Brussels: A High-risk Political Patient? Youth Engagement in Focus

On 1 February 2024, Kevin Meyvaert (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) presented REDIRECT’s approach to youth participation during a conference held at the University of Liège. His presentation, titled “Brussels: A High-risk Political Patient? Arguments for Reviving the Political Engagement among Youth in Vulnerable Brussels Neighbourhoods”, introduced the rationale behind the Youth Focus Groups developed as part of Work Package 8 (Task 8.2).

The talk explored the specific challenges of fostering political engagement among young people in socially and economically disadvantaged areas of Brussels. Meyvaert outlined the methodological and ethical considerations shaping the VUB team’s fieldwork strategy, including the need for trust-building and context-sensitive recruitment.

The conference offered an important platform to introduce the REDIRECT project to a Belgian academic audience and to exchange ideas with other researchers working on youth participation and democratic innovation. It also helped identify potential synergies with ongoing national and local initiatives focused on civic engagement and inclusion.

Date: 1 February 2024
Location: University of Liège, Belgium
Partner: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Participant: Kevin Meyvaert
Type of event: Conference / Methodological presentation

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