Tag: Tools

Puzzleltown

Puzzeltown is a game-based method designed to spark meaningful conversations about local democracy and governance. Whether you’re a civil society actor or a librarian, this guide will help you organize a successful game session in your community.

Why Puzzletown?

Puzzletown transforms complex issues like municipal decision-making, budgeting, and governance into an engaging and interactive experience. Participants step into the roles of decision-makers, navigate challenges, and learn how municipalities function in a hands-on way.

What you need to run a session

1. A suitable space

A library, community center, or any accessible venue with enough room for up to 25 participants is ideal. The space should have tables and chairs for discussions and a large enough floor area if you’re using the big floor version of the game.

2. The Game

There are two ways to organize the session:

  • Borrow a big floor game: Some libraries or NGOs already have a copy. If you don’t, check with other organizers or reach out to us.
  • Use a table-top version: If a floor game isn’t available, you can print and assemble a smaller board version.

3. A trained gamemaster

Each session is led by a gamemaster, someone familiar with the rules and structure of the game. Ideally, this is a librarian or a civil society representative who has attended a training in Kyiv or participated in a previous session.

4. Participants

  • Sessions work best with 15–25 participants.
  • A mix of local activists, students, municipal employees, and engaged citizens ensures diverse perspectives.

5. The session structure

Each Puzzletown session follows this structure:

  • Introduction (20 min): Participants get a brief overview of local governance, democracy, and municipal mandates.
  • Game session (90 min): Players take on decision-making roles, experience budget trade-offs, and navigate governance challenges.
  • Reflection and discussion (30 min): The most important part! Participants share insights, relate their experiences to real-life governance, and discuss takeaways.

Promoting your event

To ensure a successful session, spread the word via social media, posters, and community announcements. We’ve prepared ready-to-use materials to make promotion easy (see resources below!).

Working with the municipality

In some cases, getting approval from the municipality or local authorities is needed. We’ve drafted a template letter you can use when reaching out to them.

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The Labyrinth of democracy

You’ve just hosted a session of Electionville, and your participants are hopefully engaged, curious, and thinking about the big question: What can I do to support local democracy where I live?

During the game, they stepped into the shoes of local politicians, making tough decisions and navigating challenges. But democracy isn’t just about those elected to office—it depends on a whole ecosystem of people taking on different roles. And this is where you, as an organizer, can help participants take the next step.

Beyond Politics: The Many Roles in Democracy

Not everyone wants to—or can—be an elected representative for multiple mandate periods. But democracy needs much more than politicians. It relies on:

✅ Civil servants—who turn policies into action and ensure the system functions.
✅ Experts in governance—who improve policies and structures.
✅ Journalists—who investigate, question, and hold power accountable.
✅ NGOs & activists—who advocate for important issues and monitor decision-making.
✅ Engaged citizens—who follow, discuss, and contribute to the democratic process in their communities.

But many more, some of these roles require full-time commitment, but many do not. There is space for everyone—the introverts, the extroverts, those with plenty of time, and those who can only spare a couple of hours every election cycle. As facilitator you can with this tool to help participants see that democracy needs them, no matter their capacity or skill set.

Helping Participants Find Their Place

The Labyrinth of Democracy can be a tool to help participants discover where they might fit in. Encourage them to reflect on what interested them most during the session. Did they enjoy negotiation? Maybe governance or advocacy is their path. Were they drawn to transparency and accountability? Perhaps journalism or civil society work is for them.

A simple debriefing discussion after the game can open up these possibilities. Here are some questions to guide it:

  • What part of the game did you find most engaging?
  • What surprised you the most about decision-making?
  • What real-world roles do you think are most crucial for a strong democracy?
  • How do you see yourself contributing to democracy in your community?

Encouraging Action After the excercise

As an organizer, you can provide participants with practical next steps:
📌 Share local opportunities—public meetings, local NGOs, or training programs.
📌 Encourage discussion—set up a follow-up event or online group.
📌 Provide resources—recommend books, articles, or podcasts on governance and civic engagement.
📌 Remind them that democracy is ongoing—it’s not just about elections; it’s about daily participation.

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