Anne-Sophie presented the app F.I.R.E. (From Idea to Reality & Execution) developed by ACTIon partner Open Space Foundation, to the guests of the All Digital Week 2022. She is one of the young people who are actively involved in the creative process of developing and improving F.I.R.E. She is a new member of our team. Anne-Sophie is a young woman who graduated from high school last year and took her task as presenter very seriously. Thanks to the volunteer program of Open Space Foundation, Anne-Sophie is part of the team and works closely with OSF on the translation of the texts and the adaptation of the examples included in the app for the German-speaking world. In the process, she asks interesting questions: why a particular metaphor is used, why this specific example is presented. We adore not only the energy she puts into her work, but also her complete devotion to the topic.

Her personal assessment of the content of the new module on Active Citizenship that is under development, is that the training materials are well selected and well explained, short and interestingly presented, illustrated with appropriate examples, the content is user friendly.

Here is a short interview with Anne-Sophie regarding civic education in Germany:

Interviewer: Anne-Sophie can you share your observations and experiences from the German educational system regrading civic education?

Anne-Sophie: In Germany from the early school years, we studied history and development of different economic and political systems, working very widely on the topic of civic education, but “it is at a passive way”.  They give us information, but no one forces you or asks you to use what you’ve learned. Somehow everything stays there – in the classroom and in your self-preparation (and depends on how much effort you’ve put).

Interviewer: And what did you lack? What do you think needs to be done, then?

Anne-Sophie: There should be more forms in which skills for civic participation could be practiced by young people.