Article by Fo Aarhus

As we hit the halfway mark of the Future Citizens project, it’s time to give you a peek into our journey so far.

But before we dive in, let’s remind ourselves what this project is all about and what’s on our agenda

The Citizen Comp

In this age of information, our cities are getting smarter by the day. To navigate these smart cities, we need a whole set of skills, a kind of digital citizenship. So, what does it take to be a “smart citizen”? That’s the question we’re tackling.

We sifted through the EU competence frameworks –LifeComp, EntreComp, DigComp and GreenComp – cherry-picked the most relevant skills, and crafted the Citizen Comp.

The Citizens Comp is a toolkit with descriptions of the competences and the skills you need to be a savvy citizen in this tech-driven era.

But we didn’t stop there. We brought in young minds from our partner countries to scrutinize, critique, and enhance these lists. After all, who better to validate than the future citizens themselves?

Challenges to Future Citizens

We didn’t just stop at skills; we asked these young stakeholders about the challenges they face. From city to city, country to country, we compiled a diverse list of challenges, aiming to find practical solutions.

We delved into the scenarios where these challenges hit hardest and brainstormed solutions. Now, the tricky part – making these solutions accessible to young minds. Enter “the Game.”

The Game

This is the crux of our project – creating an Urban Game. A game where young people can play their way into finding solutions in their own local settings. It’s no small feat, and our seasoned Italian partners at Pot in Pot are taking the lead in designing this gamified approach to problem-solving. In the next phase, they’ll present their game ideas, and our partners, along with the young stakeholders, will offer feedback.

The Citizenthons

Get ready for game time! We’re putting our ideas to the test in local Citizenthons – two-day gaming events in each partner country. The feedback and results will fine-tune the game design, leading up to the European Citizenthon in Portugal in the autumn of 2024. Delegates from all corners will participate, and the solutions will be showcased on our project platform.

How to Join the Future Citizens Project

Keen to be part of the action? Head to our Facebook page to engage with local partners or visit our website for more project details and access to the game when it goes live.