Eusea

🧩 Citizen engagement works in practice, not just in theory.

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has published a report examining its impacts across policy, institutions, and society — and the findings are striking.

In a survey of 105 public administrations across the EU that had run citizen engagement processes, 97% said they would do it again.

The study also found that when done well, citizen engagement can:
✅ Increase appetite for civic involvement

✅ Strengthen trust in public institutions

✅ Foster stronger relationships between citizens and institutional actors

✅ Create new connections among policymakers, civil society, stakeholders, and citizens

But there's a caution too: treated as window dressing or a box-ticking exercise, engagement can backfire — further eroding trust in democracy rather than building it.

The takeaway? Meaningful citizen engagement isn't just good practice — it's a genuine driver of institutional trust and civic health.

🔗 Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/gTPAuU8S

✨ Think Outside the Box – Turn theatre into science engagement with your next activity!

🎭 Forum Theatre

What if the audience didn't just watch a story, but could step in and change it?

✔️ Work with a theatre group and a researcher to script a scene around a real ethical dilemma or conflict

✔️ Perform the scene once through to its worst-case outcome

✔️ Replay it — but this time, let audience members stop the action and step into a role

✔️ Watch the narrative shift as new "cast members" try to resolve the issue

✔️ Great for professionals, festivals, schools, and adult audiences alike

👉 Discover more and get inspired: https://eusea.info/activity/forum-theatre/