This area of practice brings together reflection, experience and action by combining a podcast that explores civic engagement through real perspectives from practice, an approach that frames how civic engagement appears in everyday work with young people, and a set of methods and workshops that translate ideas into concrete activities. The materials can be used independently or combined, depending on your context and learning goals.
This podcast explores how civic engagement is understood and practiced across different contexts of working with young people. It reflects on participation in democratic processes, community involvement and social action, as well as barriers such as mistrust, exclusion or lack of access to information. The conversation brings together perspectives from youth work and other sectors, highlighting different ways young people are supported to engage with society and public life. The edited podcast transcript based on recorded discussion is available for download below.
Civic engagement in practice is closely connected to access, trust and relevance. Young people are more likely to engage when they understand how systems work and see clear links between their actions and real change. This approach focuses on supporting critical thinking, encouraging participation in local and wider contexts, and creating opportunities for young people to express opinions, take part in decision-making and act on issues they care about.
The following methods and workshops support practical engagement with civic engagement. They are designed to encourage participation, dialogue and awareness of social and political processes, and can be adapted to different groups, ages and contexts. The methods and workshops related to this area of practice are available as printable cards and can be downloaded below.
This area of practice can be combined with the Navigation Cards to deepen reflection and discussion. The cards can help explore personal positions on civic engagement, challenge assumptions about participation and responsibility, and reflect on the consequences of involvement or disengagement in public and community life.
They can be used before, during or after activities to support orientation and meaningful dialogue.