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CLIMATE CHANGE, CITIZENSHIP AND DEMOCRATIC ENGAGEMENT (EMPOWERING LEARNERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION)
Introduction and Description
Climate Change, Citizenship and Democratic Engagement: Empowering Learners for Environmental Action is an interdisciplinary professional development course designed for secondary education teachers and adult educators who seek to address climate change through the lenses of democratic education, active citizenship, and social responsibility. In line with the priorities of Erasmus+, the course responds to the growing need for education systems to strengthen civic competences, critical thinking, and learner participation in the context of global environmental challenges.
Rather than approaching climate change solely as a scientific or environmental topic, the course situates it within broader social, political, and ethical frameworks. Participants explore how climate change intersects with democracy, human rights, climate justice, inequality, and intergenerational responsibility, and how these dimensions shape public discourse and decision-making processes across Europe and beyond. The course supports educators in helping learners understand climate change as a civic issue that requires informed judgement, democratic engagement, and collective action.
A central focus of the programme is the role of education in fostering active and responsible citizenship. Participants examine contemporary models of democratic participation and civic engagement, with particular attention to learner voice, inclusion, and meaningful participation in schools and adult education settings. The course equips educators with pedagogical strategies for facilitating dialogue on complex and sometimes controversial climate-related issues, managing diverse perspectives, and creating safe, inclusive learning environments grounded in democratic values.
The course strongly aligns with Erasmus+ priorities related to participation in democratic life, social inclusion, critical thinking, and the green transition. Through participatory and learner-centred methodologies, participants develop competences to design learning activities that empower learners to move from awareness to engagement, while remaining ethically responsible and educationally sound. Project-based and action-oriented approaches are explored as ways to connect classroom learning with real-life contexts, local communities, and democratic practices.
Both the 5-day intensive and 10-day extended versions of the course combine theoretical input with practical application, collaborative learning, and structured reflection. While the 5-day programme offers a focused introduction suitable for intensive mobility projects, the 10-day programme allows for deeper exploration, extended project design, and enhanced peer exchange. In both formats, participants are supported in transferring course concepts and methodologies to their own professional contexts.
Overall, the course contributes to strengthening democratic culture, climate literacy, and civic competence in education. It empowers educators to support learners as informed, reflective, and engaged citizens capable of participating constructively in democratic processes and contributing to more just and sustainable futures.
Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
1. Conceptual Understanding
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Analyse climate change as a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing environmental, social, political, and ethical dimensions.
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Explain key concepts related to climate justice, citizenship, democratic participation, and environmental responsibility.
2. Critical Thinking and Media Literacy
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Critically evaluate climate-related information, media narratives, and public discourses.
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Support learners in developing evidence-based reasoning, argumentation, and reflective judgement on contested climate issues.
3. Citizenship and Democratic Competences
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Promote active citizenship, learner voice, and civic agency in secondary and adult education contexts.
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Facilitate democratic dialogue, participation, and respectful disagreement within the classroom.
4. Pedagogical Design and Implementation
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Design inclusive, participatory learning activities and projects that connect climate education with democratic engagement.
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Integrate climate and citizenship themes across curricula and learning programmes.
5. Professional Reflection and Transfer
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Reflect critically on the educator’s role in climate-related democratic education.
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Adapt and implement course methodologies within participants’ own institutional and cultural contexts.
Preparation
After registration participants will receive pre-course questionnaire which will be used by the trainer to learn about participants’ teaching backgrounds and to assess their exact needs. Before the beginning of the course a basic reading list will be suggested to participants to prepare for the training. Participants will also be asked to prepare a presentation about themselves, their professional context and their culture. The presentation will be presented on the first day of the course to facilitate networking opportunities. Participants will receive information about the country they are going to visit in order to prepare them for their cultural experience.
Follow up
After the course participants will be asked to share what they have learned with the rest of the staff in their schools. Further books and articles to deepen the topic and contacts with some other practitioners all over Europe and in the world will be suggested by the trainer. The methods shared and explored and the bibliography given will allow the participants to complete and improve their educational path.
5 days programme (25 hours)
course sessions (Monday to Friday)
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Introduction to climate change as a civic, democratic, and educational challenge, beyond purely scientific perspectives
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Exploration of climate justice, including inequality, responsibility, and ethical dimensions of climate action
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Understanding the links between climate change, citizenship, and democratic participation
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Development of critical thinking and media literacy to address misinformation and polarised climate debates
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Practical strategies for teaching controversial and value-laden issues in secondary and adult education
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Pedagogical approaches to learner voice, participation, and civic agency
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Tools for creating inclusive and democratic classroom environments
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Introduction to action-oriented and project-based learning in climate and citizenship education
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Consideration of ethical and safeguarding issues related to civic engagement and climate action
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Guidance on designing transferable learning activities for schools and adult education settings
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Opportunities for professional reflection, peer exchange, and collaborative learning
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Support for transferring course outcomes into participants’ own educational practice
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cultural and social programme
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Teambuilding and networking activities
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City tour or a cultural trip
10 days programme (50 hours)
course sessions (Monday to Friday + Monday to Friday)
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Exploration of climate change as a civic and democratic challenge, going beyond scientific perspectives to include political, social, and ethical dimensions
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In-depth study of climate justice, including inequality, human rights, intergenerational responsibility, and global North–South perspectives
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Analysis of the relationship between climate change, democracy, and active citizenship in contemporary societies
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Development of critical thinking and media literacy skills to address misinformation, polarisation, and contested climate narratives
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Practical strategies for teaching controversial and value-laden issues in secondary and adult education settings
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Pedagogical approaches for fostering learner voice, participation, and civic agency
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Design and facilitation of democratic classroom practices that promote dialogue, inclusion, and respectful disagreement
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Application of project-based and action-oriented learning for climate and citizenship education
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Examination of ethical considerations and safeguarding in climate-related civic engagement and activism
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Integration of education for sustainable development and systems thinking into curricula
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Hands-on workshops on designing climate and citizenship learning projects adaptable to different educational contexts
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Methods for assessing civic, democratic, and transversal competences through formative and reflective approaches
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Opportunities for peer exchange, collaborative learning, and professional reflection
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Guidance on transferring course outcomes to participants’ own schools, organisations, and adult education settings
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Reflection on the educator’s role in strengthening democratic culture and engagement in times of environmental crisis
cultural and social programme
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Teambuilding and networking activities
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City tour or a cultural trip
CERTIFICATE
Each participant will get a course attendance certificate and we will validate the acquired competences on the Europass Mobility upon request. Please note that we have a paperless policy and all the documents will be delivered in digital form.
COURSE FEE
The course fee is 80 € per day. It includes tuition and materials, cultural and social programme, support in preparation and all the administrative work. There are no additional costs or hidden fees. After registration, you will receive a pro-forma invoice which you will have to pay by bank transaction. You will receive the invoice after you attend the course.
SUBSISTENCE
The course fee doesn't include accommodation and meals and participants are responsible to organize them on their own. In some locations we might be able to recommend or organize subsistence for you. Please don't hesitate to contact us to inquire about any specific location.