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Description
The purpose of the initiative is to create the Participatory Budgeting in Schools Network. Participatory budgeting (PB) is a tool to empower students as well as the entire school community. During the project, 10 schools will implement PB with at least 2 language immersion programme schools. A seminar will take place in spring 2022 with the aim to spread PB to more schools and to provide support to participant schools. The target group of this initiative is youth (until 19 yo) and teachers. In the long-term, the purpose of the network is to grow into a Democratic Schools Club where a wider selection of interactive interventions will be shared and practiced to increase school democracy. PB is necessary to increase the awareness of youth on corruption and democratic values through experience in order to impact their citizen activism later in life. Additionally, schools will be offered to use the e-platform kaasavkool.rahvaalgatus.ee which can be used to increase students’ digital skills in e-voting. For project implementers, Transparency International Estonia and the Estonian Cooperation Assembly, creating a network of schools and teachers with access to youth is the most efficient way to reach young people.
Summary of project results
The project was necessary to address several pressing challenges related to youth awareness of corruption, democratic participation, and digital skills. Research has shown that young people in Estonia are more tolerant of corruption compared to older generations. For example, the 2021 Global Corruption Barometer revealed that younger individuals are more likely to justify corrupt behavior if it leads to effective governance and positive outcomes. Similarly, a 2016 study by the Ministry of Justice found that young people not only tolerate corruption more but also struggle to recognize it when it occurs. These findings indicate a significant need for targeted efforts to increase awareness of corruption among youth and equip them with the tools to identify and oppose unethical practices.
Another critical challenge is the lack of opportunities for young people to engage in democratic processes. Many students have limited exposure to practical experiences that allow them to understand and participate in governance, such as decision-making or public budgeting. This gap limits their understanding of democracy and their ability to engage meaningfully in civic life. Schools play a vital role in shaping democratic attitudes, but they often do not provide enough practical platforms for students to learn about and participate in democratic processes.
Additionally, while it is widely assumed that young Estonians possess advanced digital skills, social scientists and educators have observed significant variation in these competencies. Strong digital skills are essential for participating in modern e-democracy, and their absence can act as a barrier to civic engagement. Enhancing these skills is therefore crucial, particularly in the context of using digital tools such as ID cards, Mobile-ID, or Smart-ID for participatory activities like voting.
The project also seeks to engage ethnic minority students by involving schools that are part of the language immersion program. This ensures that the initiative reaches a broader spectrum of Estonia’s diverse population.
Through participatory budgeting in schools, the project aims to provide students with practical experiences in democracy, deepen their understanding of public sector processes, and foster a greater awareness of the importance of ethical governance. By equipping teachers with the tools and knowledge to support this process, the initiative strengthens the foundation for school democracy and helps bridge the gaps in youth awareness, participation, and digital competencies.
The project involved various activities aimed at establishing a network of schools that practice participatory budgeting as a way to empower students and school communities while fostering democratic values. Throughout the project, two cycles of participatory budgeting were implemented across 11 schools. The target groups included young people (up to 19 years old) and teachers. Toward the end of the project, a seminar called the "School Democracy Inspiration Day" was held to further disseminate the practice to additional schools.
One key initiative was the creation of an animated video explaining participatory budgeting and its connection to democracy. This animation served as a tool for schools to introduce the concept, explain the process, and encourage idea submissions from students and the school community. The animation is designed to be reusable, ensuring that schools implementing participatory budgeting independently in the future can benefit from it.
In addition to the animation, the project developed four e-lectures to support the implementation of workshops and idea-generation activities within schools. These materials provided practical guidance for teachers and students, ensuring the effective execution of participatory budgeting processes.
A series of "Democracy Workouts" were conducted at several schools, including Läänemere Gümnaasium, Saksa Gümnaasium, Tallinna 32. Keskkool, Imavere Põhikool, and Kaarli Kool. During these sessions, students practiced a variety of skills essential for active participation in democratic processes. These included active listening, expressing opinions, articulating personal viewpoints, managing disagreements, cultivating empathy, encouraging participation, practicing active citizenship, and developing skills in compromise and consensus-building. These activities ensured that students and teachers not only gained practical experience in participatory democracy but also developed the skills and resources necessary to sustain and expand these practices within their school communities and beyond.
As a result of the project, there is increased awareness and practical experience of participatory budgeting as an effective intervention to raise awareness among Estonian youth about the impact of corruption, provide hands-on experience in democratic participation, and foster the development of active citizenship. By creating a network of schools practicing participatory budgeting, the initiative reached a broad audience through school representatives, ensuring a wide dissemination of its values and practices.
The project provided schools with essential tools to implement participatory budgeting effectively. These included a detailed guide, an engaging animation to introduce the concept to students, templates for planning and organizing the process, an e-platform for voting, and a project plan. These resources simplified the process for schools and ensured consistency in implementation.
Another outcome of the project was the development of digital competencies among young people. By integrating digital tools into the participatory budgeting process, the project offered students a practical and realistic experience in using digital solutions. Students engaged with tools such as online voting platforms and other e-government resources, enhancing their ability to participate in digital democracy. These newly acquired digital skills are transferable and can be applied to participation in local and national-level decision-making processes in the future.
In summary, the project not only equipped schools with practical resources and methodologies to promote participatory budgeting but also empowered students with essential democratic and digital skills. It laid a strong foundation for the ongoing promotion of democratic values and practices in school communities, contributing to the long-term goal of developing informed, active citizens.