We Do Democracy receives support from the Tuborg Foundation to work with young people to develop a method to involve young people in democracy. Young people play a key role in the future of democracy, but all too often their voices are not heard when decisions are made. We Do Democracy will run the project, which will include a youth citizen gathering with young people from three municipalities on good youth involvement. The project ‘Young Influence – Democracy for the Future’ will create both concrete recommendations on good youth involvement, but also a methodology on how citizen gatherings and deliberative democracy can be tailored to the young target group.
In recent years, young people, municipalities and organizations are calling for more and better youth involvement of a broad and diverse group of young people. If we are to succeed, we need better methods and young people themselves to decide how they should be involved. The new project Youth Influence – Democracy for the Future aims to ensure that young people have the opportunity to define how they should be involved in decision-making processes. The project will engage a broad group of young people so that both new and established voices can be heard. Using formats tailored to young people, We Do Democracy will strengthen democratic processes and ensure that young people have real influence. We Do Democracy runs the project in collaboration with young people, municipalities and other stakeholders. The project is supported by the Tuborg Foundation.
Need for new ways to engage young people
More municipalities and organizations are increasingly looking for new ways to bring the perspectives of a diverse group of young people into decision-making processes. Young people are often underrepresented in traditional forms of democratic participation, and current methods of involvement often fail to attract or retain young people sufficiently. Therefore, both civil society actors and public institutions are calling for innovative methods that can ensure that many different youth voices are heard. At DUF’s most recent general assembly, for example, it was decided that youth involvement should be mandatory for municipalities in decision-making processes. Young Influence – Democracy for the Future will develop and adapt the citizen assembly method to accommodate a diverse and representative group of young people. The project will create recommendations for better youth involvement, but also develop a new model that municipalities and organizations can use to bring young people’s perspectives into play.
A project driven by young people
Young Influence – Democracy for the Future will be developed in close collaboration with young people from three selected municipalities. A youth gathering will be held where 40 young people will be selected by lottery and will make concrete recommendations on how youth involvement can look in the future. In addition, a methodology will be developed to inspire municipalities and organizations to implement better youth involvement. Contact Kolja Dahlin or Sofie Puntervold Kristensen to learn more about the project.
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