Conference Agenda

This paper responds directly to the growing need to better theorise and evidence how service-learning contributes to competences for democratic culture, as highlighted by the Council of Europe’s Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture (RFCDC). It positions North Wales as a functioning model of place-based system change using the Well-being of future generations Act (Wales) 2015 as a framework for change (Welsh Government, 2015). Where a higher education institute operates as a civic anchor within a coordinated regional ecosystem to test and explore different approaches to democratic learning and civic engagement in collective challenges across educational phases. (Ruddle et al, 2020)

Drawing on two empirical case studies led by Wrexham University, the North Wales Children’s University Pilot 2023-2024 and Lle Llais 2025 Public Map initiative on the Isle of Anglesey, the paper examines how trauma-informed, place-based service-learning fosters democratic competences from early childhood (ACE Hub Wales and Traumatic Stress Wales, 2022). The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining participation data, programme evaluation, and qualitative analysis of children’s narratives.

The Children’s University pilot engaged over 1,100 children across six local authorities in structured extracurricular service-learning designed to build social capital, aspiration, and community connectedness. Findings demonstrate that when schools act as civic anchors within a wider system and structural barriers to access are reduced, children’s agency, participation, and skill development increase significantly. Notably, children from areas of highest deprivation achieved the strongest completion rates, suggesting that equitable service-learning can disrupt entrenched inequalities (Wood, 2024) .

Lle Llais 2025 extends this work through trauma-informed, arts- and nature-based engagement with 253 children across eight schools. Delivered in partnership with Welsh Bards and community organisations, the project evidences how culturally rooted, creative practice fosters emotional safety, empathy, voice, and belonging (Wood and Shepley, 2026). Children’s narratives identify six core dimensions of democratic wellbeing: happiness, friendship, nature, safety, creativity, and inner calm, which align with key RFCDC domains, particularly values (respect, openness), attitudes (empathy, civic-mindedness), and skills (listening, cooperation, critical expression).

The paper contributes empirical evidence to an underdeveloped field by demonstrating how democratic competences can be cultivated through integrated, trauma-informed service-learning ecosystems (Cherry, 2025). It further argues that North Wales offers a transferable model for the institutionalisation of service-learning, highlighting implications for pedagogy, system leadership and civic infrastructure, and curriculum design (Ruddle and Arriaga-Garcia, 2026) .

The inter-university module was designed for students across diverse degree programmes—including Sustainable Regional Development, Design, and Social Work—at three universities of applied sciences in North-West Brandenburg. These institutions collaborate within the framework of the joint project InNoWest – Einfach machen!, The project seeks to bridge the gap between academic research and regional practice, addressing local needs and initiatives through applied, participatory approaches.

Within this context, the module established a transdisciplinary curriculum grounded in service-learning principles. Students engaged in practice-oriented projects with regional partners, tackling challenges related to the ecology, economy, and society of the Elbe river region. Through collaboration with practitioners, students co-developed new narratives about the river that integrated both experiential knowledge and academic perspectives.

This transdisciplinary approach not only cultivates diverse viewpoints but also fosters the acquisition of key competencies aligned with Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD). Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) emphasizes inter- and transdisciplinarity, as the resolution of complex sustainability issues necessitates collaboration across academic disciplines and between academia and practice (Molitor et al., 2022). Such integrative processes are also central to democracy education for both students and participating stakeholders, which underscores participatory, inclusive, and deliberative practices (Carrapatoso, 2026). Moreover, research demonstrates that transdisciplinary education, problem-based engagement, and the active involvement of stakeholders in community-engaged programmes enable the addressing of multifaceted challenges, yielding holistic and innovative solutions (Chang et al., 2020).

In the presentation, we will first outline the structure and objectives of this cross-university module within the service-learning framework. Subsequently, we will elaborate on the methodological and didactic strategies employed, with particular attention to the transdisciplinary approach. Building on this foundation, we will illustrate how the concepts of democracy education and ESD intersect and mutually reinforce one another. Finally, we will discuss the potential for transferring this approach to other educational and practical contexts, identifying the necessary conditions for successful implementation and the learning outcomes for all stakeholders involved.