Fostering Active Civic Engagement (FACE)


Switzerland will extend its support to the Council of Europe and the United Nations Population Fund in Moldova to successfully combine formal and non-formal civic education activities with the aim to increase the participation of youth in decision-making and community affairs: quality civic education is key to promote democratic values, to stimulate civic engagement and to contribute to social cohesion. Zurich University of Teacher Education's expertise will be tapped to strengthen teaching competences for democratic culture.

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Moldova
Governance
Education
Democratic participation and civil society
Basic life skills
Education policy
Teacher training
Primary education
15.11.2022 - 31.12.2026
CHF  3’204’800
Background The level of civic engagement in Moldova is still low. This has a high price for the Moldovan society, resulting in low level of transparency, social accountability and in general acceptance of systemic petty corruption. Policies do not support consistent youth participation and there is little incentive for youth to participate. At the local level, funding is scarce and mostly used with no inputs from youth. At the same time, those aged 15-17 predominate among the most active young people due to the fact that schools represent a favorable environment for stimulating youth civic engagement. They look for opportunities to complement the knowledge acquired in schools and engage socially, a tendency clearly reflected by their initiatives in early 2022 in favor of refugees from Ukraine. These findings confirm the relevance of the FACE project.
Objectives To contribute to an inclusive, peaceful and democratic Moldovan society with engaged citizens.
Target groups

Ministry of Education and Research, girls and boys, including those left behind, those representing ethnic minorities, and youth from Ukrainian refugee families, local activists, youth resource centers and civil society organizations working in community engagement and civic education, teachers and schools throughout Moldova, incl. Transnistria.

Final beneficiary is the Moldovan society as a whole, benefitting from improved democratic processes and enhanced levels of social cohesion.

Medium-term outcomes

Outcome 1: National policy and methodological frameworks to prepare young people for democratic citizenship and support their participation in decision making processes at the local and national levels are further strengthened.

Outcome 2: Professionals and institutions in the education and youth sectors prepare young people for life in democratic societies and support the participation of young people in public life.

Outcome 3: Girls and boys (adolescents and youth) practice competences for democratic culture and actively participate in decision-making processes in formal and non-formal settings.

Results

Expected results:  

  • National policy framework to develop competences for democratic culture through formal education is further aligned to the Council of Europe's standards, and policies for youth civic participation at national and local levels are scaled-up
  • Teachers strengthen their professional capacities to apply new approaches in teaching competences for democratic culture in a supportive institutional environment, and youth sector institutions expand their capacities for effective coordination and implementation of youth development programs
  • An increased number of boys and girls have access to various tools / platforms / opportunities in formal and non-formal settings to develop and practice competences for democratic culture, to participate in decision-making processes and in community development initiatives


Results from previous phases:   In Phase 1, through investing in national capacities, national curricula and teaching materials, "silos" between formal and non-formal civic education in Moldova were broken. Methodologies for teaching civic education in schools, ensuring democratic school governance and delivering youth services were successfully piloted, and good cooperation practices were established among community actors. Since 2018, over 116'700 adolescents and young people (60% girls, 45% from rural areas) designed and implemented numerous local initiatives on environment, intergeneration dialogue, youth friendly spaces, support to refugees from Ukraine, etc. More than 400 civic education teachers and youth workers, and local public authorities in 11 (out of 35) districts built capacities to involve young people in local development initiatives and decision-making processes. Further results were hampered by systemic issues (such as the lack of resources and low status of the teaching profession).


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
Other International Organization
Swiss Academic and Research Institution
United Nations Organization (UNO)
  • Council of Europe
  • Other Swiss academic and research institutions
  • United Nations Population Fund
  • Council of Europe, United Nations Population Fund, Zurich University of Teacher Education


Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    3’204’800 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    2’186’078 Budget inclusive project partner CHF    15’601’400 Total project since first phase Swiss budget CHF   3’000’000
Project phases Phase 2 15.11.2022 - 31.12.2026   (Current phase) Phase 1 01.07.2018 - 30.09.2030   (Current phase)