Onboarding young people to the European Citizens’ Initiative: highlighting challenges and solutions

Spelling out what the European Citizens’ Initiative is and how it works, connecting the pan-European campaigns to important local issues, and creating impactful interactive digital content were pointed out as key components of a successful approach to attract young people at a recent webinar with young ECI organisers. 

The webinar, held in September 2023, gathered Elsa Kraemer, organiser of the “European EcoScore” initiative, Almog Yoana Sade, organiser of the “Green Garden Rooftops” initiative, and Christelle Savall, Vice President of Young European Federalists (JEF), who shared their experiences on how to get young people involved in the ECI. In this article, we showcase the winning strategies they outlined during the webinar that might help future ECI organisers to engage, mobilise, and inspire the participation of young people.

Making the European Citizens’ Initiative Known

Elsa Kraemer and Almog Yoana Sade reflected on their experience as young ECI organisers, emphasising that the first challenge they faced during signature collection was the lack of awareness of the ECI instrument. Christelle Savall (JEF) explained that organisers must first raise awareness about the issue they aim to address and then raise awareness about the ECI instrument itself as an important participatory democracy mechanism, before they can begin asking citizens for their signature. Their experiences reinforce the pivotal role that education and outreach play in harnessing the potential of an ECI. 

Participants pointed out that organisers should develop and implement a two-pronged campaign strategy that ensures that both the cause and the mechanism behind it are spotlighted effectively. This approach not only amplifies the importance of the cause that an initiative is advocating for, but it also fortifies the ECI as a powerful mechanism for change. Only through this holistic approach they believe an ECI can truly mobilise the collective power of young European citizens towards transformative change.

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Localising your ECI campaign

While reaching one million signatures for a successful ECI is an undertaking at the EU level, Elsa Kraemer emphasised the importance of prioritising the local aspects of the ECI theme in your campaign, where grassroots movements can gain momentum and push your cause forward. 

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Making the most of your digital channels

Elsa Kraemer recommended creating a user-friendly campaign website that makes it clear that in a few clicks, you can sign an initiative and contribute to a change. She added that it’s important to make the site interactive and employ social media platforms, using video reels, especially content showing organisers promoting the ECI, and visually appealing infographics to engage and inform.

Similarly, Christelle Savall emphasised the pivotal role of social media. Building a strong online presence is crucial for reaching out to the younger generation. It’s essential to treat the campaign issue as paramount, focusing not only on the ECI itself but also delving into the problem at hand and offering viable solutions. Leverage the power of social media to create a movement that drives signatures. Additionally, recognise that many young people hear about ECIs through their networks, be it friends or associations they follow. Tailor your campaign to harness this potential, encouraging these influential connections to support and promote the initiative.

Almog Yoana Sade recommended a comprehensive online and offline approach. Organisers should utilise social media platforms (e.g., Instagram, Twitter, TikTok), WhatsApp groups, and a well-maintained website to disseminate information and facilitate signing; and engage with young people through a range of events, both online and in-person, to ensure broad outreach. 

Drawing from their experience, the young organisers recommended hosting panel discussions with young people and participating in relevant events to further spread awareness ‘on the ground.’ Their recommendation is to consider reaching out to high schools to educate and involve students in the ECI process, especially in countries where the minimum signing age has been lowered to 16 and 17. By combining these strategies, organisers can effectively mobilise young people and garner their support for your ECI.

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

How to get young people to volunteer for your ECI

The young organisers pointed out that engaging young people is not just limited to signing initiatives. Initiative organisers also need young volunteers who can contribute their time and efforts towards the cause. For that. it is important to onboard young people and youth-led organisations in the ECIs from the start, and to communicate the mission and impact of the initiative clearly. What is seen as very  helpful is also building partnerships with youth-led organisations from the beginning, so it also becomes part of their work programme, increasing ownership among the ECI  partners. 

In Conclusion

Young people (aged 15-29 years) make up more than 16 % of the European Union’s total population, and it is important that their perspectives, concerns, and aspirations are reflected in the democratic process of the European Union. Examples of past successful European citizens’ initiatives reaffirm that young people can be successful organisers, active volunteers, and important potential signatories. Young people’s own engagement is seen as key for addressing the unique challenges faced by young people today; however, awareness of the European Citizens’ Initiative as a tool  of participatory democracy on the EU level is still very low; and organisers are not always equipped with the skills of creating engaging campaign content for the young. These are challenges that may be addressed successfully using lessons shared in this webinar, and available elsewhere on the Forum.

Watch the entire webinar 

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