Work Packages

WP1 focuses on the overall coordination and day-to-day management of the SOCRATES project. Its role is to ensure that the project is implemented smoothly, on time and in line with the Grant Agreement and CERV requirements. This includes coordinating the work of all partners, overseeing financial management, maintaining regular communication within the consortium and acting as the main point of contact with the European Commission.

WP1 also sets the framework for quality, ethics and safeguarding across the project. It covers monitoring progress, addressing risks as they arise and ensuring compliance with data protection and child safeguarding standards. Regular partner meetings and clear internal procedures support shared understanding and timely decision-making. By keeping the project organised and well-governed, WP1 creates the conditions for the other work packages to be delivered effectively and with confidence.

WP2 focuses on developing the SOCRATES Compass Mechanism, which sits at the centre of the project. The aim of this work package is to turn the idea of child participation into something clear and workable. Rather than starting from theory, the partners build on their practical experience of working with children to agree on what meaningful participation should look like and how it can be supported in everyday settings.

The outcome of WP2 is a concrete framework and set of tools that help adults design and run participation activities with children in a structured and responsible way. Particular attention is given to inclusion, safeguarding and age-appropriate methods, so that the Compass can be used in different contexts without losing quality. This work package creates the common reference point for the whole project and provides the basis for testing, improving and applying the Compass in practice.

WP3 focuses on testing the SOCRATES Compass Mechanism in real and diverse settings, ensuring that it works both in mainstream education and in contexts where children face additional barriers to participation. The piloting takes place in schools as well as in organisations working with vulnerable children, allowing the project to explore how the Compass can be applied across different environments while maintaining the same standards of quality, inclusion and safeguarding.

In schools, the Compass is used to support structured participation activities linked to children’s everyday school life, encouraging them to reflect on issues that matter to them and to take part in guided discussions. In organisations working with vulnerable children, the piloting is adapted to the specific needs and circumstances of each group, with particular care given to trust, safety and accessibility. Across both settings, partners collect feedback and reflect on the process, using these insights to refine the Compass. This approach ensures that the mechanism is flexible enough to respond to different realities, while remaining consistent in its core principles and purpose.

WP4 focuses on ensuring that the outcomes of SOCRATES can be sustained and used beyond the lifetime of the project. Rather than remaining an isolated initiative, the SOCRATES Compass Mechanism is examined in terms of how it can be integrated into the regular practices of schools and organisations working with children.

Drawing on experience from the piloting phase, partners identify the practical conditions needed for the Compass to be used consistently over time. This includes considering organisational processes, roles and everyday routines, and how participation activities can be realistically embedded without placing additional burden on staff or children. By supporting institutional uptake and longer-term use, WP4 strengthens the potential for the SOCRATES approach to be applied more widely and to contribute to lasting improvements in child participation practices.