I wanted to test a question that is often assumed rather than measured: does participating in public affairs actually make children more confident, engaged, and willing to participate in society in the future?

To explore this, I compared children with high, medium, and low levels of civic participation, adapting established measures of political efficacy for younger respondents. The study combined 340 valid questionnaires, structured interviews, and first-hand participatory observation of children taking part in public affairs. The results showed a clear positive relationship between the depth of participation and overall political efficacy, suggesting that meaningful civic participation can strengthen children’s confidence, sense of responsibility, and motivation to engage with public issues.