We engaged young people aged 13-25 from Bielsko-Biała and its surrounding areas in social and civic activities. According to our research, in this region, only 18% of young individuals are involved in volunteering, less than 10% participate in youth organizations or NGOs, and 9% have no knowledge of what it means to be engaged. Through interviews, they expressed a desire to expand their knowledge on topics related to civic engagement and the idea of local self-government. Since 2014, we have been working with young people, encouraging them to be socially active and share their opinions on various social issues in Bielsko-Biała. However, the concept of civic engagement has been somewhat unclear and distant for them.

To address these issues, we created and published two issues of the magazine “redakcjaBB,” which we have been working on with young people since 2014. We also developed an e-book about volunteering. These publications cover topics related to civic and social engagement, and all the content is authored by young people. This allows their creativity, attitudes, and opinions to be more visible. We also conducted a series of civic, creative, and competency workshops aimed at strengthening knowledge (including democratic processes), civic and social skills, critical thinking, fact assessment, and drawing conclusions. We also focused on personal development, leadership skills, and soft skills, which are crucial in shaping an active civic attitude. As part of the project, we focused on discovering and deepening the strengths and potential of young people, providing them with mentorship, coaching, or training support. The youth learned tools that facilitate effective self-expression of their views and opinions. They organized and implemented nine educational and developmental events, such as the play “See! It’s Me!”, the International Pumpkin Planting Day in Public Places, garden cleaning and food collection for animals from Ukraine, and provided media support for an open day at the Reksio animal shelter.

Based on our observations, we have successfully activated the youth. An example of this is the high participation of young people from our editorial team in the previously unattended workshops. Many individuals also engaged in social consultations. We see a tremendous change in their perception of the world and their mindfulness towards others.