Understanding meaningful participation of young people in Rotterdam using Arnstein’s ladder of participation

Young people’s participation is widely and commonly accepted as a part of policymaking in the Netherlands. Especially in Rotterdam, the municipality is currently conducting various projects to further understand participation among young people and how to include them more in various aspects of society. Drawing on the observations and analysis of 6 youth initiatives texts published by organizations that work with young people in Rotterdam and combined with the insights from the ‘Great Participation Summary’ internally published by the Rotterdam municipality, this research paper hopes to understand the various levels of participation applied to young people against the backdrop of Arnstein’s (1969) ladder of participation. The ladder is applied to provide a conceptual understanding of meaningful participation as the theory showcases the degrees of participation that are possible within society. This research paper concludes that having agency and opportunities to influence decision-making determines the level of participation. This level of participation is informed by the expected roles young people are characterized by within their society. By further understanding these roles and functions delegated to young people in the municipality, their levels of participation can increase or decrease depending on the policymakers. Meaningful participation in young people begins with active listening and involving them in decision-making processes from the inception of a policy to its implementation and evaluation