In a significant effort towards fostering youth engagement in Croatia, Udruga Prizma has successfully organized two rounds of deliberations aimed at involving young people in decision-making processes on issues that directly impact them. These deliberations, held across multiple cities, have empowered Croatian youth to voice their opinions on critical matters, marking a crucial step towards more inclusive governance.
The first round of deliberations took place between September and November 2023 in Zadar, Osijek, Rijeka, and Zagreb, gathering 116 participants, over 75% of whom were young people. The second round was conducted in April and June 2024, with 86 participants, more than 68% of them youth, in Zadar and Zagreb. The discussions were preceded by pre-consultations with young people in January, April, and May 2024 to ensure that the topics addressed were aligned with their interests and concerns.
In Zadar, the deliberations centered around the opening of a long-discussed youth center, a topic that had seen little youth involvement until now. The first round focused on "The role and contribution of young people in the creation and implementation of programs at the Youth Center in Zadar," while the second round honed in on "Services and Activities in the Youth Center." These discussions were pivotal in amplifying youth voices, resulting in recommendations to ensure that the center meets the needs and interests of the youth, providing a safe and stimulating environment for their growth and community engagement.
In Osijek, participants addressed the issue of youth exclusion from civic and political life at the local level. The discussions aimed to find ways to enhance youth involvement in decision-making processes, tackling the broader issue of political apathy among young people. This echoed concerns raised in Zagreb and Rijeka, where deliberations focused on "What kind of education fosters active citizenship - youth perspectives." These discussions highlighted several shortcomings in the Croatian education system, particularly in its ability to promote active citizenship among students.
Workshops on critical thinking and media literacy were conducted in Zagreb and Rijeka before the deliberations, emphasizing the importance of these skills in informed democratic participation. The Zagreb deliberations, themed “Education for Active Citizenship - European Perspective,” underscored the need for a more personalized educational path that allows students to choose elective courses and extracurricular activities aligned with their interests, thus fostering a stronger sense of initiative and responsibility.
The second round of deliberations in Zagreb built on the outcomes of the first, focusing on youth-related issues from a broader European perspective. Participants reviewed various approaches to civic education across EU countries, discussing how these could be adapted to improve the Croatian education system. The emphasis on elective subjects and personalized education was reinforced as key to creating a more engaging and productive learning environment, essential for nurturing active citizenship.
The two rounds of deliberations, organized by Udruga Prizma between 2023 and 2024 as part of the Citizen Z project, successfully engaged youth from diverse backgrounds across both rural and urban areas of Croatia. These efforts mark a significant step forward in involving young people in the decision-making processes that shape their future, fostering a more inclusive and participatory approach to governance in Croatia, and strengthening their connection to the EU.
