Policy Paper: Digital Youth Work and Democratic Participation in Digital Spaces
Key challenges, findings, European policy linkages, and recommendations from the AdB-project DIYW-ROAD
Digital transformation, sustainability and young people’s involvement in politics. Although these fields may seem distinct, they are key issues in the development of democratic policy in the European Union and its member states. The EU is responsible for governing digital markets, fundamental rights, and climate and environmental policies. This affects the lives, opportunities and democratic involvement of young people – now and in the future. Democracy is heavily affected by the choices we make for the regulation of the internet, as well as for tackling climate change. Therefore these policies are key for Education for Democratic Citizenship, and for Youth Work.
From the Table of Content:
1. Findings from Policy Labs
2. Linkages to European Policy Frameworks
3. Recommendations for Implementation
4. A Call for Collective Action
Created in the frame of the project DIYW-ROAD: Digital Youth Work – Rights-sensitive, Open, Accessible, Democratic. Coordinated by Arbeitskreis deutscher Bildungsstätten e. V. AdB (DE) with Sozialprofil – Verein zur Förderung individueller, institutioneller und gesellschaftlicher Entwicklung (AT), DARE – Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe vzw. (BE), Partners Bulgaria Foundation (BG), Fundación CIVES (ES), Dínamo – Associação de Dinamização Sócio-cultural (PT).
Editors: Daniela Kolarova and Georg Pirker, supported by Filipa Fernandes, Markus Plasencia-Kanzler, Elisa Rapetti, Paula Alvira Rosende, Nils-Eyk Zimmermann
Typesetting: Nils-Eyk Zimmermann
Publisher: DARE- Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe vzw., Brussels, 2026