Design for Change România
Contex
Design for Change is one of the largest global movements in student-centred education, implemented in over 74 countries and supported by research from institutions such as Harvard and Stanford.
The methodology develops key 21st-century skills – empathy, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, and civic engagement – through a participatory and accessible process for teachers.
Romania joined the international community in 2022, initially using the method as a tool to encourage the participation of students from vulnerable backgrounds in non-formal education projects.
In 2023-2024, the methodology was introduced and tested in schools through a pilot programme involving 24 teachers from across the country and over 500 students.
Teachers were supported to apply the Design for Change process in their classrooms – from identifying a problem to planning and implementing real solutions within their communities. The results confirmed the method’s potential as a tool for educational and social transformation.
At the same time, an independent study showed that the methodology has a positive impact on students’ motivation, their relationship with school, and the transversal skills developed throughout the process.
Building on this experience, the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation, with the support of UniCredit Foundation and UniCredit Bank, is launching a new national project in 2025 aimed at scaling the Design for Change model in Romania.
With a total budget of EUR 299,934 and a duration of 24 months, the project brings together teachers, students, mentors, and institutional partners to build an active educational network where young people are heard, involved, and encouraged to contribute to the common good.
Objectives
The project aims to reduce educational inequalities and create real opportunities for participatory learning for students across the country, with a focus on disadvantaged areas. Through this approach, we aim to:
- Strengthen teachers’ capacity to support students in active learning and civic engagement processes, through a training and mentoring programme adapted to their needs, combining online formats with in-person sessions facilitated at local level;
- Increase students’ involvement in identifying and addressing real community issues, by applying the DFC methodology in schools and developing projects that reflect the interests and local context of each group of students;
- Ensure the scalability and sustainability of the intervention, through a digital platform for support and mentoring, a national and international dissemination campaign, and a strategic plan for integrating the methodology into the school curriculum.
Activities
Over the two years of implementation, the project combines local intervention with digital training and students’ civic action, building a collaborative and participatory educational ecosystem.
The main activities include:
- Establishing a network of educational mentors – 50 experienced teachers take part in a Trainer of Trainers (ToT) programme focused on the DFC methodology, facilitation of participatory processes, and group work. These mentors become local multipliers of the method, supporting the training of other teachers in their counties;
- Local training sessions – 1,000 teachers participate in face-to-face workshops organised in partnership with schools and educational institutions in both urban and rural communities, where they are introduced to the DFC methodology and supported to apply it in practice;
- The interactive online DFC course – 2,000 teachers access the national training course available on the Romanian Angel Appeal Foundation’s e-learning platform, including thematic modules, practical applications, and progress assessment;
- Implementation of the method in schools – over 20,000 students, together with their teachers, go through the DFC stages – Feel, Imagine, Do, Share – and develop concrete projects for their communities;
- The national digital platform – an online space dedicated to collaboration between teachers and mentors, providing access to educational resources, stories of change, a map of participating schools, online sessions, and video materials;
- Celebration and recognition events – two editions of the “Appraisal Day” event are organised, where students’ projects are publicly presented and celebrated, and teachers receive recognition for their educational role;
- Dissemination campaign – the project is actively promoted across educational networks, in the media, and at relevant events, to attract public support, share success stories, and support the integration of the methodology into national education policies.
Results
By implementing this project at national level, we aim to build a strong network of teachers and students actively involved in transforming schools and communities.
The expected results reflect both the scale of the intervention and the focus on quality, visibility, and sustainability.
By the end of the 24 months, the project will generate:
- 50 trained educational mentors, active in communities across all regions of the country;
- 1,000 teachers trained locally, through face-to-face workshops organised by mentors;
- 2,000 teachers participating in the online training course;
- Over 20,000 students involved in real change projects in schools and communities;
- 1 active digital platform, providing educational resources, mentoring, and stories of impact;
- 2 editions of the national “Appraisal Day” event, dedicated to recognising students;
- 12 webinars and public dissemination sessions;
- 4 participations in national and international educational events;
- 1 strategic plan for sustainability and integration of the DFC methodology into the Romanian education system.
