Local Self-Government and Civic Engagement

Spis treści

Instruction 

Duration: 45–60 minutes

Objectives

The student:

  • explains what local government is;
  • knows the tasks of municipalities, counties, and regional authorities;
  • understands the importance of civic engagement in the local community;
  • can identify ways in which citizens can influence local government decisions;
  • can provide examples of local civic initiatives.
Materials
  • phone, tablet, or computer with internet access;
  • board or interactive presentation;
  • links to example participatory budget websites (e.g., bo.um.warszawa.pl);
  • administrative map of Poland.

Warm-up (5 min)

  • The teacher asks an opening question: “Do you know who decides how your local area looks — roads, school, park, or sports field?”
  • Students respond spontaneously. The teacher writes the answers on the board.
  • Introduction of the concept of local government — brief explanation.
  • To illustrate how everyday decisions and civic engagement can affect life in the municipality, the teacher may use the mobile game City Ballot, available on the educational platform: https://dzwonekobywatelski.pl

KNOWLEDGE ZONE (30 min)

  1. Mini lecture with discussion (10 min)

Topics to cover:

  • What is local government?
  • What are the territorial self-government units (municipality, county, region)?
  • Local government bodies (municipal/city council, mayor, village head, city president)
  • What are the tasks of local government? (e.g., education, transport, environmental protection, culture)
  • Where does local government get its money? (local taxes, grants, subsidies)
  1. Group work – case analysis (10–15 min)

Students work in groups of 3–4. Each group receives an example of a local issue (e.g., need to renovate a playground, build a bike path, organize a cultural event).

Task:

Prepare a poster or leaflet encouraging residents to participate in public consultations.

Guiding questions:

  • What should be included on the poster/leaflet to effectively attract residents’ attention?
  • Who should be the target audience, and which groups of residents should be especially encouraged?
  • Where in our locality is the best place to display the poster/leaflet so that the largest number of people will see it?
  • What slogan or graphic could best encourage participation?
  • How should the date and location of the consultation be presented so that it is clear and easy to remember?

Answer the following questions:

  • Who should handle this issue?
  • How can residents influence local government decisions in this matter?
  • What actions can citizens take?

Presentation of results by selected groups

  1. Moderated discussion – civic engagement (5–10 min)

Discussion questions:

  • Are residents in your locality active? What examples do you know?
  • Can young people influence local matters? How?
  • What would you like to change in your area?
  • Is it worth engaging in local issues? Why?

REFLECTIONS AND SUMMARY (5 min)

  • Brief recap: what local government is, what its tasks are, and how citizens can engage.
  • The teacher asks a final question: “What can you do right now to make a change in your local area?”

Methodological notes

    • It is advisable to adapt the lesson to local circumstances — for example, by referring to current events in the municipality or town. For this purpose, the teacher can refer to ongoing projects implemented within the framework of the local participatory budget.
    • It is also worthwhile to compare current projects carried out under participatory budgets in neighboring municipalities or even in municipalities in completely different parts of Poland.
    • A local government representative or activist can be invited to a future lesson.
    • It is useful to introduce concepts such as: public consultations, civic initiative, participatory budget, petition.
Scroll to Top