GORD in the EU

Strengthening civic education among youth

About The Project

GORD IN THE EU was a collaborative initiative aimed at enhancing civic awareness and engagement among young people in Bulgaria and Portugal. The project focused on fostering discussions about civil society, European citizenship, and the responsibilities of individuals within the European Union. Through a series of structured activities, the project sought to equip young people with the necessary knowledge and critical thinking skills to navigate civic life effectively.

The Objective

Educate, Engage and Encourage

The primary objective of the project was to educate and engage young people in civic participation by addressing key aspects of European citizenship. Through youth sessions, expert exchanges, and the development of a comprehensive digital guide, the project aimed to:

  • Raise awareness about European citizenship; fundamental rights, and civic responsibilities;
  • Encourage critical thinking and combat misinformation among young people;
  • Promote active participation in civic and European society;
  • Develop educational resources to support ongoing civic education efforts;

Activities

Youth Sessions in Bulgaria and Portugal

  • This project had six session (three in each country) facilitated by experts from the partner organizations. In this sessions we: 

    • Introduced young people to the project’s objectives and planned activities;
    • Highlighted the importance of civil society and the opportunities it provides;
    • Encouraged open discussions to assess students’ attitudes toward civic engagement;
    • Promoted critical thinking and addressed misinformation;
    • Included a survey to identify knowledge gaps and areas of interest in civic education;
    • Involved six sessions (three in each country), facilitated by experts from the partner organizations;
Development of the Digital Guide

  • To ensure lasting impact, a digital guide was created based on the findings from the youth sessions. The guide was structured into four key chapters:

    1. European Citizenship
    2. Fundamental Rights and Duties of European Citizens
    3. Citizen Participation
    4. Reliable content was carefully curated through expert collaboration, research, and analysis of existing civic education resources.
Expert Exchange Visits

Two exchange visits were organized to facilitate knowledge sharing between experts from the partner organizations. These visits:

    • Provided an opportunity to study existing European citizenship handbooks and guides.
    • Allowed for the identification of best practices and effective teaching methods.
    • Supported the development of the content plan for the Digital Guide.
Impact Assessment and Analysis

At the conclusion of the project, the team conducted an analysis to measure the impact of the activities. The evaluation focused on:

  • Changes in levels of awareness, engagement, and motivation among young participants.

  • The effectiveness of the Digital Guide and its potential for long-term educational use.

  • The overall contribution of the project to fostering civic engagement and participation.

Resources

You can access the presentation used during the project sessions to explore key topics on European citizenship, fundamental rights, and civic engagement.

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