Several Noord-Hollandse Oranjeverenigings are struggling to complete the traditional King’s Day plans. Older board members drop out because of age, and young people in turn are not eager to join a King’s Day board. That is why, according to tradition expert Ineke Strouken, it is important that much more attention is paid to how young people can be more involved.
“The focus of the older generation is too much on their own needs, while young people have a different lifestyle.” At the moment there are very few young people in Orange Committees. “Today there is a different kind of youth. In the past, if parents were members of an association, the children also joined that association. Now that no longer happens,” says the tradition expert.
You can’t blame the youngsters, emphasizes Strouken, who is an expert in the field of traditions. “It is not at all attractive for young people to join an Orange Committee that only consists of older people.” She concludes that young people can really be made enthusiastic about organizing King’s Day, but that it has to be done in the right way.
“Let young people organize activities in their own way, i.e. for and by young people”
Various Orange Associations in our province are already experimenting with the deployment of young people. Think, for example, of the Oranjevereniging in Vijfhuizen. This year they have a trial for the first time in which they involve young people of around 16 years old in the organization of King’s Day for a fee.
The Orange Association in Sint Maarten works together with the Youth and Youth Foundation. And in Warmenhuizen they sometimes deploy trainees from the BASE Youth Association to roll up their sleeves. Also in Assendelft they seek out cooperation with the youth and bring young and old together in order to prevent problems such as loneliness and ‘lounging youth’.
Changing lifestyle
According to Strouken, youth boards work very well. It ensures that King’s Day connects with the changing lifestyle. She makes a number of recommendations. For example, according to the expert, it is important that the youth volunteers are recruited in a different way. For example via the digital channels instead of the newspaper.
In addition, Strouken emphasizes, it is also important that young people are not only brought in, but also given sufficient space to come up with innovative ideas. “Let them organize activities in their own way, so for and by young people. I hope that a whole new generation of young people will rise up who will continue to organize and celebrate King’s Day, but in their own way.”
View here the report we made about the problems that several Orange Associations are facing.
Worries about organizing King’s Day due to a volunteer shortage – NH Nieuws
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