Enact AI © 2026. All right reserved
Empowering Youth: Navigating Democracy and Active Citizenship in Times of AI
Empowering Youth: Navigating Democracy and Active Citizenship in Times of AI
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant technology — it is already shaping how young people learn, communicate, find work, and participate in democratic life. From algorithmic content curation on social media to AI-assisted hiring systems and automated public services, AI decisions are directly affecting the lives of young Europeans every day. Yet most young people — and many of the professionals who work with them — have had little opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills, or critical frameworks needed to engage with AI on their own terms.
This gap between the pace of AI deployment and the preparedness of citizens — especially young citizens — is a democratic challenge as much as a technological one. AI systems are not neutral: they are built on existing data and can reflect and amplify biases and inequalities. As youth workers and educators, we have a responsibility to ensure that AI is used in ways that empower young people and contribute to more inclusive and democratic societies.
EnactAI was created to address this gap. Bringing together five organisations from Germany, Austria, Croatia, and Romania, the project builds on decades of collective expertise in non-formal education, digital literacy, youth participation, and policy advocacy. Through transnational collaboration, co-designed tools, and a commitment to open resources, we aim to make AI literacy a permanent fixture of youth education across Europe.
Develop a shared Code of Conduct for the responsible use of AI in youth work settings, grounded in EU AI Act principles.
Create a comprehensive Digital Toolbox on AI and democracy, including good practices, multimedia resources, and frameworks for multi-day youth events such as Bar-camps, Social Hackathons, and Democracy Labs.
Design and deliver a blended learning Training Programme for youth workers and non-formal educators across all partner countries.
Engage at least 100 practitioners and 200 stakeholders directly in project activities and consultations.
Produce a Policy Recommendations document addressing AI literacy in EU and national youth policy frameworks, with input from decision-makers across partner countries.
EnactAI is grounded in non-formal education principles: learning by doing, peer exchange, critical reflection, and active participation. All activities are co-designed with input from the young people and professionals they serve — making participation both an essential topic and a guiding principle of the project itself.
Participation: Young people and professionals are co-designers, not just recipients. Their feedback shapes every phase of the project.
Inclusion: Multifaceted barriers — physical, social, economic, and cultural — are considered in all activities. No one is left out.
Critical thinking: We do not tell young people what to think about AI — we build their capacity to think, question, and act for themselves.
Peer learning: Professionals and young people act simultaneously as learners and teachers, exchanging different perspectives.
Open resources: Everything we produce is freely available as OER, licensed for reuse, and designed to outlast the project.
Blended learning: We combine in-person and online formats to reach diverse groups and reduce environmental impact.
EnactAI is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union under Key Action 2 — Cooperation for Innovation and the Exchange of Good Practices. The project directly addresses the EU Youth Strategy 2019–2027 (Engage, Connect, Empower), the Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027, the European Democracy Action Plan 2020, and the EU Digital Compass 2030. It incorporates the provisions of the EU AI Act (2023) and GDPR into all of its educational frameworks and tools.
Policy alignment
Enact AI © 2026. All right reserved