Youth Democracy Academy Erasmus Project

Project Title

Youth Democracy Academy

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: EU Citizenship, EU awareness and Democracy; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Youth (Participation, Youth Work, Youth Policy)

Project Summary

“Education for democratic citizenship equips learners with knowledge, skills, and understanding. It develops their attitudes and behaviours and empowers them to exercise and defend their democratic rights and responsibilities in society as well as internalise democratic values, with a view to the promotion and protection of democracy and the rule of law.” (Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member states on the Council of Europe Charter on Education for Democratic Citizenship and Human Rights Education, May 2010)

The project focuses on engaging and empowering young people through Youth Democracy Academy, a program for education for democratic citizenship, comprised of a set of training sessions based on non-formal education methodology supported by a board game, that can be conducted in school or youth centre setting independently or incorporated into the already existing citizenship education class in secondary schools.

With this project, Ölands folkhögskola (Sweeden), DYPALL Network (Portugal), InteliGames (Poland) and La fenice (Italy) will develop the “Youth Democracy Academy” consisting of “Educate for democracy” training program, a board game supporting the training program and an assessment tool to measure the impact of the program that will enable teachers and youth workers in schools, youth centres and similar spaces to provide youth with the opportunity to learn how democracy works at different levels, how it impacts their lives and how they can actively participate in it. The program will also help develop their capacity for critical thinking and information analysis.

After the Youth Democracy Academy program has been developed, including all its elements: the Educate for democracy training program, board game and Assessment tool, it will be implemented in a youth centre in Italy and a school in Sweden during one semester and thus lead to the achievement of the objective of “supporting existing citizenship education programs in schools with a set of training modules and board game that can help engage young people in a more innovative and youth-friendly manner.”

To contribute to that aim, we will also organise a Training activity for teachers, educators and youth workers that will equip them with knowledge and skills on how to implement the program, including non-formal education methods and tools.

The intellectual outputs produced will allow for it to be replicated in an unlimited number of schools and local communities across Europe and beyond. The project, on the whole, will build a community of well informed and engaged young European citizens as the key for participatory and resilient democracy at all levels.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 90375 Eur

Project Coordinator

Region Kalmar Län/ Ölands Folkhögskola & Country: SE

Project Partners

• APS LAFENICE ASD
• InteliGames sp. z o. o.
• DYPALL NETWORK: ASSOCIACAO PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DA PARTICIPACAO CIDADA