Active Austria is proud to be part of the PRISMA Framework for Digital Democracy and Citizenship, a European initiative supporting young people to participate actively in democracy in the digital age.
Running from 2026 to 2028, the PRISMA Framework brings together organisations from across Europe to strengthen digital citizenship, civic participation, and democratic values. The initiative is supported through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme of the European Union.
In a time when online spaces play an increasingly important role in shaping opinions and political participation, the project focuses on helping young people better understand the digital world and engage in it responsibly.
Why this initiative matters
Digital platforms have become central spaces for public debate and participation. However, they also bring challenges such as misinformation, online hate speech, and unequal access to digital opportunities.
The PRISMA Framework aims to address these challenges by supporting young people, youth workers, and organisations with tools and knowledge to:
- 🗳️ participate actively in democratic processes
- 🧠 develop critical thinking and media literacy
- 💬 promote respectful and inclusive online dialogue
- ⚖️ better understand digital rights and responsibilities
What PRISMA aims to achieve
To support these goals, the PRISMA Framework develops a range of initiatives across Europe, including:
- National Digital Democracy Labs
Workshops and hackathons co-designed with local communities to explore innovative ideas for strengthening democracy in the digital age. - European Digital Citizenship Week
A Europe-wide awareness campaign around the International Day of Democracy (15 September) highlighting initiatives that encourage responsible participation in digital spaces. - EDYS – European Digital Youth Summit
A gathering of experts, youth workers, and practitioners to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and promote good practices in digital citizenship and democratic engagement. - Community of Volunteers
A growing network of youth ambassadors and changemakers who contribute to activities, campaigns, and initiatives promoting democratic values across Europe.
Our role and first activities in Austria
As a partner in the PRISMA Framework for Digital Democracy and Citizenship, Active Austria contributes to the implementation of these initiatives in Austria, supporting activities that promote democratic participation and digital engagement among young people.
As part of the project, we held two Digital Democracy Lab workshops in Vienna on 15 May and 26 May 2026. These workshops brought together young people to explore digital rights, online security, participation, and democratic engagement.
During the sessions, participants took part in an interactive “This or That” game on online security and a digital democracy debate. Together, they reflected on topics such as digital voting, disinformation, platform power, online activism, and participation in local democracy.
In total, 20 participants joined our Digital Democracy Labs. The workshops created space for interesting discussions, critical questions, and practical reflections on what digital citizenship means in everyday life.
From Austria to Slovakia: Digital Citizens in Action
In August 2026, five young people from Austria took part in the PRISMA youth exchange “Digital Citizens in Action” in Herľany, Slovakia, including two PRISMA Ambassadors.
During the exchange, participants explored different aspects of digital citizenship, democratic participation and responsible engagement in online spaces through non-formal learning activities, discussions and international exchange. Alongside developing their own knowledge and skills, participants gained practical ideas and methods that could be adapted and shared with other young people after returning home.
Bringing the learning back to Vienna
After returning to Austria, the two PRISMA Ambassadors translated their experience into local activities as part of European Digital Citizenship Education Week 2026 (#EDCEWeek26) in September 2026. The official campaign week took place from 14 to 20 September, with participating organisations able to hold related activities throughout the wider campaign period.
They designed and facilitated three workshops titled “AI as a Creativity Stimulator: Collaborative Stories”, reaching more than 50 participants.
Through creative storytelling activities, participants worked together to develop ideas, experiment with artificial intelligence and explore how AI can be used as a tool to support creativity rather than replace human imagination. The workshops combined digital learning with collaboration and creative expression, giving participants an accessible and engaging way to reflect on the role of emerging technologies in everyday life.
The activities also connected directly with the wider goals of PRISMA: supporting young people to approach digital technologies critically, creatively and responsibly, while encouraging active participation and exchange with others.
What’s next
The next major milestone for Active Austria within PRISMA will be the European Digital Youth Summit 2026 (EDYS26) in Bucharest, Romania, in November 2026.
Our two PRISMA Ambassadors from Austria will take part in the summit, joining young people, youth workers, practitioners and other members of the PRISMA network from across Europe. The summit will provide an opportunity to exchange experiences from the activities carried out throughout 2026, further explore digital citizenship and democratic participation, and connect with other young people involved in the network. The EDYS26 summit is scheduled to take place on 20 November 2026 at the Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest.
Through PRISMA, Active Austria will continue supporting young people in developing the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate actively and responsibly in an increasingly digital society.
Project Partners
This publication has been created in the context of system development & outreach activities of the project PrismaEU OG 2026/101235778.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.