Get Political – Igniting Youth Active Participation in Political and Electoral Processes through Political Literacy and Knowledge

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Innovative actions to improve the literacy and political engagement of 15-30 year olds, youth workers and educators through participatory learning experiences and the use of practical resources.

Context

An analysis of youth civic engagement reveals an interesting trend: young people show significant cognitive and emotional interest in politics but are less likely to participate in traditional political activities. This is evident, for instance, in voter turnout rates for European Parliament (EP) elections, which have declined over time. In the first elections held in 1979, the average turnout across the EU was 67.2%, while in 2019, it dropped to 50.7%, with older voters participating more than younger ones. A similar generational gap is observed in national elections, where young people consistently vote at lower rates than the general population. Data from recent national elections in over 20 countries highlight a pronounced disparity, emphasizing the challenge of engaging younger voters.

It is essential to encourage conventional political participation and foster voting habits from an early age, as voting behavior is often established during youth. Overcoming the barriers young voters face, such as a lack of adequate information and limited access to clear, concise political resources, is particularly important. Political knowledge is a key determinant of traditional political engagement: individuals with greater knowledge of political issues are more likely to vote. Furthermore, political interest and active election participation underscore the importance of awareness and involvement.

However, many young people feel insecure about their understanding of politics and struggle to find accessible and trustworthy sources of information, highlighting the need for educational and mobilization efforts. To address this challenge, the Get Political project aims to empower young people to actively engage in political processes at local, national, and European levels.

Objectives

  • Raise awareness about the unique circumstances of youth engagement in Political and
  • Electoral Processes by documenting their experiences and knowledge.
  • Provide training for youth organizations to advocate for increased knowledge and literacy, and involvement of youth in Political and Electoral Processes
  • Create educational resources tailored to the specific needs of young people to empower them with the necessary skills and knowledge to participate in Political and Electoral Processes
  • Cultivate agency and active involvement among young people in Political and Electoral Processes
  • Foster constructive dialogue between young individuals and political leaders, establishing platforms for interactions to build trust and understanding with political institutions.
  • Enhance recognition and awareness of youth political participation

Activities

  • Organization of 8 Political Talks to capture the knowledge, perspectives, and insights of youth regarding political and electoral systems
  • Organization of 1 international exchange of Political Literacy Practices
  • Development of 8 National Youth’s Political Knowledge Posters
  • Development of 1 Transnational Youth’s Political Knowledge Posters
  • Development of 1 Booklet of Political Literacy Practices
  • Development of 1 Guide on Political and Electoral Systems, Structures and Processes
  • Creation of 8 National Political Institutions Peddy Papers
  • Implementation of the National Political Institutions Peddy Papers (visits to local political institutions, such as, their region’s municipality, parish’s headquarters, national parliament and have a sociopolitical city tour
  • Exchange of Political Institutions Peddy Papers, visiting parliament of other partner country, have a round table with members of youth wings of the country’s political parties and have a sociopolitical tour of the visited city.
  • Organization of 8 interviews to national authorities, mayors, deputies, parish presidents or ministers about their path and how did they get into politics.

Resources

  • 8 National Youth’s Political Knowledge Posters developed
  • 1 Transnational Youth’s Political Knowledge Posters created
  • 1 Booklet of Political Literacy Practices developed
  • 1 Guide on Political and Electoral Systems, Structures and Processes developed
  • 8 National Political Institutions Peddy Papers created

Impact

  • Participation of 80 young individuals in Political Talks overall.
  • Involvement of 24 youth workers in the Exchange of Political Literacy Practices in Kalamaria, Greece.
  • Engagement of 80 young people in total in the National Political Institutions Peddy Paper.
  • Participation of 24 young people in total in the Exchange of Political Institutions Peddy Papers.
  • Conducting a European Peddy Paper in Brussels, Belgium, involving 24 young individuals.
  • Implementation of “Why Politics Matter?” – Interviews with Politicians and Authorities, engaging 16 young people and 8 policy makers in total.
  • Total participation of 160 young people, youth workers, educators, youth organisations, politicians, authorities, and other stakeholders in Get Political Final Events.
  • Direct and indirect engagement of 5,000+ young people and under-represented youth across Europe throughout the project via mobilities, events, implementations, interviews, online campaign, etc.
  • Training and provision of resources to 200+ youth workers, youth professionals, and youth NGOs’ representatives with the Get Political 101 Guide, the Booklet of Political Literacy Practices, the Political
  • Peddy Paper Methodology Manual and the Get Political Website and Mapping Platform.

Partners

The project

Get Political – Igniting Youth Active Participation in Political and Electoral Processes through Political Literacy and Knowledge

Project number

101148165

Implementation date

01/11/2024 – 31/10/2026

Fundings

European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) – CERV-2023-CITIZENS-CIV (Citizens’ engagement and participation – 2023)

Categories

Units

Info & contacts

E-mail

enrico.casacchia@cesie.org

Follow the project in action

CESIE ETS