By Amanda Luz

Last week, People Powered convened its first-ever virtual workshop week, bringing together democracy reformers, including accelerator participants, members, and partners for shared learning, reflection, and action. Participants from the Inclusive Democracy Accelerator (IDA), the Mainstreaming Participation Accelerator (MPA), and the broader People Powered network gathered in joint sessions designed to spark connection and collaboration.

But the week was about more than sharing tools or showcasing best practices. It was about helping participants think strategically and creatively about how to expand or institutionalize public participation in their own contexts. Together, we explored some of the most pressing questions in our field: How do we bring more voices into government decisions? How can we rebuild public trust through participation? And what does it take to make inclusion a lasting feature of how institutions work?

We were joined by a range of partners and contributors who helped design and deliver the sessions, including UNDP, OGP, IPF Kenya, and members of our accelerator expert committees.

Here are some of our key takeaways from the week:

1. Creating a shared learning space builds momentum

The week began with open masterclasses where participants across programs and roles explored topics such as mainstreaming participation through institutions and legislation, inclusive digital participation, and case studies on the inclusion of youth, women, and displaced communities.

A standout moment was a virtual site visit to Laikipia, Kenya, hosted by Pathways Policy Institute (PPI). Participants learned about their participatory process to improve water and health infrastructure, supported by the Climate Democracy Accelerator. Through conversations with local community members, they explored real-world strategies, challenges, and lessons that brought inclusive participation to life on the ground.

Here is a snippet of the conversation! Learn how they were also supported through our CDA and mentorship program.

Bringing different experiences into one conversation helped surface common challenges and surprising synergies. Participants exchanged contact information, discovered they were working in similar contexts, and began new conversations across sectors.

2. Exclusive workshops allowed deeper, tailored work

Program participants also met in smaller, cohort-specific sessions to begin shaping their own action plans.

In the IDA cohort, a highlight was a presentation from Field of Dialogue, a civil society organization in Poland, and a graduate of the Digital Democracy Accelerator. They shared how, in just one year, they co-organized the first national digital youth assembly in Poland, focused on protecting young people online Their experience offered a clear example of how digital participation can influence national policy when it's thoughtfully designed and supported.

Here is a clip of their amazing work. Stay tuned for the full impact story in the coming weeks!

For the MPA cohort, an exclusive workshop led in collaboration with the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL) offered practical guidance on legal frameworks and institutional strategies. The session provided models and examples of how governments around the world are embedding participation into policy and law.

PP Members also came together to share perspectives on pressing issues like the role of AI and participatory democracy in closed spaces, and participated in regional meetups.

3. Informal spaces sparked a connection

At the end of each day, we hosted Coffee Talks: optional, informal sessions that gave members, participants, and partners a space to talk freely, ask questions, and connect. These conversations often sparked the most unexpected exchanges, from advice on public consultations to shared interests in local civic tech tools.

4. We need more of this

This workshop week was an experiment. Like any participatory process, it offered insight into what becomes possible when we break silos and create spaces for open exchange. By bringing accelerators, members, and partners into conversation, we are not only sharing knowledge: we are building a stronger and more connected field.

Want to join our global communtiy of democracy reformers?

Workshop Week made clear just how much is possible when the right people are in the room. If you're working to strengthen participation in your community or government, now is the chance for you to join events and opportunities like this. Here are two steps you can take:

1. Apply to our capacity-building programs

Applications are now open for the next rounds of the Inclusive Democracy Accelerator (IDA), the Democratic Innovations Accelerator (DIA), and the Rising Stars Mentorship. These programs offer personalized support to help you launch or improve participatory initiatives with a focus on inclusion, impact, and institutional change.

Join an active global network, gain hands-on support, and be part of the next wave of stories we’ll celebrate. Applications are open until July 1.

Apply now

2. Apply to become a People Powered Member

We are home to 130+ organizational and 80+ individual members with the shared mission to ensure communities are included in decision-making and governance across the globe.

People Powered provides the international support necessary to grow successful and equitable participatory democracy programs.

We help address common challenges, build power and resources, and advocate for shared priorities. And together, we’re growing a global movement to expand people’s democratic power.

If you want to join us, apply to become a member today! Membership is free (but thanks to a generous donor, any new membership contributions will be matched 4-to-1 until the end of June!).