B.10. Learning Democracy And Democratic Competencies Through Service Learning And Youth Lead Participatory Methods

Young people criticise schools (and higher education institutions) for the lack of opportunities to have a voice, be listened to and be acknowledged as agentic and owners of power. In these same contexts, youth often feel oppressed by a learning environment that endorses individualism and competition. This type of experience, widespread in Western democracies, can contribute to strengthening the idea that participation is useless and “fictional”, that problems should be addressed primarily on an individual basis.

This type of experience limits the (perception of) capacity to act collectively on one's own context, thus contributing to the democratic deficit.

Is it possible to offer concrete experiences in schools and educational contexts that allow young people to feel like real actors in a democratic process and recognise the possibility of transforming reality collectively? Is it possible to support the development of a sense of citizenship starting from a critical (intersectional) analysis of contexts and the way in which they are inhabited?

The panel aims to gather theoretical and empirical contributions that explore how educational practices based on the protagonism of young people implemented in schools and universities contribute to the development of democratic citizenship competencies.

The panel welcomes contributions that:

- Examine the outcomes of service learning and participatory action research practices, focusing on democratic citizenship competencies, sense of community responsibility, and awareness of systemic injustice.

-    Examine the group processes that develop through service learning and YPAR practices

-    Identify the challenges and opportunities that teachers encounter in implementing these practices.