We are excited to announce the start of Demo Future – Democratize the Future, a pionering15-month training programme designed to empower young civic leaders in Ukraine with the skills, tools, and confidence to actively shape inclusive and democratic futures.
The project is led by MAD Foundation (“Make A Difference”, Sweden) in partnership with
“Stabilization Support Services” (Ukraine) and is funded by the Swedish Institute.
Democratize the Future is a structured, modular training programme grounded in:
- strategic foresight
- civic education
- human rights and participation
The programme will engage young civic leaders, including internally displaced people (IDPs) offering learning opportunities to strengthen civic capacity and democratic resilience.
This collaboration builds on a strong history of joint work between MAD Foundation and Stabilization Support Services in the field of civic innovation and rights-based education. Together, we co-created UTOPIA: To Be Equal — an interactive educational video game that invites participants to reflect on discrimination, social norms, and inclusion. This shared experience now provides a strong foundation for Democratize the Future.
The project will unfold through a multi-phase training cycle, including:
- Regional in-person workshops that ground learning in local realities and foster community-based collaboration
- Digital Labs using participatory and game-based methods to explore democratic futures, inclusion, and civic innovation
- Peer Learning Pods designed to strengthen peer-to-peer learning, reflection, and sustained collaboration across regions
- Mentorship sessions offering tailored guidance and support from experienced practitioners
- A study visit to Sweden, providing participants with international perspectives on civic engagement, foresight, and democratic practice
Each phase integrates practical assignments, values-based reflection, and peer feedback, ensuring learning is both applied and transformative.
The programme will conclude with a Final Forum, where participants will share results, amplify their voices, and contribute to discussions on Ukraine’s recovery and its path toward European integration.
Democratize the Future goes beyond training. It empowers young people as agents of change, equips them to navigate uncertainty, supports Ukraine’s recovery, and ensures that diverse voices actively shape the country’s future.
We are proud to begin this journey together and look forward to sharing insights, stories, and impact as the project unfolds.
📌 Stay tuned for updates — and join us in democratizing the future.
