National implementation in Ireland by AONTAS

We are excited to present the results of the Citizens Xelerator Pilot Action and Citizen Xelerator Igniting Events in Ireland, organized by AONTAS. 

This initiative has already made a significant impact on local communities by empowering citizens, fostering social cohesion, and promoting active civic participation.

Capacity Building for Adult Education Professionals

The Capacity Building of Adult Education Professionals was conducted as a two-day session, with 13 participants taking part. The training aimed to equip adult educators with the tools and strategies necessary to promote lifelong learning within their communities, with a particular focus on enhancing awareness of the importance of civic and democratic education and its impact on societal dynamics.

These sessions created a strong foundation for educators to continue their work, empowering them with necessary tools to facilitate heightened awareness among adult learners regarding pertinent societal issues and ongoing political developments in Ireland.

Citizens Xelerator Action Labs

The Citizens Xelerator Action Labs played a key role in fostering creativity and collaboration among community members. The Action Labs included:

  • 3 “Think Tank Brainstorming” sessions with 52 participants, resulting in 2 actionable ideas. Feedback from participants highlighted the importance of exchanging perspectives and collaborating to address democratic and civic literacy issues:

💬 “It was great to have time to understand things better and learn about political life..”

 

  • 5 “Create Your Action” workshops engaged 70 participants targeting democratic and civic literacy issues.
  • Two Citizens Xelerator Days were celebrated, involving 46 participants:
  1. European Week of Democracy
  2. One world Week
  • 53 Microlearning sessions were delivered to 158 participants, covering a wide range of essential topics. The sessions included:
  1. Democratic and civic participation
  2. Media Information and Literacy
  3. Intercultural Competence
  4. Social Empathy
  5. Diversity and Inclusion Awareness

The Citizens Xelerator pilot action in Ireland has been a remarkable success, fostering democratic and civic engagement while empowering citizens to actively contribute to their communities. The project provided opportunities for individuals to collaborate, share ideas, and drive meaningful change, emphasizing the importance of inclusive participation in building a fairer and more equitable society.

This initiative underscored the value of community-driven solutions and the need for platforms that promote civic literacy, social responsibility, and active citizenship. Citizens Xelerator is more than a project—it’s a movement dedicated to strengthening democratic values and empowering citizens to shape a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Citizens Xelerator Igniting Events

Our recent events have successfully advanced the goals of adult education and civic engagement. These gatherings served as dynamic platforms to disseminate information about the project and its objectives, foster collaboration and inspire civic and democratic engagement and establish valuable partnerships and expand our network.

Igniting events Agenda:

  • The online event featured sessions on project contextualization, action lab exercises, experimentation with resources, and invitations for partnerships.
  • In-person events included presentations on the project, demonstrations of the CX Model and Kit, interactive activities to develop personal and social skills, participatory discussions on citizenship-related topics, and satisfaction surveys

Results:

  • 14 attendees from 7 different organizations.
  • participants included teachers, coordinators, policy makers, and learner leaders from the Waterford and Wexford region.

Through these efforts, we have created opportunities to exchange best practices, engage stakeholders, and strengthen training and networking opportunities.