Empowering teens to be global citizens
Teens, generation Z, has lost trust in political institutions. In today’s modern world, global problems threaten our existence. In our modern times, teens acquire maturity earlier than in previous generations. Teens thus want a seat at the table. In the last few years, we have seen the highest abstention in elections rates coming from youth. We want to change this. Teen apathy is not an option. Teen engagement is. At the Athens Democracy Forum, we give teens a platform to share their voices, connect with delegates, and bridge the intergenerational gap.
The proposal
The Teens for Democracy (T4D) initiative gives young people a real voice in shaping the future. It creates space for teens to engage in deliberative democracy, share ideas, and grow into active citizens within their communities.
Vision
- Provide a mechanism that will allow teens to exchange ideas and inspire the start of a movement that is driven by the teens themselves;
- Frame and test a strategy to engage with schools on offering workshops for teens;
- Encourage governments to engage with young people in more modern and impactful ways.
Strategy
- Build an international teen volunteer network to promote the initiative.
- Partner with teen-focused brands that share democratic values.
- Launch pilot workshops and peer mentoring in school communities.
- Introduce a replicable model for teen participation at the Athens Democracy Forum.
- Facilitate teen-led conversations with government representatives.
Impact
Empowering teens with the tools, confidence and platform to influence a more democratic shared future.
Teens Recommendations
Below you can see the recommendations that the teens came up with during the Athens Democracy Forum:
How Can Young People Resist Extremism and Defend Democratic Values?
Exploring the Impact of Social Media and AI on Democracy and Human Rights
Educating and Empowering Teenagers About Climate Crisis
If you have any questions or would like to find out more about the project, please email us at teensdemocracy@democracyculturefoundation.org.
