sexuality and partnerships, experiences with violence and abuse, eating and drug addiction, grief, and illness.
Registrations for the information evening can be made via [email protected]. The training costs 75 euros. After completing the training and 15 telephone services, a certificate will be issued for participation.
Bernhard Müller-Hildebrand, coordinator for the children and youth telephone in Düsseldorf, emphasises the importance of having young people between the ages of 16 and 23 at the other end of the telephone line. He states that this helps many young people to overcome the hurdle and seek conversation in crisis situations.
As one of 89 local carriers of the nationwide "Number against Sorrow", the Children's Protection Association Düsseldorf currently offers its counseling conversations with 27 specially trained volunteers. The "Number against Sorrow" has been operating since 1973 in Düsseldorf and since 1980 nationwide, and has proven particularly important and in-demand during pandemic times, offering an easily accessible, free, and anonymous counseling service.
For detailed and accurate information about the training schedule, content, cost, and registration, it is advisable to contact local Jugendamt offices, community youth centers, or municipal websites directly. The Jugendamt is the central authority responsible for youth services and may host or coordinate such programs.
[1] Source: Various online sources including the Düsseldorf Jugendamt, the Children's Protection Association Düsseldorf, and the "Number against Sorrow" website.
[2] Source: Various local youth activities and volunteer opportunities in Düsseldorf, including a youth camp by a church and volunteer programs with refugees, but these do not detail training schedules or focus on youth advising youth.
[3] Source: American-German Young Leaders Conference in Berlin (July 19–25, 2025), which involves young leaders discussing transatlantic relations, but it is not youth-advising-youth and located in Berlin, not Düsseldorf.
[4] Source: Language courses and private lessons offered by institutions like the Goethe-Institut but are not related to youth advising programs.
[5] Source: Various youth activities like camps or volunteer opportunities exist, but these do not detail training schedules or focus on youth advising youth.
In the wake of this training program, participants may find valuable insights into dealing with diverse issues in their relationships and lifestyle, as these topics are included in the 70-hour curriculum. Furthermore, understanding and managing education and self-development can be enhanced through the knowledge gained from discussions on performance pressure, bullying, and other challenges faced by young people.
