Image by: Bertelsmann Stiftung
The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and the Network for Participation & Deliberation in Europe organized the 2025 edition of the Young Elected Politicians (YEP) Winter School, held from March 11 to 13. As part of the CoR’s broader democracy programme, the training is designed to empower young, elected politicians from across Europe with practical skills in citizen participation and democratic innovation.
This year’s Winter School opened with a high-level kick-off conference exploring how to engage citizens beyond the vote, followed by plenary sessions and hands-on workshops. Over the next two days, participants engaged in expert sessions and simulations of participatory methods, while also developing their own citizen engagement projects tailored to their local contexts. The programme’s central goal is to turn participants into “participation professionals” capable of designing and leading inclusive democratic processes in their municipalities, cities, or regions.
In 2024, the first edition of the training drew over 30 politicians from 25 countries. More about last year’s Winter School and its impact can be found on the Bertelsmann Stiftung website here.
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