Winter Democracy Academy – 2nd edition“Youth and Democracy, Bridging the Gap”

The second edition of the Winder Democracy Academy (WDA) took place from 8th – 15th December 2024 in Lisbon, Portugal. It was co-organised by DYPALL Network, Portuguese Institute for Sports and Youth, Lisbon Youth Center, the European Parliament Liaison Office in Portugal and the European Commission Representation in Portugal. It was a space to discuss, cooperate and engage in dialogue on youth participation in local democracy. WDA includes several activities happening in parallel throughout the week and below are some of the highlights of this year’s edition.

On the occasion of 10th December,  International Human Rights Day, the conference “Youth and Democracy, Bridging the Gap” was the high point of the Winter Democracy Academy, as the joint moment, bringing together participants of all activities. Following the welcome words by Bruno Antonio, DYPALL Network Executive Director, the Head of the European Commission Representation in Portugal, Sofia Moreira de Sousa, opened the conference with a speech in which she emphasised the importance of youth participation and their engagement in democracy. She mentioned the 2024 EU election where 30 million youngsters voted for the first time and the Youth Policy Dialogue’s objective of promoting interaction between young people and policy makers. 

Filipe Silva Fernandes from the Political Science Research Centre at the University of Minho (Portugal) pointed out the attention needed for youth engagement and his concerns about institutional participation decline. The roundtable discussion, “Youth-Driven Change: Bridging the Gap” included insights from speakers like Aida Clarke Stavdal, Leader of Kristiansand  Municipality Youth Council from Norway and Dimitris Manoukas of Panteion University Athens from Greece. Participants stressed the need for institutions to connect with young people, especially in remote areas, and to create accessible spaces and opportunities for involvement. Key themes included alternative participation methods, respect, and informality in youth engagement. The program also featured a presentation on the Sakharov Prize 2024 and presented innovative young engagement practices such as “Os 230” project, the Phygital project and valuable insights from the Paris Youth Council.

The Training Course “Local Youth Councils for Quality Local Democracies”, brought together 30 participants from seven countries (Norway, Finland, France, Croatia, Portugal, Estonia, and Türkiye). Its goal was to strengthen local youth councils (LYCs) by fostering resilience, inclusivity, and quality standards to better address the needs of young people in their communities.

Participants evaluated their LYCs using DYPALL’s “Quality Charter on participatory and inclusive local youth councils” and identified areas for improvement while sharing best practices. They also reflected on threats to democracy and developed actionable strategies to enhance their LYCs, focusing on short- and long-term impact. Key outcomes included the development of the European Network of Local Youth Councils that aims to improve youth engagement in local governance throughout Europe. The training provided tools, knowledge, and collaboration opportunities to empower participants as advocates for democratic and meaningful youth participation. Participants also had the chance to visit Cascais municipality as well as the European Commission Representation in Portugal and the European Parliament Liaison Office in Lisbon where they actively engaged in a role-play simulation game which allowed them to understand the EU’s democratic decision-making process. Afterwards, they learned more about the EU through “Values that Move Me”, a fun and interactive board game created by the European Parliament Liaison Office in Portugal. This visit provided a meaningful educational experience about the European Union and its principles. Towards the end of the activity, participants reflected on the current threats to democracy and explored how they can actively engage as informed advocates in their local communities to address these challenges, by outlining these threats from local to global level and discuss them through a debate simulation.

The Training Course was organised by DYPALL Network in cooperation with Kristiansand municipality, funded by Erasmus + programme through Norwegian National Agency.

Another activity coordinated by DYPALL Network during WDA was the training course “Phygital youth participation – Digital innovation for stronger local democracies” that brought together youth workers from municipalities in Belgium, Slovenia, and Portugal to explore the “phygital” tool that blends digital elements with in-person activities, designed to engage young people in local policy-making.

Participants shared experiences from the first testing phase, where the tool was used during the 2024 European elections. They also developed action plans to implement the tool in their municipalities as part of the “Youth Dialogue 2.0” process, set to take place in 2025. Discussions were focused on lessons learned, ensuring quality youth participation, and developing the necessary skills and values for effective phygital youth work.

This training was part of a two-year Erasmus+ KA2 project, coordinated by Tree Company (Belgium) and DYPALL Network, in partnership with Levuur (Belgium) Danes Je Nov Dan (Slovenia) and Municipality of Sint-Niklaas (Belgium) funded through Belgian National Agency JINT. The project was presented during the WDA Conference “Youth and Democracy, Bridging the Gap” as an innovative practice of European youth work.

DYPALL Network’s Steering Group came together on the 8th of December in Lisbon to share updates and discuss future plans. Members highlighted recent activities such as attending international conferences and representing the Network in relevant European spaces Many of them contributed by organising events and leading projects aimed at promoting youth participation and integration. 

A key point of discussion was the revised membership criteria introduced earlier in the year. The inclusion of research institutions as a new category was particularly significant aiming to strengthen partnerships and enhance the network’s capacity. The Steering group also reviewed the 2025 activity plan and some of the members stepped forward to lead various sessions during the Assembly of Members focusing on networking and communication strategies. Upcoming events and opportunities were highlighted such as the II Rural Pact Conference and the European Week of Regions. The meeting aimed to offer a platform that fosters collaboration, shares expertise and provides a clear roadmap for future initiatives within DYPALL Network.

DYPALL Network Assembly of Members took place on 9th December bringing together members to address key priorities of the network and strengthen their collaboration. The event included updates on the 2024-2025 work plans and an overview of DYPALL Network’s ongoing projects within the four program areas. 

Participants took part in working groups to develop communication strategy and Strategic priorities of DYPALL Network for 2026-2030. These discussions emphasized the need for a unified advocacy campaign, improved internal communication, capacity building, and financial sustainability measures such as grant funding and mentoring programs for newer members. A networking session provided opportunities to share project ideas, explore collaborations, and build stronger connections reinforcing a sense of community within the network.

The Assembly highlighted the value of ongoing collaboration and set a roadmap for future activities including study sessions and training courses. It served as a platform to exchange ideas, strategize, and strengthen the network’s commitment to youth participation and democracy.

The week-long Winter Democracy Academy offered a diverse range of activities, emphasizing the importance of involving young people in democratic processes and promoting sustainable democracies by strengthening local youth policies. This year’s edition was organised in collaboration with the Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth, Lisbon Youth Center (CJL), the European Parliament Liaison Office in Portugal, and the Europen Commission Representation in Portugal with the support of the Erasmus+ Programme through the Portuguese National Agency and the European Commission.