Workshop Democractic citizens since childhood

This is a workshop empowers children to be ambassadors of democracy, while learning about what democracy is in a fun way and easy-to-understand language.

The workshop invites children to discover what democracy is, and what they, as young democratic citizens, can do to promote it in their community.

Check the level of energy and focus of the participants, they might need more short breaks and energizers from time to time.

The workshop is split in 2 phases: presenting the agenda, the Wake UP project and getting-to-know-each-other games, and plenary discussion and group exercices on the topic of democracy.

1st part of the workshop is focused on a short introduction of the facilitator, information about project., a name game. For example, each participant says their name and a quality that starts with the first letter from their name. The facilitator collects all the qualities said and related to democratic citizenship. The facilitator makes a short presentation of the Wake UP! Project and gives an explanation of what will happen within the workshop (presentation of the agenda), and asks for expectations from participants. Meanwhile some more energizers can be added, depending on the level of energy and focus of the group. Also a break can be added.
The 2nd part starts with an icebreaker (eg. a guessing game like `What can I take with me on a dessert island?`), then continues with a brainstorming on what democratic values the children know. Here it might be necessary to explain the vocabulary used and to give examples to stimulate the sharing. Based on the brainstorming, participants identify what is volunteering and the power of it, while they give examples from their own life and reality. It might be needed again a game, this time a brainergizer can be used. After this, a new challenge is given to participants: to brainstorm on benefits of volunteering. The brainstorming ends with the reasons of why are considered volunteers democratic citizens.

After conclusion, the participants share what they can personally do to be democratic citizens in their community.

At the end, ask participants to share one word symbolizing how they felt at the workshop.

If possible, challenge the group leader/ class teacher to implement with the kids a volunteering action in their community.