Power up digital citizens: children designing video games to tackle online risks
PowerUP is a CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) project (2026–2028) that empowers children to become safer, more aware, and more active digital citizens through video game creation. The PowerUP CERV project brings together six European partner organisations from Portugal, Belgium, Greece, Poland, Romania, and Italy. This project is particularly relevant for primary school teachers and educators working with children aged 8 to 13 who want a creative, hands-on approach to online safety and digital rights.
Why this project matters
Children today face real online risks — cyberbullying, misinformation, privacy threats, and harmful behaviours. However, traditional approaches to online safety education are often passive and difficult to engage with. Moreover, many teachers lack the tools and training to address these topics in a creative, age-appropriate way. PowerUP responds to both challenges at once.
What the project aims to do (objectives)
Through game-based learning and co-creation, the PowerUP CERV project helps children understand and navigate online risks while promoting digital rights, online safety, digital well-being, and gender equality. Instead of only playing games, children design and create their own educational video games — transforming them from passive users into active digital citizens. As a result, they develop critical thinking, creativity, and digital awareness. At the same time, the project strengthens teachers’ competences in digital pedagogy, online safeguarding, and creative educational methodologies.
What we are building (results)
- A Game Design Framework with the methodology and evaluation criteria to guide teachers and children through the video game creation process
- A collection of 80 illustrated game cards and 20 educational video games created by children
- An Educator Replication Toolkit with a practical step-by-step guide for schools and teachers
- A Children’s Illustrated Guide, written and hand-illustrated by students, explaining how to design video games.
Furthermore, all results will be available in English, Portuguese, Italian, French, Greek, Polish, and Romanian.
Project partners
The project is coordinated by Agrupamento de Escolas de Vilela (Portugal) and includes Euphoria Net (Italy), ELAN (Belgium), and three more schools – Akata Makata (Greece), SOSW w UNICEF-Slupsk (Poland) and Scoala Gimnaziala “Mihai Viteazul Braila” (Romania).
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
Project n° 101252479 (CERV)