Citizenship Skills

Definition

Young people are motivated and interested in political issues in society, however, they find that traditional avenues for participation are not delivering on their promise (Council of Europe). Digital civic engagement can include less traditional forms of civic engagement (e.g. reading and circulating news, writing emails to an elected representative, interacting with them on social media etc.). Students taking part in civic issues engage in academic life more, they can link theory to practice, foster their critical thinking, and develop emotional intelligence and conscientious empathy as part of a community (Alexander Cho et al. 2020).

Explore the Resources of this Driver

Community Engagement in Higher Education. Trends, Practices and Policies: Analytical Report​

This report argues that universities play a crucial role in responding to societal needs through community engagement. While this report was drafted before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is highly relevant to policymakers and university leaders developing plans for higher education in the post-crisis period.​

The 25 Percent​

A portal for young people of Europe to collect ideas and then present them at the Conference on the Future of Europe. Platform, app and network for young people who want to be active in decision-making.

Guide to Digital Civic Engagement​

The Guide to Digital Civic Engagement draws on extensive research on students’ digital civic engagement. It focuses on the conceptualisation of digital civic engagement in theoretical and empirical research and explores how digital civic engagement can be integrated into different levels of higher education (policy, teaching, and learning).​

European Youth Parliament

EYP’s mission is to inspire and empower young Europeans to be open-minded, tolerant and active citizens. It is a network of thousands of young people who are actively involved as volunteers all over Europe. They are devoted to topics such as international politics, human rights, climate, energy, health and many more.