Civic Participation through Student Participatory Budgets

On 6 October 2026, the Sofia Development Association hosted a meeting dedicated to local policies for civic education and children’s participation, with a focus on participatory budgets for students. The meeting was organized by the Small Steps Foundation as part of a project funded by the Erasmus+ programme.

The meeting brought together representatives of Sofia’s district administrations, including the Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality responsible for Education, Sports and Youth Activities, district mayors and deputy mayors, representatives of Sofia schools, and civil society organizations. The discussion focused on involving children and students in decision-making processes within their communities and supporting civic education through the use of the “student participatory budgeting” approach.

Representatives of 108 Secondary School and 54 Secondary School presented their pilot projects using student budgets as a tool for improving the school environment and fostering civic culture.

The Sofia Development Association presented its CIVICAct project and the findings of its study on civic engagement in Sofia. Particular attention was paid to the need for closer cooperation between citizens and local authorities in support of civic initiatives, as well as to exploring opportunities to expand municipal funding for initiatives aimed at improving the urban environment through citizen participation.

The project is funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), CERV Programme.