News

Have Your Say: YOUROPE Launches Survey on European Citizenship for Young People

20 May 2026

The YOUROPE project is inviting young people across Europe to share their perspectives on European citizenship — and their responses will directly shape research that puts underrepresented youth at the heart of democratic participation.

If you are aged between 16 and 30 and you live, work, or study in Europe, the YOUROPE team wants to hear from you. The exploratory survey invites participants to reflect on different dimensions of European citizenship — from how young people understand their place in European democracy to what active participation means in their communities.

Why this survey matters

The survey is part of YOUROPE’s commitment to building research from the ground up. Rather than assuming what young people think, the project asks them directly — and uses those answers to develop tools and frameworks that genuinely reflect the diversity of experiences across Europe. This is especially important for young people who are less often included in mainstream democratic or research processes.

The survey is available in multiple languages, selectable by country flag, making it accessible to participants across the consortium’s partner countries. It takes a short time to complete, and every response contributes to a richer, more representative picture of what European citizenship means to young people today.

Get involved

You can complete the survey on the YOUROPE website: JISC Survey – Yourope

This is an opportunity to ensure that your voice — and the voices of young people like you — informs the future of youth democracy research in Europe.

D6 · Dimension

Digital Citizenship

Digital environments as civic and political space

KEY QUESTION
What does it mean to be a citizen online?
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
  • What do you do online that could influence others or public issues — even in small ways?
  • Do you feel that what you see online is shaped by algorithms or platforms? Can you give an example?
  • Where online do you feel like an active citizen — and where do you feel like just a user?

D5 · Dimension

Inclusion and Justice

Structural inequalities and intersecting identities

KEY QUESTION

Do you think everyone has equal opportunities to participate in society?

DISCUSSION PROMPTS
  • Who is often excluded or overlooked in your community — and why do you think that is?
  • What rules, habits, or systems make participation harder for some people than others?
  • What would need to change for participation to be fairer and more inclusive?

D4 · Dimension

Participation and Power

Procedural vs. substantive participation

KEY QUESTION

When does participation actually make a difference in your life?

DISCUSSION PROMPTS
  • Describe a situation where you participated — in a council, survey, protest, vote — but it led to no change. What did that feel like?
  • Where do you feel you genuinely have influence? At school, at home, online, in your city?
  • What is the difference between being asked for your opinion and actually having a say?

D3 · Dimension

European Citizenship

Europe as lived democratic space

KEY QUESTION
What does ‘Europe’ mean to you in your everyday life?
DISCUSSION PROMPTS
  • What does 'European Citizenship' mean to you? Describe it in a few words — or say what it doesn't mean to you.
  • Do you feel connected to Europe? Why, or why not?
  • What would need to change for Europe to feel more real or relevant to you?

D2 · Dimension

Youth Voice & Knowledge

Young people as knowers, not just learners

KEY QUESTION

Do you feel that young people’s voices and experiences are taken seriously?

DISCUSSION PROMPTS
  • Are there things you know or experience that are not taken seriously in school or in society?
  • When do you feel your opinion is genuinely valued — and when is it ignored?
  • Think of a moment when you were heard. What made that possible? And a moment when you weren't — what got in the way?