A practical tool for civic participation in libraries.
We are living in a time marked by war, displacement, polarization, disinformation, and declining trust. These challenges are not only political—they shape everyday life and how people relate to each other, to knowledge, and to democratic processes.
In this context, public libraries play a crucial role. They are no longer just spaces for books and information, but trusted civic infrastructures where people can meet, reflect, and engage with complex societal questions. This aligns closely with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to inclusion, participation, and democratic resilience.
Active Citizenship: The Participation Game was developed as a response to this need.
The game is an Erasmus+ collaboration between Lier Library (Norway) and BoostYourThinking (Portugal), co-developed by Susana Silvestre, Marte Bergsland, Anne-Britt Rage and Aleksander Kristung, with illustrations by Karstein Volle.
The project addresses a key challenge: while participation and democracy are widely valued, libraries often lack concrete tools to turn these ideas into practice. This game offers a hands-on method to explore participation through storytelling, dialogue, and collective reflection.
The game is a board-based, modern role-playing format using four card decks:
- Social Challenge
- Persona
- Civic Barrier
- Participation Tool
Participants work in groups to build stories around real societal situations and explore issues such as inclusion, inequality, belonging, and civic engagement.
Participation is structured across five levels: inform – consult – discuss – co-create – co-decide
The goal is not to find one answer, but to create space for dialogue, empathy, and shared understanding.
Libraries are uniquely positioned to support democratic life. They are accessible, local, and trusted, and can offer low-threshold entry points to difficult conversations.
This project contributes to democratic sustainability by strengthening:
- critical thinking
- dialogue and listening
- civic agency and participation
It connects directly to key SDGs, including quality education, reduced inequalities, sustainable communities, and strong democratic institutions.
The project is in its final development phase and has been tested in Norway and Portugal, with ongoing international exchange. A final version (digital and physical) is planned for 2026.
We are always seeking partners, testers, and collaborators.
If you are interested in:
- joining a focus group
- presenting and dynamizing the game in your institution
- collaborating or learning more
we warmly invite you to get in touch with our project manager in Norway:
Marte.Bergsland@lier.kommune.
And our partner in Portugal: boostyourthinking@outlook.pt