Horsens wins Youth Municipality of the Year 2022 title

It has received recognition for involving young people in decision-making

Last month, the Danish Youth Council (DUF) awarded Horsens the Youth Municipality of the Year 2022 title. In addition to this, DUF also granted DKK 10,000 (over EUR 1,300) to the winner, encouraging it to further boost its youth work.

Involving young people in decision-making

In a press release, Horsens Municipality revealed what contributed to its success, sharing that involving young people in decision-making was the most important factor. Taking this further, it shared that it sought the advice of its youth council not only when making decisions that affect them but also regarding other policies that do not impact their lives.

“Horsens Municipality has shown with action that they take youth involvement seriously. They have created the framework for young people not only to be heard but also to have a concrete influence on the political decisions in the municipality,” commented Christine Ravn Lund, chairwoman of DUF and a member of the judging panel. 

Further praising the municipality’s youth involvement, Lund shared that young people typically see the world differently from older generations. For this reason, seeking their perspective when making decisions regarding climate action, infrastructure, drug policy, etc., is crucial. 

Creating new opportunities

It is important to note that Horsens owes its success to more than its youth involvement; that is, it also impressed the DUF by improving the living conditions of its young residents. Taking a case in point, Horsens recently invested in the development of Platform K, a new cultural hub (where the Award ceremony reportedly took place).

Mayor Peter Sørensen discussed the municipality’s new title, revealing that although Horsens had previously come close to winning the award, it has finally succeeded in doing so. According to him, winning this title proves that Horsens has become a municipality where young people have countless opportunities in terms of education, work, and participation.