Democracy in Action: Empowering IVET Learners for a Resilient Europe
Main Info
TCA Description
Nowadays, Europe is facing critical levels of complexity. Geopolitical instability, climate change, hybrid conflicts and widespread information manipulation are reshaping societal dynamics.
To address these evolving challenges, the European Commission has recently introduced two key strategic initiatives:
- Preparedness Union Strategy, designed to strengthen Europe’s capacity to anticipate, prevent, and respond to crises;
- Union of Skills Strategy, designed to close the skills gap by enhancing competencies both within the existing workforce and among individuals entering the labour market.
Preparedness requires shifting from a reactive to a structural model of emergency management. As climatic, cyber, and health crises become the “new normal”, resilience depends not only on material resources but on how quickly people can adapt to evolving conditions.
Among the Strategy’s central measures, the population preparedness initiative emphasizes raising citizens’ awareness of emerging risks and improving their ability to respond effectively. In this context, education plays a crucial role in enabling individuals to navigate uncertainty while safeguarding European democratic values.
Addressing such complexity requires not only technical skills and crisis-response mechanisms, but also the systematic development of competences for democratic culture (CDC) across all levels and sectors of the education system. These competences have been thoroughly identified and conceptualized in the Council of Europe’s Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC).
Within this landscape, VET stands out for its heterogeneity in how democratic competences are integrated. National differences, dual systems, and the central role of companies as learning environments create a fragmented picture. Yet VET is not only a provider of labour‑market skills: it is also a key component of the broader education system, preparing learners to become active, responsible citizens. This is especially true for IVET learners—young people still developing the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes needed to participate in modern democratic workplaces and communities.
It is therefore essential to reflect on how European VET systems can ensure that learners, particularly in IVET, acquire strong democratic and preparedness competences, and the ability to adapt the professional profiles to the diverse challenges Europe faces daily. In this regard, Erasmus+ can play a strategic enabling role by offering opportunities to:
- co‑develop innovative approaches integrating CDC competences and preparedness elements into curricula;
- strengthen the professional development of teachers and in‑company trainers, equipping them with tools to foster democratic and resilience‑building skills;
- enhance coherence between school‑based and company‑based learning, ensuring both contribute meaningfully to learners’ preparedness and democratic competences.
The TCA is organised in the framework of the LTA PEACE+
The seminar will bring together VET professionals, experts, and stakeholders to:
- gain a clear and shared understanding of the key concepts behind the competences for democratic culture and the preparedness approach;
- reflect on effective ways to integrate competences for democratic culture and preparedeness skills within IVET systems—including school‑based, work‑based, and dual VET models—considering their specific structures and learning dynamics.
- explore how democratic competences and preparedness skills—especially media literacy, critical thinking, crisis awareness, cooperative problem-solving, etc.—can be strengthened through curricula, learning environments, and learner participation.
- identify opportunities for more coherent, cross-sectoral collaboration, ensuring that democratic values taught in schools are consistently reinforced in companies and workplace settings.
The participants will:
- enhance their knowledge about competences for democratic culture and preparedeness perspective
- reflect critically on challenges, gaps, and opportunities related to integrating competences for democratic culture and preparedeness in different IVET systems—school‑based, work‑based, and dual—while identifying the specific needs of learners, teachers, and company‑based trainers.
- exchange practices and collaboratively design new project ideas, applying the knowledge acquired during the seminar with a view to developing potential future Erasmus+ partnerships.
The seminar will begin at 15:00 on 4 November and will conclude at 13:00 on 6 November.
Accommodation and meals covered by NA IT01:
Participants will be hosted for two nights in a hotel in Rome city centre, from 4 to 6 November 2026. The hosting includes:
- 2 breakfasts (5 and 6 November)
- 2 lunches (5 and 6 November)
- 2 dinners (4 and 5 November)
Participants will also be invited to attend a cultural event on the evening of 5 November.
Any additional overnight stays outside the official programme dates must be covered directly by participants.
Partners and participants
VET professionals with solid experience in the Erasmus+ Programme (KA1 and KA2), curriculum development, and innovative teaching methodologies, who are strongly motivated to design project proposals focused on democratic participation, shared values, and civic engagement. Ambassadors of EuroApprentices network are welcome, with the number to be agreed jointly with the IT01 National Agency
Pending booked places
Accepted places
TCA Participant Application
Long-term Activity Info
The new edition of LTA PEACE+ (2025-2027) aims to expand the achievements of the first LTA PEACE initiative, reinforcing European identity and civic engagement through an integrated network of Erasmus Alumni, Ambassadors, and Role Models. The key objectives include:
Strengthening cooperation between Erasmus+ National Agencies to broaden participation and outreach.
Enhancing communication and dissemination efforts to engage a larger number of stakeholders and citizens.
Providing structured training on EU values and European citizenship education.
Continuing research on civic engagement to better target messages and content.
Increasing synergies between different European programs to foster mobility and civic participation.
Expansion of Networks
The initiative seeks to:
Unify and expand networks of Erasmus+ Ambassadors, Alumni, and Role Models across multiple countries to foster a deeper sense of European belonging.
Strengthen partnerships with institutions at local, national, and international levels to promote civic engagement.
Develop a robust governance structure that ensures sustainability and impact measurement through national Observatories.
Institutional Collaboration and Measurement
Establish stable relationships with territorial institutions for sustained collaboration.
Implement tools to periodically assess improvements in civic engagement, internationalization, social inclusion, and digital transition.
Event Planning and Outreach
Define a recurring program of events at the national and international levels, here follow a draft calendar:
PEACE+ Kick-off Meeting (February 2025, Florence, Italy - INDIRE)
PEACE (April 9-11, 2025, Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
EU Values and Participation (October 2025, Riga, Latvia)
TCA for Kindergarten Teachers (October 2025, Tallinn, Estonia)
TBD Event (October 2025, Greece)
TBD Event (November 2025, Germany)
TBD Event (2026, Vienna, Austria)
TBD Event (2026, INAPP, Italy)
- Organize multi-country meetings where Alumni and Ambassadors collaborate in outreach activities with students and teachers.
- Enhance the impact of Erasmus+ initiatives through coordinated communication strategies.
Planned activities divided for Work Packages (WPs)
WP1 - Governance
Coordination and strategic oversight of PEACE+ activities.
Establishment of a Board of Directors and an Operational Board.
Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding among National Agencies.
Monitoring progress and impact measurement through key performance indicators.
WP2 - Networks
Strengthening and expanding Alumni and Ambassador networks across Europe.
Formalizing agreements with established Erasmus+ networks (e.g., ESN, Erasmus Garage).
Developing IT tools for efficient network management.
Creating structured methodologies for selecting and engaging network members.
WP3 - Training
Developing training modules on European values, civic engagement, and political literacy.
Producing digital learning materials, including e-modules and interactive resources.
Facilitating knowledge exchange through structured online and in-person training events.
Creating an open-access training platform to support Erasmus+ beneficiaries and the general public.
WP4 - Communication
Designing and implementing a comprehensive communication plan.
Producing promotional materials, reports, videos, and case studies to highlight Erasmus+ impact.
Conducting targeted outreach campaigns at the national and European levels.
Engaging media and stakeholders in dialogue on civic participation and European citizenship.
WP5 - Research
Conducting studies on key themes such as political engagement, social inclusion, and EU citizenship.
Collaborating with academic institutions to develop research reports.
Integrating findings into policy recommendations and future Erasmus+ initiatives.
Organizing international conferences to disseminate research outcomes.
Strengthened and expanded networks of Erasmus+ Alumni, Ambassadors, and Role Models.
Increased public awareness and participation in European civic engagement initiatives.
Greater synergy between Erasmus+ programs and other EU-funded initiatives.
Enhanced training opportunities to promote EU values and citizenship education.
A data-driven approach to measuring the impact of Erasmus+ on civic engagement.