“Friends for life”: This is how young people celebrate Youth Movement Day

Day of the Youth Movement at the MMI in Kortemark. That included tug-of-war over the afternoon.

“That’s a classic here with us,” says Tom De Proft of MMI in Kortemark. “We do that every year, at the request of the students themselves. They love nothing more. And then we also have our music. That’s a weekly tradition. But now it’s music every break, and the students think it’s fantastic.”

Chiro, KSA, Scouts or KLJ, everyone danced along. And they all know well why they are in a youth movement.

Lotte Vandamme of Chiro Zarren: “The youth movement, then you just come together with your whole group. Have fun, get to know people, and you learn a lot.”

“It is now my fourth year in KLJ Eernegem”, says Jarne Jonckheere. “It’s for the gang, we get along well and we have a lot of fun.”

Group feeling and identity

“I think being part of a youth movement is a way to show their identity,” says Tom De Proft of MMI. “And to lose their energy. Also group feeling, and also experience many other things in life. Especially the people who later become a manager can benefit a lot from that later.”

“These are friends you make for life and you are involved with them 24/7,” says Ilana Vannieuwkerke of Chiro Ichtegem. “Our KLJ is one big gang”, adds Sarah Vervaele of KLJ Lichtervelde. “There are no cliques, everyone talks to each other. You are having the best time of your life.”