Our young members raised democratic participation as an important subject, so it was included in our 2023-2024 Work Plan.
Children and teens from across the European Union told us what they think about democratic participation, what works well, what type of changes they want, and about their own experiences.
Who did we hear from?
- 1,921 children from 23 EU countries completed an online survey
- 28 children and 3 young activists were interviewed
- 122 children participated in focus groups
- aged from 6-17
- 60% girls, 38% boys, 1% other, 1% don't want to say
What did children say?
What children and teenagers want:
- Safe and inclusive places to participate and be heard
- A bigger role in influencing decisions that directly affect their lives
- More information about democracy, how it works and how to get involved
- Encouragement to participate in discussions and decision-making
- Learn more about voting and the knowledge to help them make their own voting decisions
Animated version of what children said
Become a democracy champion!
As part of the work done on democracy, the young members of our Platform have co-created a Democracy Toolkit that can be used in classrooms across the European Union.
The toolkit is an interactive and fun learning guide for children aged 9-13 to become Democracy Champions and make a difference in their school or community.
It supports teaching about civic participation and helps kids to engage with democratic principles through practical, hands-on experiences.
