National Kolping Societies exist in 20 European countries, with most of them having an active Kolping Youth. Kolping Youth Europe coordinates the networking at European level, supports the exchange of information and experience between youth groups and organizes international youth events such as an annual Youth Week. Additionally, Kolping Youth Europe cooperates closely with Kolping International and the Kolping Society of Europe.
At the annual Membership Meeting, the priorities of work are determined and the board of Kolping Youth Europe is elected. The board consists of seven members which are elected for three years and meets usually once per month. Additionally, two youth advisors support the work of Kolping Youth Europe.
Board of Kolping Youth Europe
Sven Messing
My name is Sven, I am from Bavaria and work as a research assistant at the university.
From 2013 to 2019 I was a member of the leading team of the Kolping Youth in the diocese of Bamberg. In that time, I was involved in organising different events from the local to the international level. One of these events was the Youth Week 2017 of Kolping Youth Europe that took place in Nuremberg. Together with a motivated group of volunteers, we prepared a varied program for 40 young Kolping members from 15 different countries: Workshops about human rights and European values, interactive city tours, meetings with our bishop and local mayors, a hiking tour in the nature and legendary evenings. It was amazing to see how such an international group can grow together during one week and I still enjoy to remember these days. As a board member of KYE, I would like to connect young Kolping members across Europe and make our organization strong for the future.
sven.messing@kolpingyoutheurope.com
Heinz Strässle
My name is Heinz Strässle. I am from Switzerland, from the Kolping Family of Wolfenschiessen.
My parents have met in Kolping so, I was litterally born into the Kolping society. As a child I participated with my family in local and regional Kolping events as well as Kolping Family holidays. In 2012 I participated the first time in an European Youth Week, organized by Kolping Youth Europe. After experiencing many more KYE events, I finally took the step forward and was elected to the Board of Kolping Youth Europe in 2019. Since then I am the Vice-President and support the organization of smaller events like the Kolping Apéros and Talks as well in the bigger events like the Membership Meetings and the European Youth Week. I am excited to share the positivity, community and love that I experience with Kolping Youth. As this is already my second term in the board, another aim of mine is to prepare the path for the next generation of Kolping Youth and provide them with the toolkits necessary to keep this community engaged and flourishing.
heinz.straessle@kolpingyoutheurope.com
Ágoston Szrenka
My name is Ágoston Szrenka. I came from Hungary, from the Kolping Family of Érsekvadkert.
Kolping has always played an important role in my life, I have been attending Kolping events since my childhood. In 2019 I decided to actively participate in Kolping Youth in my local Kolping Family, and I became one of the youth leaders in Érsekvadkert. Since then, we have been organizing events for the young people and for families in our community. We have been organized musical camps where we learn how we could improve our musical skills. We also organised wine tastings, where we learned how to properly consume and appreciate wine.. I was also involved in the organization of the National Kolping Youth Camps. The Camp was organized in my hometown Érsekvadkert. We invited speakers to talk about volunteering and other topics such as how we can put Christian values into practice in our daily lives. In September 2022 I was elected as a member of the Board of Kolping Youth Europe. As part of the Board my future plan is to organise events, which brings Kolping Youth together across Europe and make this society one big family.
agoston.szrenka@kolpingyoutheurope.com
Nikola Hrubenja
Hi, my name is Nikola Hrubenja and I am from Novi Sad, Serbia.
I have been volunteering at the Kolping society of Serbia since 2017. This year I started to organize a social network where I have the chance to promote the work and contribution of the Kolping Society of Serbia. I decided to apply for the Board of Kolping Youth Europe in order to bring my work in an organisation to the European level and to gain more knowledge and experience in the field of organisation, finances and the whole work of the association. On the other hand, I would like to use the acquired knowledge to present the work of the Kolping Youth Europe in its best light as it really is. I am very happy to be part of such a team and hope that we will lead the Kolping Youth Europe in the best possible way.
nikola.hrubenja@kolpingyoutheurope.com
Dorina Kiffer
I am Dorina from Hungary, currently living in Switzerland, working in financial controlling.
I got to know Kolping through a volunteer program, where I taught children in different countries online. After that I started to get involved in the life of the community and I participated and helped in the organization of local and international events in Hungary and Switzerland. Some of these events were related to volunteering, while others were about getting to know the community through hikes, dinners, youth camps. I met incredibly lovely people in this organization. Before I moved to Switzerland, a Kolping family from the town I was planning to move contacted me, and they were helping me with all the initial challenges in the new country. They treated me like a family member since the very first moment. I owe beautiful memories and valuable experiences to this community, for which I am very grateful. I found the values of this organization sympathetic, so I joined the board to get involved on an international level. As a member of the Board of KYE, I would like to involve more and more youths to share all these great experiences, to facilitate a cultural exchange, and to spread the Kolping values 😊
dorina.kiffer@kolpingyoutheurope.com
Luis Saavedra
My name is Luís, I’m from Portugal, more precisely from a beautiful city called Lamego!
Currently I’m finishing my master’s degree in Multimedia Design, this being the activity that most occupies my time and sometimes gives me some headaches! 
In parallel I participate in several projects. I was always connected with Kolping, my mother always took me with her to the events, but, more recently, my connection and desire to meet and be part of this big family has become more intense. Then I quickly approached and was welcomed with open arms by the Kolping Portugal Family.
Everything escalated very quickly after this approach, I participated in Erasmus+ projects, volunteering and other activities carried out in the Kolping Family in my city. I am currently part of the Kolping Portugal Family Board, as a Youth Representative, and who would say that a few weeks later I would also become a member of the KYE Board!
I hope that my participation in this new project will be as intense as the last few months have been, and that I will be able with the same intensity, inspire other young people to take steps similar to mine!
luis.saavedra@kolpingyoutheurope.com