Here at Smart School Councils, we’ve made it our mission to make sure that all students can make their voices heard in their school communities and are able to have have a positive experience with democracy from a young age. We believe that by showing young people that their participation in democracy can create change, they’ll be more likely to want to continue to participate in the democratic process as they get older.
We are thrilled to announce that last week, we were awarded NESTA’s Democracy Pioneers Award for our work towards accomplishing this mission. This award recognised 19 organisations which are, in NESTA’s words, ‘working in radical ways to shake up civic participation in the UK’.
From fact-checkers fighting bad information, to online courses that reach young people in areas of low democratic engagement, our Democracy Pioneers Award recognises projects working in radical ways to shake up civic participation https://t.co/grq9tXOqR6 Nesta (@nesta_uk) March 17, 2020
In this unique political moment, where there is a widespread lack of trust in our democratic institutions, it is more important than ever before to get people involved and help them make their voices heard. It is an honour to be recognised alongside 18 other organisations which are working towards this same goal of re-engaging people in democracy. We are very excited to continue pursuing this mission and to collaborate with these other Democracy Pioneers moving forward!
🤩At @nesta_uk's offices today for the launch of the #DemocracyPioneer awards! Very inspiring to see everyone's incredible work 👏#democracy #CivicParticipation #CivicTech #TechForGood #UKdemocracy pic.twitter.com/xoPsAEgVY9 Shout Out UK (@Shoutout_UK) March 12, 2020
Thank you @nesta_uk for making us #DemocracyPioneers award winners. Great to share stories & ideas with winners, team & judges. 👏@democlub @peterffloyd @CorynBarclay @Kmodgil @ms_sarahmac @allegorycomms @TheatreState @SSCCTY @PeoplesPowerhse @EconomyAsks @BeBuckfastleigh pic.twitter.com/NWgXMPgKAT Kirklees Democracy (@kirkdemocracy) March 13, 2020
Congratulations to the other organisations named Democracy Pioneers!
Be Buckfastleigh: @bebuckfastleigh
Democracy Club: @democlub
Economy: @economyasks
Full Fact: @fullfact
Shout Out UK: @shoutout_uk
Highway Hope: @highwayhope_
Democracy Friendly Schools: @kirkdemocracy @kirkleesyc
Let’s Talk… Mainstreaming PB: @fifecouncil
NewsWise: @getnewswise
mySociety: @mysociety
Participatory Democracy for Climate Change: @glasgowcc @glasgowcpp
People’s Priorities for the North: @peoplespowerhse
Resistance Lab: @gfscstudio @npolicemonitor
TheatreState in association with Leeds Playhouse: @theatrestate @seddontess @leedsplayhouse
The Parliament Project: @theparliamentp
User Voice: @uservoiceorg
Women’s Aid- Law in the Making Project: @womensaid
Democracy in Social Care: @comintcare