Through the Local Youth Digital Action Lab, young people in Kicevo are learning how to transform their online presence into meaningful civic engagement
Young people spend much of their time online, yet many remain disconnected from the formal decision-making processes that shape their communities. To address this challenge, Rural Coalition from Kicevo, North Macedonia, launched the project “Local Youth Digital Action Lab – From Clicks to Civic Change.” The initiative aims to equip young people with practical skills to use digital democratic tools, engage with institutions, and become active contributors to local governance. As the project reaches its midpoint, the early results already demonstrate the potential of digital civic participation among youth.
Why digital participation matters
I am Liljana Jonoski, Executive Director of Rural Coalition, a civil society organization based in Kičevo, North Macedonia. For more than a decade, our organization has worked to strengthen rural communities, promote citizen participation, and support inclusive local development.
Although young people are active users of digital technologies, many are unaware of the official online tools available for civic participation. Platforms for public consultations, access to information requests, open data, and digital feedback mechanisms often remain underused, especially in smaller municipalities and rural communities.
As a result, youth engagement is frequently limited to social media discussions rather than participation in formal democratic processes. Our project seeks to change this by helping young people understand how digital tools can be used to influence policies, communicate with institutions, and advocate for community improvements.
Bringing youth closer to decision-making
The project engages 30 young people aged 16–29 from Kicevo and surrounding rural communities. Particular attention has been given to ensuring the participation of young women, youth from different ethnic backgrounds, and young people from underrepresented groups.
The first phase of the project focused on outreach, participant selection, and the assessment of existing knowledge about digital participation. The findings confirmed that most participants had little or no experience using official digital democratic mechanisms.
To address this gap, Rural Coalition organized a Digital Democracy Bootcamp, the first major milestone of the project.
Digital democracy bootcamp: Learning by doing
The Bootcamp brought together young participants for a series of interactive workshops focused on understanding decision-making processes, transparency, access to information, and the practical use of digital participation tools.
Rather than relying solely on theory, the training emphasized hands-on learning. Participants explored public consultation platforms, learned how to access public information through online systems, and practiced navigating official digital channels used by institutions.
For many participants, this was their first exposure to these opportunities.
One participant shared:
“I had never heard about online public consultations or civic initiatives before joining the project. Now I understand that young people can contribute their opinions directly and have the power to make change in the local community according to their needs.”
Another participant commented:
“The training helped me realize that digital tools can be used for much more than communication and entertainment. They can also help us become active citizens.”
The Bootcamp has been the most successful activity implemented so far because it immediately connected knowledge with practical skills and increased participants’ confidence in engaging with institutions.
Building sustainable opportunities for engagement
The project is now entering its next phase, which focuses on establishing the Youth e-Participation Hub. This online resource will provide information about participation opportunities, practical guidance on using digital democratic tools, and resources that young people can use long after the project ends.
At the same time, participants will begin working in thematic groups to identify issues affecting their communities and prepare civic initiatives that can be submitted to local and national institutions through official digital channels.
These upcoming activities will provide participants with an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained during the Bootcamp in real-life situations and strengthen their role as active contributors to democratic processes.
Early lessons and community impact
Although the project is still ongoing, several important lessons have already emerged. First, young people are interested in civic participation when they are provided with practical tools and clear guidance. Second, many barriers to participation stem not from a lack of motivation but from limited awareness and understanding of existing opportunities.
The project has also highlighted the importance of creating accessible pathways for participation, particularly for young people living in rural communities where civic engagement opportunities are often limited.
Teachers, local stakeholders, and participants have expressed strong support for the initiative, recognizing its potential to strengthen communication between youth and institutions and to promote transparency and accountability.
Looking forward
Over the coming months, participants will continue developing civic initiatives, engage directly with public institutions through digital mechanisms, and participate in a Youth–Institution Digital Forum where they will present their ideas and experiences.
We expect the project to result not only in increased knowledge and confidence among participants but also in tangible examples of youth engagement with decision-makers. More importantly, we hope it will encourage a culture of participation that extends beyond the project itself.
Personally, this experience has reinforced my belief that digital democracy is not simply about technology. It is about empowering citizens — especially young people — to use technology as a tool for dialogue, accountability, and positive change. As the project continues, we look forward to seeing participants transform newly acquired skills into meaningful civic action that benefits both their communities and the broader democratic process.
