Bringing Civic Education to Life: CARDET Introduces the Political Peddy Paper Methodology to European Educators

CARDET contributed to the Erasmus+ project “Active Citizenship: Training, Innovation, and Voluntary Engagement in Schools” through an interactive workshop showcasing experiential approaches to civic and political education.

On 4 November, CARDET delivered the workshop “Bringing Civic Education to Life: From Textbooks to Active Engagement” as part of the Erasmus+ Small-scale Partnership in School Education project “Active Citizenship: Training, Innovation, and Voluntary Engagement in Schools” (KA210-SCH-000349711).

The workshop introduced participating educators to CARDET’s work and the Get Political project, with a particular focus on the Political Peddy Paper Methodology Manual. The session explored how political and democratic education can move beyond conventional classroom instruction and become a more interactive, practical and engaging learning experience.

The Political Peddy Paper methodology transforms public spaces, local municipalities, historical sites and decision-making institutions into learning environments. Through a series of interactive, task-based activities, students are encouraged to explore how democratic systems function in practice, develop critical thinking skills, strengthen their media literacy and evaluate information sources, while building their confidence and capacity for active civic participation.

The workshop also highlighted how teachers and secondary education professionals can apply this methodology in their educational settings, using experiential learning to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world democratic processes.

The activity took place within the wider framework of the Erasmus+ project, which aims to strengthen active citizenship in schools through teacher training, the exchange of good practices and the development of innovative educational activities. The project also promotes volunteering, collaboration and the active involvement of students and the wider school community.

The project’s final meeting and closing activities are taking place in Cyprus, hosted by the participating Cypriot school, with educators from Croatia, Denmark and Portugal. The Cyprus-focused programme, entitled “Bridging Borders: Enhancing Active Citizenship in Education”, provides an opportunity for international exchange, collaboration and the sharing of approaches that support active citizenship in education.

Through its contribution, CARDET continues to promote innovative educational methodologies that empower educators to make civic education more participatory, meaningful and connected to everyday democratic life.