Our shared experience with our partner, Metropolia Poznań Association (SMP), points to a low civic and social participation among the young people in Wielkopolskie Voivodeship. SMP research from 2018 conducted among the students from primary schools in Poznań showed huge gaps in knowledge pertaining to consultations and civic budgets among the 13-15 years old kids. From those surveyed only three out of 120 students admitted they voted for initiatives in the Poznań Civic Budget for 2018. Civic budgets for the city of Poznań, as well as our experiences from previous projects point to a low turnout in civic budget voting in municipalities across Wielkopolskie Voivodeship and the need for a more engagement on behalf of the youth.

In order to develop youth’s civic participation and increase the engagement in public affairs, we plan on creating Young Citizen School Clubs in 20 municipalities across Wielkopolskie Voivodeship. The youth from each of the clubs will participate in a series of workshops, organize Oxford debates, and design a civic school budget in their respective schools. Based on previous conversations, the young people will organize environmental campaigns and initiatives regarding park cleanups, smog, recycling, or reusing rainwater. We will organize trainings for individuals working in the local governments on how to activate young individuals and how to involve them in participatory processes. Our partner will support us with knowledge and experience relevant to the recruitment efforts, trainings with the local government officials, and workshops at the involved schools, organizing debates and helping with the School Civic Budgets.