The Consortium
The project brings together a multi-disciplinary consortium of partners from across Europe and beyond:

1. Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), Norway: As the coordinator, HVL has extensive expertise in civic education and participatory theatre research.
2. The University of Auckland (UOA), New Zealand: A leading research university that will lead the methodology development for the project.
3. Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), UK: Has extensive expertise in AI and digital creative technologies.
4. International Drama/Theatre and Education Association (IDEA): A significant global umbrella association with members in over 80 countries. 
5. Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network (TENet-Gr), Greece: An active network of teachers and youth workers that will help implement the project.
6. Citoyenneté jeunesse (CJ), France: A French NGO with expertise in civic values and critical thinking.
7. InSite Drama, Czech Rerublic: A Czech-based organization that uses drama to address pressing social problems.
8. The Regional Directorate of Education of Peloponnese (REDP) Greece: A Greek public organization that oversees education and has a strong network of schools.
9. The Centre for Education Development (ORE) Polland: A Polish institution for teacher training that will adapt and pilot the modules in Poland.

Project Objectives
The CIVIC STAGE project has four main objectives:
Framework: To elaborate an evidence-based framework for developing and assessing participatory theatre methods to enhance citizenship education for young people aged 15–29.
Methods: To develop and pilot innovative theatre-based methods in both formal and non-formal settings.
Evaluation: To evaluate the positive effects of these methods on young people's civic and democratic engagement.
Rollout: To promote and facilitate the widespread use of these new methodologies for citizenship education in both formal and non-formal settings.

Key Project Themes
The project will develop eight thematic modules, each sharing a short joint introductory panel. The modules will focus on the following key themes:

1. Imagining democratic futures: society, values, peace, freedom and participation.
2. Voting, trust in institutions, and democratic innovation.
3. Global citizenship, transcultural responsibility, and diversity.
4. Sustainability, climate action, and civic responsibility.
5. Justice, diversity, inclusive participation, tackling inequality and discrimination.
6. Migration, refugees, and belonging.
7. Media literacy, misinformation, and the Digital Public Sphere (social networks and AI).
8. Tackling polarisation, populism, Euroscepticism, and conflicts.

Project Methodology
The overall project methodology is based on an evidence-based theoretical framework. The process will include the following key stages:
Framework Development: Mapping the needs of young people, educators, and policymakers, and reviewing existing research.
Module Development: Creating the eight innovative training modules, each with a digital, game-based component.
Training of Trainers: Training at least 160 facilitators (teachers, students, youth workers) in at least eight countries to use the new methods.
Pilot Implementation: These trained facilitators will then pilot the methods in the field with at least 3,200 participants.
Evaluation and Impact Assessment: The field tests will be assessed using mixed-method research, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Rollout and Recommendations: The project will create toolboxes and policy recommendations to promote the new methodologies.

Stakeholders and Target Groups
A wide range of stakeholders will be actively involved in the project's development and implementation. The target groups for the project include:
End users: Pupils and students aged 15-29, including disadvantaged groups and youth in highly polarized contexts.
Educators: Teachers and student-teachers in formal settings, as well as youth workers and other educators in non-formal settings.
Decision Makers: Local, national, and European policymakers and managers of educational institutions.
Broader Society: NGOs, research communities, the media, and the general public.

List of Work Packages & Lead partner
1 Evidence-based theoretical and methodological framework Lead: TCD
2 Development of CIVIC STAGE training modules  Lead: UOA
3 Training of Trainers Lead: InSite
4 Pilot implementation Lead: REDP
5 Evaluation and impact assessment Lead: RHUL
6 Rollout, pedagogical toolbox and recommendations Lead: IDEA
7 Communication, dissemination, exploitation and sustainability I Lead: TENet-Gr
8 Communication, dissemination, exploitation and sustainability II Lead: TENet-Gr
9 Management I Lead: HVL
10 Management II Lead HVL
(*): The pilots will be implemented by teachers, student teachers and youth group leaders belonging to stakeholder organisations.
Their work is not financed by the project.