Young Voices, Real Change: Experiencing Democracy Today

10/10/2025

Today, active citizenship is no longer limited to just voting; the ways individuals can contribute to society have diversified. Young people can engage in social change in many areas, from local decision-making processes and volunteering to critically engaging with digital content and participating in global campaigns. In this article, we explore the different ways one can be an active citizen and how young people can experience democracy in their everyday lives.

Active Citizenship Starts in Our Communities

Being an active citizen is not limited to voting or participating in elections. It also means expressing your opinions, raising social awareness, and taking part in the decision-making processes that shape the community you live in. At this point, local engagement becomes particularly important.For example, citizens who notice a lack of transparency in a municipality, especially regarding financial management or public spending, have the right to voice their concerns. Many municipalities provide suggestion boxes or online feedback forms to allow citizens to communicate their views directly.However, true democracy is achieved not just by giving people the opportunity to speak, but also by ensuring that authorities listen to their citizens. Local governments should provide spaces where citizens can question, hold officials accountable, and support this engagement.Active citizenship is built on dialogue, transparency, and shared responsibility. When citizens and authorities act together, democracy moves beyond a simple voting system and becomes a living culture of participation based on trust.

Finding Truth in the Digital World: The Path for Young Citizens

Today, young citizens are exposed to countless digital content every day, especially on social media. However, not all of this content is reliable. Misinformation, manipulation, and disinformation have become inevitable parts of the digital world. With the rapid spread of artificial intelligence technologies, the line between real and fake is becoming increasingly blurred.
Therefore, young citizens need to approach every piece of information they encounter with a critical eye. Instead of believing content at first sight, they should ask questions such as: Who shared this information? What is the source? Is the information supported by reliable data or evidence? Such inquiries are the first step toward conscious and responsible behavior in the digital environment.

Political parties’ social media campaigns, biased content, and manipulative messages can particularly hinder critical thinking. Often, the goal of these messages is not to inform the public but to persuade them. For example, if a government wants to conceal economic problems, it may avoid addressing them on social media and divert attention to other issues. In such cases, young citizens should be able to see not only what is presented to them but also what is hidden. If young people understand how algorithms and sponsored content work, they realize that not everything they see online is accurate, impartial, or random. This awareness forms the foundation of critical thinking in the digital age. Moreover, it is crucial for every young citizen to benefit from digital literacy education. These programs teach not only how to use technology but also how it works. As a result, young people can more easily identify deepfake videos, disinformation campaigns, and echo chambers. Today, such training is widely accessible through schools, youth centers, and civil society organizations.

In addition, developing critical thinking also requires young people to read extensively and participate in discussion clubs or debate groups. Listening to diverse perspectives helps individuals question and reshape their own thoughts. In these environments, young people are encouraged to research, question, and think independently.

In conclusion, young citizens who develop a habit of critical thinking learn to ask “why?” and “how?” instead of blindly believing information. This enables them to become both conscious individuals and strong defenders of democracy amid the complex flow of information in the digital age.

Local Democracy: The Beginning of Global Change

The first point of contact for individuals with governance is local government. The decisions they make, the practices they implement, and the policies they set directly affect our daily lives. Therefore, every step taken by local authorities is extremely important, as actions at the local level can lead to global change.Being engaged with the municipalities in our cities is critical both for the citizen’s voice and the healthy functioning of democracy. Local governments touch every aspect of life, including public transportation, waste management, environmental planning, education, and cultural projects. Active participation in these areas allows citizens to see the results of change more quickly and to make their voices heard more effectively.

At the same time, citizens should be involved in the decision-making process of local government, and local authorities should provide opportunities to encourage this participation. For example, making city council meetings open to the public or broadcasting them online is highly valuable for transparency. When citizens participate directly in these processes, trust in local government increases, and the sense of belonging is strengthened.

Local democracy is built on cooperation, dialogue, and mutual understanding. These elements form the foundation of a healthy democracy. It is also important for local governments to collaborate with civil society organizations and local initiatives.For instance, establishing a Youth Council allows young citizens to experience democracy not just in theory but in practice. This enables them to develop a sense of active citizenship, contribute directly to decision-making processes, and become part of participatory democracy.

In conclusion, the impact of actions taken at the local level extends beyond city borders. A well-implemented policy by one municipality can serve as an example for other cities and even countries. Therefore, a strong local democracy shapes not only the local community but also the global future.

Democracy for Everyone: Age Is Just a Number

When we think of democratic participation, voting often comes to mind first. However, voting is not the only way to be involved in democracy. Age does not determine one’s ability to contribute to society and be an active citizen. Individuals under 18 can also play a significant role, as democracy is more about participation, responsibility, and awareness than age.

For example, schools can establish student councils or democracy clubs to develop young people’s skills in discussion, idea generation, and taking responsibility. These initiatives allow under-18 individuals to exercise freedom of expression, build social awareness, and develop a sense of responsibility.Young people can also play an active role in society by volunteering with civil society organizations.
Activities such as environmental clean-ups, assisting the elderly, or engaging in social responsibility projects strengthen solidarity and foster conscious social responsibility.
Participation is possible not only in physical spaces but also in the digital world. Young people can join awareness campaigns on social media, create informative content, or share accurate information to counter misinformation, thus demonstrating active citizenship in the digital sphere.

In conclusion, regardless of age, when young people express their ideas, show solidarity, participate in local projects, and act responsibly online, democracy is alive. Remember, active citizenship begins not with age but with the desire to make a difference.

Volunteering: A Way to Put Democracy into Practice

Volunteering is one of the most meaningful ways for young people to practice democracy in real life. Beyond voting or expressing opinions, volunteering allows individuals to take concrete steps for the benefit of society.When young people volunteer for important social issues, they raise awareness and inspire others to take action for the common good. Through volunteering, young people learn values such as responsibility, cooperation, and the power of collective effort. Participation in volunteer projects also helps them discover how they can make a difference in society and develop essential skills for active citizenship, including leadership, teamwork, empathy, and solidarity.

Volunteering is also a way to experience democracy in practice. Young people take initiative, make collective decisions, and observe how their joint efforts can improve society.Programs like Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps (ESC), as well as local social responsibility projects that support the elderly, refugees, or disadvantaged children, are real-life examples of democracy in action. They offer practical experiences where citizens actively contribute to building a fair and inclusive society.

Youth Activism: Architects of Change Today

In recent years, youth activism has become an increasingly powerful movement worldwide. Young people are now seen not only as the citizens of the future but also as the pioneers of change today. Inspired by climate marches initiated by Greta Thunberg, young people are taking to the streets to raise environmental awareness and call governments to accountability.In addition, young people are running active campaigns on gender equality, human rights, refugee rights, and social justice.

These movements demonstrate that young people not only have a voice but also possess the power to create real change in society.Through social media, global networks, and volunteer activities, young people form solidarity networks that cross borders. Democracy thus becomes more than just voting in elections; with active youth participation, it turns into a dynamic, living, and evolving process.These youth movements, which highlight important social issues and run various campaigns, have transformed youth activism into a strong global phenomenon, proving that young voices truly matter.

As we have seen in this article, contributing to democracy goes beyond voting; through critical thinking, volunteering, and activism, young people create tangible social change and support the vibrant and effective functioning of democracy.

Written by: Sena Necibe Özçelik