Towards the end of last autumn, we took part in the NECE session Transformative Experiences in Civic Education, held online in November 2025

The session brought together researchers, practitioners and civic educators working in non-formal education to explore what high-quality civic education can look like in practice and how it can lead to meaningful change for individuals, communities and democratic culture.

The discussion introduced a shared framework and an evaluation rubric developed by the European Civic Education Collaborative (ECEC), designed to help educators plan, analyse and improve civic learning experiences. Rather than ranking projects, the tool supports reflection on key dimensions such as personal development, civic engagement and contribution to the common good.

Practical examples from the United States and Brazil showed how civic education can operate at different levels – from participatory learning with young people to system-level initiatives that strengthen democratic culture and cooperation across institutions.