The children’s holiday week in Vught is a very special one. 1200 children and 600 volunteers participate and this year he won a European prize in a youth talent program. In the past, parents queued late into the night to get a seat for their offspring. That makes it extra sour that after 54 years, Jeugd Aktief threatens to come to an end.
The school next to the site of the children’s holiday week is going to expand and as a result there will be too little space left. “We don’t know where to go,” says board member Lonneke Zwanenberg.
The event area was laid out ten years ago especially for the youth week. There are electricity connections and there is sewage for the toilets and sinks. “We had hoped to be able to continue here for at least another fifty years,” says Lonneke.
In Vught, no fewer than 1200 children and 600 volunteers participate in Youth Active. 150 of them are involved in the organization throughout the year. Children often participate themselves first and become supervisors.
Lonneke: “In the past, parents were queuing up. Nowadays this is done online first and then parents have to register on a certain day to be able to participate in the lottery for a spot. Interest is still very high.” A local Facebook group ‘competes’ for places that become available if someone cancels or pays too late.
“It’s not an event that you just pick up and put somewhere else.”
Tim van de Westerlaken was 5 when he first participated as a child 23 years ago. Now he is on the board. “Youth Active plays an important social role in the village. It is not an event that you just pick up and set up somewhere else,” says Tim.
“The expansion of the school must be completed before 2024, so that means that this year may be the last time we can use our own place. Incomprehensible, because this year we won a European prize in a youth talent program.”
“Last weekend members of the city council came to see how we organize this here and how important it is for the children and their parents. Hopefully they will take this into account when making their decision,” says Lonneke.
