AJDA: Academy for democracy

The Academy for Democracy – AJDA project is aimed at young people, primarily secondary school students, who wish to deepen their understanding and knowledge of democratic processes and acquire skills that will enable them to apply this knowledge in their own environments. Through the preparation of actions to address and improve issues in their school, local, or national communities, participants are empowered to present their demands to decision-makers at various levels.

As part of the project, we have already organized a five-day educational event in Ljutomer for 40 young people from across Slovenia. During the event, participants learned how to design and implement different actions for change in their school, local, national, and European contexts. They deepened their understanding of democratic processes and developed advocacy skills and active citizenship competencies. At the event, they also identified issues that concern them and prepared action plans to carry out initiatives in their own environments.
A handbook for young people, youth workers, and teachers is currently in preparation. It will include theoretical texts on the importance of democracy and active citizenship, as well as practical guidelines on how to implement various actions. In the coming months, we will also produce a series of videos and organize seminars for teachers and young people.

The project will conclude with a public discussion in which young people will present their experiences in implementing actions and engage in dialogue with decision-makers to promote greater youth participation in decision-making processes.
The Academy for Democracy is funded by Proteus, a project of the Transatlantic Foundation, and co-funded by the European Union.