DystoLARP project

 

Civic Education Through Dystopian Live-Action Role-Play

ABOUT THE PROJECT

DystoLARP is an Erasmus+ pedagogical project that uses dystopian live-action role-play (LARP) as a vehicle for civic education. By placing young people inside carefully designed fictional worlds — societies defined by surveillance, propaganda, inequality, and ecological collapse — we create immersive experiences that make democratic values feel real, urgent, and personally meaningful.

Participants navigate genuine ethical dilemmas, practise democratic deliberation, and discover what it costs — and what it means — to resist injustice. The fictional distance of the dystopian scenario provides safety; the immersive format provides depth.

DystoLARP brings together five organisations from across Europe, combining expertise in youth work, non-formal education, game design, and civic education to produce a comprehensive, freely available educational toolkit.

DystoLARP is a pedagogical project — not an academic one and not a LARP production. The focus is entirely on practical and educational outcomes that are accessible, replicable, and free to use.

Programme: Erasmus+

Duration: November 2025 – November 2027

Output languages: English, Polish, French, Swedish, Italian, Bulgarian, Slovenian

GOALS & AIMS

1.  Promote active citizenship and environmental awareness

Utilise dystopian LARP scenarios to explore and illustrate the importance of democratic values, civic responsibilities, ethical decision-making, sustainability, and environmental action.

2.  Strengthen critical thinking and civic engagement

Reinforce the connection between critical thinking and civic responsibility, empowering young people to become informed and active participants in their communities.

3.  Build transferable skills through immersive learning

Develop soft skills — problem-solving, ethical reasoning, collaboration, and leadership — through carefully facilitated role-play experiences with real-world civic applications.

4.  Create freely accessible educational resources

Produce a comprehensive, multilingual open educational toolkit that any youth worker, educator, or facilitator can use, adapt, and share — with no barriers to access.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Youth (aged 15–25)

Young people who participate in LARP scenarios as players — engaging directly with civic themes through immersive, experiential learning.

Youth Workers & Educators

Facilitators, youth workers, and teachers who run DystoLARP sessions. Supported by a Game Master guide, training sessions, and video tutorials.

Educational Stakeholders

Decision-makers, NGOs, and institutions interested in integrating dystopian fiction and role-play into civic education frameworks and programmes.

PROJECT OUTPUTS

All resources will be published as Open Educational Resources, available in 7 languages at no cost.

  • 01. Educational Booklet — focused on using dystopian fiction in civic education, covering theory and practical approaches for both formal and non-formal settings.
  • 02. Curriculum — a structured civic education curriculum delivered through dystopian LARP experiences.
  • 03. 9 LARP Scenarios — ready-to-use dystopian educational prototypes, each addressing specific civic education outcomes.
  • 04. Game Master Guide — practical advice for facilitating DystoLARP scenarios, including facilitation techniques and debriefing methods.
  • 05. Training Session Report — documentation and reflections from the internal co-training session held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
  • 06. 9 Video Tutorials — step-by-step guides detailing the creation of educational LARP experiences for new facilitators.
  • 07. Implementation Guide — best practices, facilitation techniques, and practical guidelines developed from real piloting experience.

In total: 168+ Open Educational Resources published in 7 languages on the project website.

TIMELINE

Phase 1 — Theoretical Framework

November 2025 – April 2026

  • Creation of the educational booklet on dystopian fiction and civic education
  • Development of the civic education curriculum
  • Establishment of the theoretical and pedagogical knowledge base

Phase 2 — Key Practical Results

April 2026 – January 2027

  • Creation of 9 model LARP scenarios and the Game Master guide
  • Production of 9 video tutorials on LARP creation
  • Internal co-training session for all partners (Sofia, Bulgaria)
  • National training and testing sessions with youth workers across partner countries

Phase 3 — Testing & Updates

January – November 2027

  • Creation of the implementation guide based on piloting experience
  • National testing sessions with learners and educators
  • Update and refinement of all practical resources based on feedback
  • Multiplier events and final dissemination across all partner countries

EXPECTED IMPACT

  • 175+ young people aged 15–25 participating in the testing phase
  • 20+ youth workers involved in testing and training
  • 168+ Open Educational Resources published on the website
  • 500+ accesses to Open Educational Resources
  • 25,000+ website hits during the project period
  • 120+ attendees at multiplier events across partner countries
  • 300+ youth organisations contacted through dissemination
  • 50,000+ people reached through dissemination actions
  • Target: at least 80% of youth workers identify improved civic engagement, environmental awareness, and soft skills among their participants

PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

LiveForm, Poland- Non-profit organisation focused on larp design and production

EGLE, Belgium – GAMIFICATION IN LEARNING AND EDUCATION – a European network based in Belgium representing educational institutions and organisations committed to innovation in education.

Evocative Games, Sweden – a Creative Studio and Private Research Company

Zavod Bob (Bob Institute), Slovenia – is a non-governmental organisation focused on educational and cultural activities for young people

Euphoria Net, Italy – operates across Italy and Europe, delivering trainings, managing EU projects, ensuring successful implementation of international initiatives

CVS-Bulgaria, Bulgaria – non-governmental organisation that has been working in the field of international volunteer exchange since 1998. CVS-Bulgaria is a branch of the international peace and volunteer-exchange network of Service Civil International

LANGUAGES

All project outputs are produced and published in 7 languages:

English  ·  Polish  ·  French  ·  Swedish  ·  Italian  ·  Bulgarian  ·  Slovenian