Language workshop Jongerenwerking
18 May 2026
At Foyer’s youth programme, everything revolves around the talents, interests and initiative of the youngsters themselves. A fine example is the new project that has recently been launched: a Spanish and Dutch language workshop, organised by and for our young people.
What makes this project special is that the lessons are taught by our young people aged 15 and over to their peers. Many of them had previously taken part in the English language workshop. That project was set up because a group of young people were dreaming of a trip to London. By organising English lessons and activities together for younger members, they were not only able to prepare for the trip, but the whole adventure also took on greater meaning and cohesion.
Now the request has come once again from the youngsters themselves. This time, they wanted to learn a language not offered at school. As some of the youngsters were born in Spain and therefore have a connection to the country, the choice quickly fell on Spanish.
As with every project within the youth programme, we start from the strengths, interests and ideas of the youngsters themselves. It is important that they not only participate, but also actively contribute ideas and help shape the project. This fosters a sense of ownership, motivation and, above all, a great deal of enthusiasm.
During the language workshop, the youngsters learn new words, grammar and how to hold conversations. But it doesn’t stop there. By teaching each other, they also learn how to explain information clearly, how to speak in front of a group and how to motivate others.
In a city like Brussels, multilingualism is a huge asset. Speaking different languages opens doors, connects people and boosts young people’s self-confidence. That is why we at Foyer can only wholeheartedly encourage initiatives of this kind.
