Youth Policy in Leipzig: Challenges, Progress, and Future Prospects in February 2026

Education and Participation: Progress and Challenges

In February 2026, Leipzig continued to focus intensively on education policy for children and young people. Benefits under the SGB II and III in the education sector reached a peak, particularly in the provision of lunch, school supplies, and the promotion of social and cultural participation. At the same time, however, a problem becomes apparent: the rate of school leavers without a basic school diploma has increased by 61% in municipal secondary schools, and even reached 23.1% among children with a migration background.

The city has already taken measures, such as inclusive schooling, which now includes 53.2% of students with special educational needs. Nevertheless, the situation in districts such as Gohlis-Nord and Grünau-Nord remains critical, where language difficulties among first-grade students reach up to 55%. The increasing number of migrant children in schools underlines the necessity for targeted integration and language support programs.

Youth Welfare: New Models and Growing Demand

Another focus of youth policy is youth welfare. With the introduction of a new pooling concept for school support beginning with the 2025/26 school year, Leipzig aims to make support for students with mental health issues more flexible. In total, 1,156 integration services were provided in an educational context in 2024, with particularly high demand in districts such as Grünau and the Leipziger Osten.

The city is also relying on quality management, including regular care planning meetings and evaluations. At the same time, the demand for youth welfare will continue to rise, especially for unaccompanied minor foreigners, whose numbers have increased by 44.4%. In addition, waiting times in child and youth psychiatry are a problem—only 26 inpatient admissions were carried out in 2023.

Youth Participation: From Applications to Political Involvement

The political participation of young people is a central aspect of youth policy in Leipzig. The Youth Parliament (Jupa) met in February 2026 and discussed, among other things, the proposal to develop the Anton-Bruckner-Allee more strongly as a local recreation area. Although the election of a deputy speaker was postponed, the planning of political barcamps and youth conferences indicates an increased level of participation.

In addition, the funding of youth organizations is being revised. In 2026, discussions were held on how to make the distribution of funds more equitable. It was critically noted that certain organizations, such as Johanniter Youth (45% of requested funds) and the City Youth Fire Brigade (60%), receive a disproportionately high share of the budget. At the same time, the funding of youth recreation measures is at risk due to a planned reduction in funding of 13,000 euros.

Future Prospects: Digitization, Inclusion, and Planning

The future of youth policy in Leipzig will be shaped by digitization, inclusion, and a further alignment with the needs of young people. The city has started to revise the Integrated Child and Youth Welfare Plan and plans to conduct a youth study to identify areas for action. In addition, a concept for a Child and Youth Psychiatric Service is being prepared, which is expected to be presented in April 2026.

Another focus is on barrier-free access in schools and the training of teaching staff to deal with special and social pedagogical issues. At the same time, the number of young people engaged in voluntary work is increasing—19% of the population is involved in voluntary work, and even 23% among 18- to 24-year-olds.