Democracy in Learning: Designing Experiences That Design Themselves

Democracy isn’t just a system – it’s a mindset, a way of designing experiences that empower people to contribute, challenge, and co-create. At Abracademy, we blend magic with learning, crafting moments of wonder that spark curiosity and invite participation.

A truly democratic learning experience doesn’t impose knowledge but invites exploration. It asks:

• How might we design spaces where every voice matters?
• How do we build trust so people feel safe to challenge ideas?
• How do we design learning that gives people agency?

We took these principles to the next level in our collaboration with DG LINC and the European Parliament – an experience about designing learning experiences.

The challenge: A learning experience about learning experiences

The Directorate-General for Logistics and Interpretation for Conferences (DG LINC) plays a crucial role in the smooth functioning of the European Parliament. It provides a vast range of services, from high-level conference interpretation to state-of-the-art conference technology, meeting scheduling, room preparation, logistical support, passive security, and protocol assistance for official events and ceremonies.

This versatility demands a broad spectrum of skills, deep institutional knowledge, and seamless teamwork across different roles. To ensure that new staff quickly gain expertise and a sense of belonging, DG LINC set out to reimagine their training and onboarding – moving from traditional learning methods to interactive, connected, and motivating experiences.

Their goal wasn’t just to deliver information – it was to create a learning journey that transforms new employees into confident, inspired contributors to the European Parliament’s mission.

The journey: Co-creating with Wonder

From the Discovery Workshop in January to insight-gathering calls in February and finally two half-day immersive sessions in March, we designed a programme that:

• Ignited curiosity with magic, storytelling, and play, creating a space where learning became an experience, not just information.
• Explored the magic of extraordinary moments – what it takes to create learning that captivates, connects, and leaves a lasting impact.
• Unlocked creativity through hands-on storytelling, reflection, and prototyping, turning ideas into tangible experiences.
• Embedded insights into action, celebrating strengths and ensuring participants left ready to design their own magical learning journeys.
• Revealed the meta layer of learning – where every moment was not just an activity, but a live demonstration of how great learning is designed, experienced, and remembered.

The Discovery phase was led by Jenny, Rubens, and Jules, who set the foundation for what was to come. When Jenny and Rubens reunited in Brussels in March, it was time to bring all of that groundwork to life – blending magic, design principles, and even a magical tea ceremony into the sessions.

Both Jenny and Rubens, with years of experience in design and creativity, brought their whole selves to the experience. This wasn’t just another workshop – it was a chance to share what we LOVE. From interactive storytelling to hands-on prototyping, every element was designed with intention, joy, and a bit of magic.

A proud partnership

By embedding meta-learning into every session, we didn’t just tell participants how to create engaging learning – we let them feel it firsthand. This is democracy in action: shifting from passive absorption to co-creation, participation, and ownership.

We feel incredibly proud to have played a part in helping DG LINC craft extraordinary onboarding experiences – ones that introduce newcomers to the European Parliament not just with information, but with experience and inspiration. Their work ensures that democracy runs smoothly; we’re honoured to have helped them do it even more magically. ✨

A special thank you to SessionLab for connecting us with DG LINC and making this collaboration possible!