About the project:
Pathways to Participation: Civic Integration and Democratic Engagement of Ukrainian Adults in Europe aims to strengthen the civic integration and democratic participation of displaced Ukrainian adults in Croatia and Czechia. The project seeks to ensure that, alongside access to rights, protection, and essential services, displaced people can develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to participate actively in the civic and democratic life of their communities.
While integration programmes often focus on navigating administrative procedures, accessing services, and understanding individual rights, active participation in social and democratic processes is frequently overlooked. Displaced people may be aware of their rights but lack practical knowledge of how institutions in their host countries function, how decisions are made, and how they can contribute to their local communities.
The project responds to this challenge by developing a participatory approach to civic integration that recognises displaced people not only as recipients of services but also as active participants in society.
Project objectives:
Develop a civic integration methodology: Design and test a practical methodology combining civic education with hands-on civic participation activities, adaptable to the needs of displaced people and other migrant groups.
Strengthen civic competences: Improve displaced adults’ understanding of European values, the rule of law, and democratic institutions while encouraging active civic participation.
Build the capacity of practitioners: Equip adult educators and civil society organisations with participatory methods for working with displaced people and other migrant communities.
Ensure long-term use of the results: Promote the integration of the methodology into adult education and integration programmes and encourage its uptake beyond the project partnership.
Activities and expected results:
One of the project's key outputs will be a Civic Participation Toolkit, containing session plans, a model for Civic Participation Labs, institutional mapping templates, and guidelines for adapting the methodology to participants' different needs and backgrounds.
The methodology will be piloted through three pilot cycles in Osijek, Zagreb, and Prague, involving a total of 30–45 displaced Ukrainian adults. Through practical activities, participants will explore European values and the rule of law, learn how local and national institutions function, practise communicating with public authorities, and develop individual Civic Participation Pathway Plans.
The project will also deliver a two-day online training programme for at least 20 adult educators and civil society practitioners. The training will focus on participatory approaches, the practical application of the toolkit, and adapting activities to different groups of learners.
Following the pilot activities, the partners will review the results, participant feedback, and facilitators' reflections to refine the methodology and prepare the toolkit for public release. The results will be shared through partner networks and a public online presentation, encouraging other organisations to adopt and adapt the approach.
Partnership:
Centre for Peace, Nonviolence and Human Rights – Osijek, Croati
Svitlo z.s., Prague, Czechi
Udruga Svoja, Zagreb, Croatia
Through international cooperation, the partners will share experiences from Croatia and Czechia and develop a methodology that contributes to more active civic participation, social inclusion, and stronger democratic values in European communities.
