Sociocratic Neighborhood Parliaments
Shaping our neighborhood and a new kind of politics together!
for children, adolescents and adults
The education system is at its limit. Multiple, complex challenges have long been on our doorsteps. Our demographics will change dramatically in the next 20 years. Democracies are at risk. Wars, climate crisis, crisis of meaning. Politics alone cannot solve this.
A good, profound, scalable solution is needed!
In India, young people and adults have realised that they can improve their lives by organising themselves in new ways and working together to find solutions. They want to effectively advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), human rights and children's rights .
They set up neighborhood parliaments together. They elect their own ministers, work with local politicians and make decisions using sociocracy. In this way, they create a new kind of politics. In doing so, they not only change their own lives, but also those of their neighborhood, village and city community.
Trailer "Power to the Children"
Kurzerklärung der Nachbarschaftsparlamente
challenges
There is a lack of institutionalized community and neighborhood-oriented structures in which we learn to form a meaningful community and to best develop our ability to act and our democratic competence.
Lack of political education
Majority voting is the dominant form of decision-making, producing winners and losers. This offers little hope for effectively managing complex crises.
Polarization and social fragmentation
We are not sufficiently trained to bridge differences, understand different perspectives and resolve conflicts constructively.
Weak sense of neighborhood
People live side by side without forming deeper connections. They feel isolated and left alone with their challenges.
Political inequality
Marginalized groups have fewer opportunities to develop a sense of agency or to fully participate in democratic processes.
Discouraged and unhappy
Civic engagement is inadequately organized. The lack of collective achievements leads to psychological hopelessness.
Declining trust in democratic institutions
Party politics alone is not capable of dealing with complex crises. There is a lack of mechanisms for effective direct democracy. Citizens do not feel heard.
Get involved: We spread visions!
Visions and developments need initial sparks and impulses. An invitation to young people and to all those who are active in the fields of education, politics, children's rights, climate protection, social innovation, youth or as parents.
We offer:
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Film screening "Power to the Children" followed by a dialogue
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active impulse workshop , if possible with co-speakers, e.g. Gnanasekar Dhanapal and Swarna Lakshmi from India, speakers from pilot regions in Germany, Austria or Greece
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Introduction to sociocracy and how it can be practiced with young people
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Strategy Workshop on Regional Development with Neighborhood Parliaments
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training of neighborhood facilitators
Let's dream, think and develop ideas together about how this movement could improve the lives of young people in your region!
dates 2024
Here you can see where we are located and where we offer public film screenings and impulse workshops. Enquiries outside of these dates are of course also possible.
You want to invite us?
Get in touch!
I want your newsletter!
You want to support our project? Of course!
Lisa Praeg
EU Coordinator SONEC Youth
2024
December - live with Gnanasekar Dhanapal from India
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December 12th-13th, organize a workshop with us in Zurich!
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9.-11.12., we are in the UN
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December 7th, we will probably be in Stuttgart
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4. 12, 17:00, Leipzig: Impulse workshop and in-depth study
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Details and registration
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3. 12, 17:00, Leipzig: Film screening & dialogue
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Details and registration
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1.12., 14:00-18:00, Berlin: Neighborhood makes us strong – for a fairer and more sustainable coexistence, impulse workshop and in-depth study
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Details and registration
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November - live with Gnanasekar Dhanapal from India
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28.11., 18:30, Vienna: Grätzelmixer, Impulse Workshop & Dialogue
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27.11., Vienna: we are guests at the Vienna Education Festival
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26.11., Innsbruck: The Bakery - Cultural Bakery, Film Screening & Impulse Workshop
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25.11., 17:30 - Dornbirn: BG Dornbirn, Impulse Workshop & Dialogue
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23.11., 14-18:00 - Götzis: Shaping a new, different policy together! Participation and ideas workshop of the Green List Götzis
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22.11., from 16:00 - Dornbirn: BG Dornbirn, film screening and impulse workshop
September
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Ingolstadt, Factor D MitMacht Festival: Impulse Workshop
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Berlin, Progressive Democracy Lab, Friedrich-Eberl-Stiftung: Finalist
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Chorin, Future Week #wirfürschule: Film screening and impulse workshop
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Göttingen: LEA.education: Film screening and impulse workshop
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Kassel: World Wide Knowledge Congress: Film Screening
July
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Soist, NL: EUDEC - European Democratic Education Community : Film screening and impulse workshop
May
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Barcelona: Innovative Politics Award, Democracy Brunch Round Table
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Rotterdam: European Education Day, Impulse Workshop
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Dornbirn: Long Night of Participation, Impulse Workshop
April
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Winterthur: Integral Day School Winterthur, impulse workshop and workshop for educators
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Frankfurt: Festival of Scaling, participant
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Berlin: Educational Greenhouse gGmbH, impulse workshop and workshop for educators
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Leipzig: RealLabor, film screening, impulse workshop and workshop for educators
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watch the video
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The next 5 years
Because I have not yet discovered anything smarter to establish active citizenship, youth empowerment, participatory leadership and humanity so profoundly, I am called upon to do my part to ensure that this movement comes to Europe sustainably.
The Model - an Overview
Neighborhood focus: The parliaments are not randomly elected or supra-regional, but are voluntary. Children, young people and adults come together regularly in their neighborhood clusters. This makes it easier to reach and involve people who would otherwise be ignored or have no access to participation on their own.
Subsidiary principle: Everyone holds a ministerial office, based on the SGDs. They discuss the problems and objectives in their immediate environment. The neighborhood circles solve problems themselves before interacting with local organizations and politicians.
Sociocratic inspiration: Children, young people and adults learn and use elements from sociocracy, a governance method that enables deeper inclusion, equality and creativity.
Multi-level federation: These parliaments are structured similarly to our party system at the neighborhood, city, district, state, national, international and even global level.
The movement originated in India 20 years ago and is now spreading to different parts of the world, empowering young people to make politics together and is recognized by the United Nations as the world's best child-led organization promoting children's rights.
resources and
in-depth information
Helpful links and videos:
https://childrenparliament.in/resources/ Publications and detailed manuals
Documentary film: "Power to the children" (film license for screenings available through Anna Kersting)
Streaming link: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/powerkids
Introduction to Children's Parliaments by Gnanaseker Danapal at the Sociocracy for all conference
Short video by coach Joseph Ratinam in Switzerland
https://childrenparliament.org/ Page of former children's parliamentarians who now advise other regions on the establishment of neighborhood parliaments
SONEC - Sociocratic Neighborhood Circles - Adapting the Indian model of neighborhood parliaments to the diverse European realities
Webinar by European Capital of Democracy on the first pilots of sociocratic neighborhood circles in Europe "Cities Learn: Sociocracy – Democracy as it could be"
Thank you for our collaboration.
