Students create the city

Workshop objectives

To teach young people to actively approach their surroundings and change their perspective on how they perceive their own role within their city (dissatisfied citizen versus active proposer). Participatory budgeting is an ideal tool thanks to which young people can implement their ideas, cooperate with the city hall and decide what will happen in their immediate surroundings.
To supplement the knowledge and skills of young people about the practical functioning of politics at the local level in the context of participatory budgeting. During the generation of ideas, they will learn about the functioning of the participatory budgeting process, how to submit a proposal and what is needed for this (budget, working with an asset map, etc.). To increase the involvement of young people in decision-making at the local level using the participatory budgeting tool, which strengthens solidarity, understanding and cooperation between political representation with authorities on the one hand and citizens on the other. To facilitate dialogue between local politicians and officials and students, so that young people are not afraid to promote their ideas in the city and so that councilors gain young people’s perspective on real situations and problems that they wish to address within the framework of participatory budgeting.

Who is the program for?

For a group of at least 25 young people aged 13-19 (7th – 9th grade elementary school, high school students).
The composition of the group is entirely up to the participating school and city. It can be one class, or volunteers from different classes or schools.
If interested, the program can be implemented at the school for multiple classes/groups.

Workshop date

The workshop should ideally take place in connection with the city’s participatory budget process.

Workshop Course

The workshop opens up the topics of participatory democracy and active citizenship. As part of the program, students will learn how politics works at the local level, how young people can get involved in it, and how they can specifically get involved in the participatory budget implemented by the city. Furthermore, the workshop will prepare students to be able to submit their own ideas within the framework of the participatory budget and thus be able to directly influence their surroundings. Young people will have the opportunity to talk and cooperate with representatives, councilors or mayors and coordinators responsible for the participatory budget in the city, who will be present at the workshop.

Workshop duration: 4 hours

Outline of the workshop program:

what is democracy and participatory democracy
separation of powers in the state and what does it mean for civic participation
what are the methods of civic participation for youth
what is the purpose of participatory budgeting and how does it work
specific rules of participatory budgeting in our city
reflection and debate: what do I like and dislike about my city, and how can I influence it
summary of the basic rules for submitting proposals for participatory budgeting
division of students into groups, each group chooses a different idea and creates its own proposal
group work on proposals (the participatory budget coordinator is present here, or other
city officials or city representatives)
refining ideas into a feasible form
presentation of the ideas of individual groups to a politician and discussion (the mayor/political guarantor of participation is present), debate on ideas and problems in the city.
What does involvement mean for the city?

To ensure cooperation on the program, a city participatory budget coordinator and
at least one political councilor or representative.
The coordinator and politician will participate in part of the program at school (1-2 hours), where, in cooperation with lecturers,
they will help young people think about ideas for the participatory budget so that they are
realizable, provide them with constructive comments and help motivate them to submit a proposal.

What does involvement mean for a specific school?

Select at least 25 students aged 13-19 to participate in the workshop.
The composition of the group is entirely up to the school. It can be one class or volunteers from different classes.
If interested, the program can be implemented at school for multiple classes/groups.
Choose a workshop date during the time of submitting proposals within the framework of the participatory budget.
Provide space for the workshop at school – a classroom with a data projector and a computer.