CIVIC SCOUTS AT WORK is a capacity development programme for employees working in enterprises in Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany and Hungary to become so called CIVIC SCOUTS. The training modules include elements of civic education and focus on developing different democracy competencies such as critical thinking, tolerance or transformation skills. At the same time, the modules are meant to raise awareness for a wide range of topics and phenomena such as discrimination, sustainability, and disinformation. By taking part in this programme companies can lead by example, become active drivers of change within their sector and region and show their proactive engagement towards improving their corporate political responsibility. The individual participants – CIVIC SCOUTS – will be empowered to be agents of transformation at work and within their community.

See the interview with Anja Ostermann, co-founder & managing partner of THE CIVICS Innovation Hub, explaining briefly what the programme is about!

We targeted companies through a public call, which was open to all business sectors. After the application process and the successful nomination, we have selected 5-6 enterprises per country to take part in the CIVIC SCOUTS AT WORK programme. The programme develops the capacities of up to 8 employees per business.

We spend a lot of time of our lives at work and our working environment is not isolated from developments in our societies, Europe and the world. These developments have an impact on who we are as human beings, professionals and colleagues, regardless of whether we produce parts for cars, coordinate logistics or welcome clients. Therefore, we see work as an avenue of civic education with great potential. Empowering citizens at work and with a skillset and competencies that correspond to the challenges and opportunities they see in their working environment, has the potential to help tackle them on the job and in society.

By taking part in this programme companies enhance their capacity to lead by example and become active drivers of change within their sector and region. This in turn will have a positive impact on the working environment, contributing to a more inclusive, tolerant, democratic, and sustainable workplace. A better working environment means more motivated colleagues, a more attractive company profile for future employees and strengthened corporate political responsibility. Participating companies will stand out in their respective sectors and can lead the way in supporting a more democratic environment at work.

The individual employees – CIVIC SCOUTS – are being empowered to be agents of transformation at work and within their community. The SCOUTS will develop various competencies that will help detect and address issues at work early on such as susceptibility to disinformation and conspiracy theories, lack of dialogue and cooperation, or spreading awareness and understanding regarding sustainability and climate mitigation to take only a few examples.