Berlin, Dec 4 (IANS): The German government presented its youth strategy, which is to give young citizens more influence, improve their education, living and working conditions as well as healthcare.

"It is the first youth strategy in the history of Germany," said German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The strategy includes a bundle of measures and was presented by Merkel and Minister for Youth Franziska Giffey at a discussion with more than 100 young citizens at the Federal Chancellery in Berlin.

The youth strategy planned to support young Germans in the "transition from school to vocational training". To that end, a minimum allowance of 515 euros (US $571) was planned for the first year of vocational training from 2020 onwards.

In the future, grammar schools in Germany were planned to also benefit from a vocational orientation program which was established back in 2008 and has since supported 1.5 million German pupils in choosing the right career path, the strategy noted.

To encourage young people to get more exercise and eat more healthily, the government is planning to promote balanced catering at schools and provide additional social offers such as physical exercises during lesson breaks.

Addressing the issue of equal living conditions, young citizens in urban and rural areas in Germany had "similar needs, but often face very different challenges", the strategy noted.

To preserve rural areas as attractive living spaces, selected districts in structurally weak rural regions in Germany were to be funded to support projects for young people, such as a studio for communication and film, according to the strategy.