Three civil society organisations and one University will be supported by the Council of Europe to work with schools in Georgia to create more opportunities for school children to engage in decision making processes in their schools and communities. 

The four projects will complement the work in which the Council of Europe is already engaged in supporting democratic school governance policies and practices in 20 pilot schools across Georgia. Additionally, a professional development programme for school directors on how to develop a democratic school has been developed and is being delivered jointly with the National Centre for Teacher Professional Development to 54 school directors and deputies.

The four organisations will support school and community-based projects between June and October 2023 within a small grants scheme. The projects will help improve the process of democratic management of school life through "peace education" with elements of "drama pedagogy" in the school space ; will engage school children in community development through a tailored Community Problem-Solving programme; will engage students in learning about Sustainable Development Goals by helping them relate the SDGs to their school community and develop sustainable development projects that incorporate one or more SDGs; and will help create or strengthen school clubs to involve young people in identifying community problems and solving them. 

The projects will help students practice and strengthen their competences for democratic culture and increase their participation and voice in school and community affairs by linking formal and non-formal education through innovative and creative approaches.