Implementation period: September 2018 – June 2019

This community-driven initiative empowered secondary school students to take an active role in local governance by transforming civic education into hands-on experience. Through structured engagement with their local communities, students analysed concrete infrastructure needs and developed practical policy proposals, working directly with municipal officials. This collaboration bridged the gap between classroom learning and real-life decision-making, fostering a deeper understanding of democratic participation and local public policy.

Over the course of the initiative, more than 100 motivated and gender-balanced secondary school students participated in civic engagement workshops, participatory budgeting training and teamwork sessions designed to strengthen critical thinking, collaboration and public presentation skills. The process culminated in student-led presentations, during which participants formally presented their infrastructure proposals to local authorities, ensuring that youth perspectives were reflected in municipal planning discussions.

A key outcome of the initiative was the development of a participatory budgeting manual and a comprehensive training toolkit. These resources were designed to support replication and scaling of the model in other municipalities, helping to ensure the sustainability of the initiative and extend its impact beyond the initial group of participants.

As a result, students gained hands-on experience in local governance and strengthened their civic skills and confidence. The initiative also enhanced cooperation between schools and municipalities, promoted meaningful youth-led participation, and contributed to more inclusive infrastructure planning, supporting the development of a new generation of informed, engaged and active young citizens.

This project reflects E+’s commitment to fostering civic engagement, participatory governance, and youth empowerment at the local level.