Voice that Matters

Youth Participation and Democracy Award category

Organisation

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bulgaria Association

Country

Bulgaria

WEBSITE

https://www.facebook.com/bbbsbulgaria/

Project link

https://www.facebook.com/bbbsbulgaria/posts/pfbid02wdh4ioh4x4quJLfAEvvgXRpb9UF3ycCEe1Xmtmc4UWoFVf4TmHgGCDJqeS8FK8n1l

General Overview

The main objectives of “Voice that Matters” were to raise awareness and enrich the knowledge of high school students from Plovdiv, Bulgaria, about the structure of the EU and the role of its main bodies – in particular the European Parliament, and to shed light on the role of Members of the European Parliament, in order to encourage young people to vote in the European Parliament elections in June 2024. “Voice that Matters” highlighted the benefits of the country’s EU membership for young people.

More globally, the campaign aimed to encourage them to become more civically and politically active, especially at a time of ongoing political crisis in Bulgaria and a sharp decline in voter turnout in recent years.

“Voice that Matters” was a youth-led campaign and was initiated, organised, and implemented by six young volunteers who were trained and designed an interactive programme to present the information to their peers during a total of ten workshops held in five high schools in Plovdiv and attended by more than 300 students aged 17-19.

The workshop programme included quizzes, games, and discussions, presenting the information in an attractive, easy-to-understand language with a competitive and fun element. The students were even asked to imagine what life would be like without the EU, as most of them were born after Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007.

To emphasise that EU membership affects everyone, even the youngest, and that they should have a say in how it is shaped, and to inform the students about all the opportunities available to young people, the workshops promoted the Eurodesk network and its platforms such as the Opportunity Finder and the European Youth Portal. This was part of the programme because one of the main reasons young people don’t know about these opportunities is that they don’t know where to find information.

Thematic Category Correspondence

(50 points max)

How does this initiative (project, event, material) correspond to the thematic category

The ‘Voice that Matters’ campaign falls under the Youth Participation and Democracy category because it directly encouraged young people to take an active part in decision-making in the most democratic way possible – by participating in the 2024 European Parliament elections and directly choosing their country’s representatives in what is known as one of the biggest elections in the democratic world. In this way, the project directly promotes young people’s participation in democratic and political processes at the EU level. For most of the target group, this was the first time they had ever voted.

As Bulgaria has been in a political crisis in recent years, with seven parliamentary elections in two years, voter turnout has declined rapidly, which has inevitably affected first-time voters’ perceptions of elections and democracy. This is why it was important to show them that their vote counts. The young people were familiarised with the role and function of the European Parliament and the mechanisms of democracy. “Voice that Matters” emphasised the European identity by reminding young voters that they are part of it and that they shape it, even without realising it. It is therefore better for them to shape it in a conscious, critical, and informed way.

In order to make them feel more European, the project aimed to show the young people how a large and complex structure such as the EU can benefit their everyday lives, well-being, and access to opportunities.

Impact

(30 points max)

How did your project impact young people / your community?

One of the reasons for this campaign was the fact that Bulgaria is one of the countries with the lowest turnout in EU elections, and that in recent years, turnout in general elections has been declining. The lack of confidence in the functioning of democracy was more than obvious, and it was expected to affect the EU elections. In addition, it was known before the EU elections that they would be held in Bulgaria on the same day as another round of parliamentary elections, raising fears that turnout could be even lower due to the increased pressure on voters, especially first-time voters.

Despite the limited scope of our campaign, we believe that the young people who took part have:

Increased their knowledge of the EU, its structure, and the role and functions of the EP

Developed skills in critical thinking and informed decision-making

Gained a better understanding of their role as EU citizens and the rights and duties that come with it

Increased their awareness of the benefits of the country’s membership in the EU and of the direct opportunities that the EU and its programmes offer to young people

In terms of community impact, a general awareness of the rights and responsibilities of individual citizens leads to:

A more active civil and political society

Elimination of the stereotype “Nothing depends on me”

Increased turnout in the 2024 European Parliament elections

Motivation to “hold politicians to account” and to monitor political processes and decisions at the EU level

In 2024, voter turnout in Bulgaria for the European Parliament elections was slightly higher than in 2019 (33.78% compared to 32.64%). We can never know what our contribution to these small percentages is, but we like to believe that we gave what we could.

Green Focus

(10 points max)

Did your project have any green focus and/or did you implement any eco-friendly measures when organising it?

Sustainability and green living are some of the hottest issues for young people and are often one of the reasons for their civic and/or political engagement. Being aware of this, one of the ways we tried to illustrate why voting in the EU elections is important was by mentioning the EU’s efforts regarding green policies. The workshops aimed to illustrate the links between EU policies and young people’s daily lives, so that they could see the impact.

“Why should you vote?” the volunteers asked the students. “Because you might be interested in a greener way of life and you should know that the EU supports it. You can easily check what they are doing.”

Apart from that, the whole campaign took a green approach. By using mainly digital tools, the use of paper was reduced, and the use of public transport minimised the carbon footprint.

Youth Participation and Democracy Award category