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Public Seminar: Building Skills for Citizen Participation
In a democracy, trust cannot be commanded – it must be earned by government and freely granted by citizens. Yet the latest OECD Survey of Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions shows that 4 out of 10 people in 30 OECD countries have low or no trust in government. Of equal concern are findings from the OECD Survey of Adult Skills which show that 20% of adults struggle to read simple texts and underscore the strong correlation between skills levels and political self-efficacy.
The significant share of adults who lack the skills to navigate complex digital information landscapes and who feel unable to influence political decisions is a major concern for modern democracies. Equally, governments’ inability to engage effectively with low skilled adults through citizen participation processes limits the evidence base on which public policies are designed. Bridging this gap will require concerted action on several fronts. The good news is that skills for citizen participation can be learned and that citizen participation in policy making itself builds valuable skills.
Drawing on insights from OECD comparative data, the seminar will invite participants to explore ways we can help people build skills for citizen participation in schools, at work and in their communities – as an essential element of democratic resilience and renewal.
Register for in-person: forms.office.com/e/mqFYx5PmX0
Register for online: events.teams.microsoft.com/event/862282bf-1bf6-426f-aa0d-8f0d2d63b05a@cc95de1b-97f5-4f93-b4ba-fe68b852cf91
Date:
10 November 2025, 17:00
Venue:
15 Norham Gardens, 15 Norham Gardens OX2 6PY
Venue Details:
Seminar Room A and MS Teams
Speaker:
Dr Joanne Caddy (Senior Analyst, OECD)
Organising department:
Department of Education
Organisers:
Professor Rachel Brooks (University of Oxford),
Professor Alis Oancea (University of Oxford)
Part of:
Department of Education Public Seminars
Booking required?:
Required
Booking url:
https://forms.office.com/e/mqFYx5PmX0
Audience:
Public
Editors:
Hannah Freeman,
Heather Sherkunov,
Kristina Khoo
