Democracy training
17.9.2023
The first module of the Academy marked the shared starting point of an international learning journey. In Lausanne, young multipliers from nine countries came together to explore democracy as a lived concept – far beyond institutional definitions. At the core was the engagement with power, participation, and access to democratic structures. At the same time, the question arose: What actually makes a good trainer? The group learned initial tools for training design and developed their own energizers for non-formal youth education. It was a module of shared positioning – content-wise, biographically, and methodologically.
Content
In Module 1, democracy was not treated as an abstract concept, but as a multi-layered, living practice. Participants discussed indicators of functioning democracies, examined barriers to participation – such as power structures, discrimination, or privilege – and created their own democracy maps.
Methods
At the methodological center was the topic of energizers: What functions do they serve, how can they be designed inclusively, and how can they be planned effectively as a training tool? The group developed their own energizers, tested them with peer feedback, and reflected on their own roles as trainers. This was complemented by tools such as the 15% Solution, Flower Mapping, and Outcomes-Based Planning.
Exchange
The intercultural dimension of the module was reflected not only in the discussion of different understandings of democracy but also in building a trusting group atmosphere. Participants brought in perspectives from different political systems and reflected in their learning journals on how their backgrounds shaped their views on participation.
