Democracies thrive when people are engaged with the world around them. The EU could help by promoting skills such as critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and digital and media literacy. Formal training is useful, but real change usually starts locally through communities and in peer-to-peer interactions. This would help fight information manipulation and build stronger social bonds. How can the EU best work with NGOs and youth workers to make this happen? Are there other ways for the EU to help its citizens be equipped with these skills?