Corso Frederiksoord wants to retain youth members for longer. Now they often lose the members when they leave primary school and no longer participate in the children’s parade. New members are often older than 24 years. In order to offer the youngsters more, the junior committee of the parade is preparing a ‘junior parade’.
“Our approach is that we really want to build a bridge between the children’s parade and the adults,” explains Jolanda Pool of Corso Frederiksoord. The junior committee challenges young people to make a smaller parade wagon, based on, for example, a milk wagon or a large handcart. They get the undercarriage and building materials from the parade.
Since the end of last year, the parade has been on the UNESCO intangible heritage list. This also includes the obligation to ensure continuity. That also plays a part in the energy that the parade puts into retaining young people. “We want to secure the future of the parade. And we also just want a lot more excitement on the road and during the parade.”
According to Jolanda, the current construction groups are enthusiastic. They also help with workshops for young adults. “How do I design? What do I make the cart from? How do I attach the dahlias?” The construction groups also offer space if the youth members themselves do not have a place available.
Adolescents and young adults are not the easiest to bond with, Pool also sees. “That’s right, but of course there are children of car builders who are very enthusiastic. Who are creative themselves and are already building things in, for example, scouting. It is precisely those young people who like to participate.”
The younger children also receive extra attention. Bins were placed at primary schools that students were allowed to paint with graffiti themselves. They plant dahlia tubers in those containers. This year’s parade is on September 10 and 11.