About us

What is Democracy Fitness?

Get better at disagreement, listen more actively and discover that you are braver than you think. Democracy Fitness is a tool to focus on everyday democracy. In 30 minutes, we exercise ten different democracy muscles – and remind each other that democracy lives through us. Without our courage, empathy, curiosity, diversity and action, democracy cannot develop.

But it takes practice: active listening. To use your voice. Exploring disagreement. To mobilize each other. And finding good compromises in a busy workday.

Democracy Fitness is both a respite and a break room – a place where we are reminded that democracy is not something distant, reserved for the few.
Democracy is something we all create – every day, all our lives.

And Democracy Fitness is active, engaging and fun at the same time!

Facts about Democracy Fitness

  • Developed in 2017
  • 500+ Democracy Fitness Trainers
  • 15,000+ have tried Democracy Fitness
  • 16 Danish partners across the country
  • Democracy Fitness trainers trained from Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Slovenia, Sweden, Japan, Switzerland and South Korea.

Why Democracy Fitness?

Democracy Fitness was created because there was a lack of a training space where we could meet to talk about democracy and exercise our democracy muscles. A strong democracy with broad participation and a vibrant culture of conversation and debate requires that we actively cultivate and maintain it. If we want a healthy democracy, we must constantly develop it – and ensure that all groups in society feel part of it.

Democracy Fitness was first tested at Folkemødet in 2017 with great support, thanks to Foreningen Demokratiscenen. Since then, the German Bosch Foundation, the Tuborg Foundation and the Nordea Foundation, among others, have supported the development. With their help, we have been able to organize a lot of trainings and masterclasses where we have trained groups and educated new trainers – primarily in Denmark, but also around the world.

Today, Democracy Fitness is anchored in the social economy company We Do Democracy, which runs the website and acts as the project secretariat.

 

Consortium

Democracy Fitness is anchored in a partnership between the Social enterprise We Do Democracy, Byens Hus Roskilde and the company Helt Ærlig, which together form the project consortium.

The consortium ensures a solid anchoring of Democracy Fitness both nationally and locally – and works to spread and develop the training concept in collaboration with actors across civil society, education, municipalities and business.

Zakia Elvang, Consortium Coordination Group Member, Founding Partner and Partnership Manager: Zakia is CEO and Democracy Advisor at We Do Democracy. She plays a key role in the strategic development of Democracy Fitness and leads collaborations with foundations, municipalities and partners in Denmark and abroad. With strong experience in both democratic innovation and process design, Zakia helps shape and anchor Democracy Fitness as a practical and meaningful tool.

Kathrine Krone Laurent, member of the consortium’s coordination group and founding partner: Kathrine is Head of Secretariat at Byens Hus Roskilde. Kathrine is Head of Secretariat at Byens Hus Roskilde and works with developing and facilitating local communities and citizen-driven initiatives. In the consortium, she has a special focus on integrating Democracy Fitness in everyday contexts – in associations, education and local democracy. Kathrine is interested in how we create spaces for active participation and exercise the muscles of democracy together, where we live and work.

Zakia Elvang

Member of the consortium coordination group, founding partner and partnership manager

Kathrine Krone Laurent

Member of the consortium coordination group and founding partner

The secretariat

The secretariat behind Democracy Fitness is We Do Democracy. The secretariat coordinates the activities of Democracy Fitness, develops training programs, supports our trainers and partners, and drives the further development of the project. The responsible members of the secretariat are:

Rose Steen MikkelsenProgram Manager and Camp Instructor: Rose is a Consultant at We Do Democracy. As Program Manager for Democracy Fitness, Rose has the overall responsibility for developing and strengthening the program. She works with everything from concept development and coach education to ensuring the quality of training sessions. As a camp trainer, she is also in charge of training new trainers and inspiring more people to flex their democracy muscles.

Fanny Timmermann, Coordinator: Fanny is a Junior Consultant at We Do Democracy. As the coordinator for Democracy Fitness, Fanny is responsible for coordinating the activities and ensuring that all practical tasks around the program run smoothly. Fanny supports all the practicalities behind the trainings, such as coordinating bookings. With her strong organizational overview and inquisitive nature, Fanny ensures clear communication between participants and trainers.

Linea Sveistrup, coordinator and camp instructor: Linea is a junior consultant at We Do Democracy. She is an experienced Democracy Fitness trainer and has solid experience facilitating both small and large gatherings – locally, nationally and internationally. As a coordinator, Linea is responsible for the planning and execution of trainings and camps, ensuring that everything from participant communication to content and logistics runs smoothly. She has an eye for both the detail and the big picture and plays a key role in ensuring the quality of the training programs and building the trainer network.

Lea Bojer, Communications Officer and Trainer: Lea is an intern at We Do Democracy. As responsible for communication on the website, Lea makes sure that the news, updates and stories about our work are communicated clearly, vividly and accessibly. She has an eye for detail and a sure hand in creating an overview and coherence across platforms. As a trainer, Lea is both present and engaging in her approach and concerned with how training – like communication – can open up dialog, curiosity and common understanding.

Sofie Puntervold Kristensen

Program manager and camp trainer

Hannibal Holm Johansen

Coordinator and camp coach

Linea Sveistrup

Coordinator and camp instructor

Rose Steen Mikkelsen

Program manager and camp instructor

Lea Bojer

Communication manager and trainer