Youth societal participation, or youth political participation, means the active engagement of young people in their communities or on a wider scale. Traditionally, only adults have ways for influencing, such as voting, joining a party, or running for office. For youth, there are youth councils and youth-targeted political organizations, and non-institutional participation, including organizing protests, social media campaigns, volunteering, boycotting, and opinionated art.

Youth participation can have wide-ranging effects, or it can be very focused. It can be youth making their voice heard on cuts in healthcare, or it can be youth deciding on the schedule of their hobby organization. The main thing is that young people get considered in the world that they live in too. However, the means of participation can be quite complex to navigate.

Gamification means using features from games in other environments, like schools, work, or hobbies. These features include mechanics like points, badges, leaderboards, levels, challenges, and rewards as well as competition, collaboration, and feedback. For example, a language‑learning app might give you points for learning new words and let you level up to more difficult vocabulary, whereas a fitness or chores app might reward you with points based on how much work you do or how long a task takes. Gamification can also be non-digital. Traditional stamp cards at cafes or stores and reading programs at schools are ways to make activities gamified.

The goal of gamification is to motivate people to do an activity by making it more engaging and enjoyable. Doing repetitive or plain tasks can feel boring, so adding game‑like elements can make the experience more interesting.

Gamified youth participation means combining traditional youth societal participation with game‑like elements that make the process more engaging and understandable. Many young people find political or organizational structures complicated, and tasks like filling out surveys or attending long meetings can feel distant. By borrowing ideas from games, participation can become clearer, more active, and easier to approach.

The goal of gamified youth participation is not to turn influencing into a game, but to make meaningful engagement more accessible and motivating. Game elements should always connect to real contributions, not just point‑collecting. When designed fairly and inclusively, gamified methods help young people feel that their voice matters, understand complex processes more easily, and experience participation as something active, social, and rewarding instead of distant or boring.

Our team has collected the best practices for using gamified methods to support youth participation. The practices are organized by when they are applied: before, during, and after a session in which the methods are used. Here is our list!

Know the group: Familiarize yourself with the participants’ ages, language, interests, skills (including technical skills), and energy levels.

Select method based on the need: When finding the right method, think about what you want to teach or discuss about and what kind of group you have. Prefer cooperative games to competitive games to mitigate issues caused by losing a game.

Know the method: Learn the rules well beforehand and check the requirements regarding the needed time, space, and equipment.

Test the method: Try all tools beforehand. Pilot the method with other people, like co-workers. Make sure it’s safe (physical and digital) and accessible to everyone. Have a plan B just in case (e.g., both online and offline method).

Inform parents: With underage participants it’s important to let their parents know if there’s anything unusual, such as data collection or different location.

Prepare the space: Have all tools and accessories ready before participants arrive. You can prepare some music, pillows, and snacks to set the mood enjoyable, but remember to consider allergies and preferences.

Create a safe space: Make participants feel welcome and comfortable; it increases willingness to participate. Let them know you’re there if they need help.

Explain the rules clearly: Rather than only talking, show visualizations or concrete examples. If there’s enough time, have a practice round first, where the game is learned by playing it. Keep it short and simple and use friendly language.

Motivate the participants: Explain the learning goals, objectives, and how and where the results will be shared to show that their contributions matter. Have an energizer in the beginning according to the situation (e.g., no exercise right after eating). If they seem too bored, allow creativity to modify the game.

See and hear the participants: Make sure everyone feels comfortable during the game and solve possible conflicts. Be ready to answer questions, even political and cultural issues.

Consider insecurities: Don’t force anyone to be the centre of attention or to share personal details (e.g., inability to do something the game requires, like swimming). Avoid activities that include touching.

Monitor participation: Make sure everyone is participating in the activity. Assign different roles, rotate roles, or use small groups and facilitate actively. Offer alternative ways to participate if someone is unable to do certain things.

Be flexible: Don’t stick to the schedule too much. If possible, leave out some parts of the game to spare time for questions and discussion. Adapt the game according to the group.

Focus on the process: Value the learning and experiences along the way, not just the end result.

Ask for written feedback: Ask participants to write their own individual reflections. This helps prevent the mirroring effect and reduces anxiety about speaking in front of others.

Have a debrief: It’s very important to have time for discussion, reflection, questions, and feedback. This is helpful for both the facilitator and the participants because otherwise much of the learning is lost.

Have continuity: Plan several sessions with the same group to strengthen trust, learning, and connection.

Share the impact: Tell young people where their contributions were sent and what effects they had. Knowing that their input mattered helps keep them motivated.