The Spring School on Deliberation: Introductory Course into Citizen Assemblies has concluded
In July, the Spring School on Deliberation: Introductory Course into Citizen Assemblies — Ukraine’s first program dedicated to training facilitators for citizens’ assemblies — concluded.
This course marked an important step toward building a community of practitioners capable of guiding inclusive and high-quality public participation processes in Ukrainian communities. The program brought together around 20 participants from different regions, who, over several months and alongside international experts, mastered key aspects of facilitation, agenda design, communication support, and the overall organization of citizens’ assemblies.
The training was delivered in a blended format:
- In April, participants gathered for a two-day in-person session at the Kyiv School of Economics, where they were introduced to the fundamentals of public deliberation, the principles of assemblies, and practical case studies from around the world.
- Throughout May and June, five online sessions were held, focusing on digital participation tools, the potential of artificial intelligence in democratic processes, and case analyses of assemblies in Ireland, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
- The final in-person session in July marked the conclusion of the program, during which participants exchanged experiences, conducted joint simulations, and received their course completion certificates.
The course was led by Dr. Kerstin Luker (Technical University of Berlin), an expert in public participation and democratic innovation, together with guest lecturers Nicolas Bach and Thomas Blanchet from nexus — Institut für Kooperationsmanagement u. interdisziplinäre Forschung — as well as Dr. Stefan Roch from the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the BRIDGE team.
“Our goal was not only to share knowledge but also to create a network of professionals who can support citizens’ assemblies across Ukraine. We believe this course is only the beginning of a larger process,” says Oleksandra Keudel, BRIDGE Project Manager.
“Citizen assemblies and public deliberation are practiced all over the world with the aim of strengthening and renewing democracies. For me, it is a rewarding experience to promote and further develop these formats in Ukraine. I admire the energy and focus with which the participants of the spring school worked under challenging conditions, and I look forward to putting this into practice together in Zhytomyr,” shares Dr. Kerstin Luker from TU Berlin.
Training facilitators is one of the key steps in implementing citizens’ assemblies in Ukraine. In autumn 2025, the first citizens’ assembly will take place in the regional capital of Zhytomyr, and we are excited that some graduates of this course will be part of it!
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.