Module 5. Boost your Democracy.

Guide to Democratic Empowerment M5 Page 9/12 June 2025 Celebrating Achievements - The Power of Shared Success Breaking down your project into manageable phases and celebrating the successful completion of each one provides regular boosts of motivation. These "small victories" act as psychological checkpoints, offering a chance to pause, reflect on how far you've come, and re-energize for the next steps. Every project journey is made up of numerous small steps. While the focus is often on the end goal, taking the time to acknowledge achievements along the way is incredibly powerful. It's about building morale, reinforcing positive behaviours, and sustaining the energy needed to push through to completion. Celebrate Small Victories Together! Don't wait for the grand finale to acknowledge your efforts. Every small step forward is a victory worth celebrating. These shared moments of success reinforce positive behaviors, motivate the team, and demonstrate the tangible impact of your work. Such successes can take various forms, for example:  the successful application of a new method from the coACTION Treasury in the classroom;  joint supervision and reflection among the teaching staff;  positive feedback from parents on a democracy-promoting school event. Recognizing and celebrating successes, no matter how small, is essential for maintaining momentum and morale, while also ensuring long-term impact. Ensuring Sustainability - Building Lasting Change Your goal is for democratic practices not just to remain a temporary "project" but to be permanently embedded in daily school life and the school's overall structure. Strategic integration into existing school processes is crucial for creating a resilient, adaptable, and continuously improving educational environment. To truly anchor democratic empowerment, you need to find concrete ways to make it part of the school's DNA. This extends beyond one-off events to the core functions and culture of the institution. Integration into the School Quality Management System Integrating new initiatives into the existing School Quality Management System (SQMS) is of paramount importance for their long-term success and sustainability. Embedding Democratic Practices in Curricula Look for opportunities to weave democratic principles and practices directly into lessons and learning objectives across various subjects. This could involve approaches such as: