Live Action Role Play to Increase Youth Active Citizenship

The LARPIC project sought to address the lack of civic engagement and 21st-century skills among young people by equipping educators with innovative tools and methods to inspire active participatio...

The LARPIC project sought to address the lack of civic engagement and 21st-century skills among young people by equipping educators with innovative tools and methods to inspire active participation. The project aimed to develop resources that integrate Live Action Role Play (LARP) into education, enabling youth to experience decision-making, collaboration and problem-solving in real-world contexts, thus improving key competences and become more active citizens. Specific objectives included creating a structured LARP game, a comprehensive Guide for educators, and supporting materials to enhance soft skills like communication, leadership and critical thinking. Additionally, LARPIC aimed to empower educators by enhancing their knowledge of non-formal methods, providing facilitation techniques, and encouraging the use of gamification in teaching. The project also sought to foster inclusivity and participation, ensuring the tools created were adaptable to various educational settings and suitable for a diverse target audience. By achieving these objectives, the project aspired to promote civic values, inspire proactive behavior in young people and support lifelong learning through experiential methods.

The LARPIC project was developed with the idea to tackle the low levels of civic participation and active engagement among young people aged 15-19+ across Europe. National and European studies highlighted challenges such as disinterest in public life, insufficient exposure to participatory civic practices and a lack of 21st-century skills like teamwork, communication, and critical thinking among European youth. Additionally, educators across partner countries reported a need for innovative teaching tools to promote active learning and civic competencies. LARPIC addressed these gaps by introducing Live Action Role Play (LARP) as a transformative educational tool, offering an interactive and experiential approach to developing soft skills and inspiring young people to engage actively in their communities and explore their roles in democratic processes and society.

LARPIC project produced and promoted several main results throughout its implementation. The highlight result of the project was the "Shadow City" LARP game, a comprehensive role-playing tool designed to engage young people in solving civic challenges while developing critical soft skills. Developed based on feedback from multiple testing rounds, the game allows players to tackle complex societal issues in a dynamic and collaborative environment. The LARP Guide complemented the game by equipping educators with the knowledge and tools needed to implement and facilitate LARP effectively. It includes step-by-step instructions, facilitation tips, a playlist of instructional videos and a Collection of 40 non-formal educational resources aimed to provide additional tools for developing students’ soft skills such as leadership, communication and teamwork. The project also produced 10 micro-learning videos showcasing key LARP methods and facilitation strategies, alongside 10 videos of additional non-formal educational methods to enrich learning experiences. An official LARPIC website available in five languages (EN, BG, CZ, IT, PL), was created to serve as a resource hub and further strengthen project sustainability and added value.