Civic Engagement Programs

Empowering students to grow as socially responsible leaders.

Young boy in blue glasses placing a ballot in a voting box with other children nearby.

Building a Culture of Active Citizenship

COAF’s Civic Engagement Programs empower youth to take meaningful action in their schools and communities. This weekly program cultivates socially responsible leaders ready to make a difference.

Five young people in white shirts sit and discuss papers around a table in a bright office space.

Nurturing Critical Thinking

COAF’s Debate Clubs equip students to think critically, speak confidently, and engage with their communities.

Group of people seated and attentively listening to a speaker, with one man looking at his phone.

Connecting Kids to Dream Jobs

This program helps students in middle school and high school align their interests and skills with real-world educational and career paths.

Large group of diverse young people sitting closely on tiered seating in a bright room.

Developing Financial Literacy

Students assess community needs, and implement real-life projects to address them through entrepreneurship.

Two women with curly hair sitting at a conference table with microphones in front of them.

Empowering Students to Shape Society

Student Councils promote youth participation in school governance and community decision-making.

Meet COAF Students

“I liked the environment and the people so much that after the first introductory session, I told my mom, ‘I’m definitely going to keep coming here”
Mary Baghdasaryan
Alaverdi, Lori
“What I like most about SMART is the ability to choose the programs ourselves and thus study what we are interested in and what is close to our hearts.”
Taron Petrosyan
Vanadzor, Lori
“I remember it like it was today; I picked up the guitar for the first time during the musical instruments program and tried to play the first notes. I said to one of my friends sitting next to me, ‘My dream has come true”
Maria Grigoryan
Alaverdi, Lori
“Programs like SMART—along with SMART talks and workshops led by visiting professionals—help kids like me from rural areas discover who we truly are.”
Elen Kharatyan
Dsegh, Lori
“SMART, first and foremost, is a place for opportunities, discovering your own capabilities, and making friends from different communities”
Nare Petrosyan
Odzun, Lori

Student-Led Projects That Make a Difference

From restoring public spaces to creating awareness campaigns, Program participants  lead initiatives that benefit their entire community.

Hand inserting a yellow coin with a checkmark into a piggy bank.

Hands-on problem solving

Students identify local challenges and design creative solutions with real-world impact.

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Collaboration across villages

Young leaders join forces with youth from beyond their hometowns.

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Real-world leadership experience

Participants develop a sense of civic responsibility for their local communities.

What’s New in COAF Civic Programs?

July 9, 2026
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Summer Camps at COAF: Long Days, Bright Ideas

April 19, 2026
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“I had a whole collection of COAF camp T-shirts,” Anush Mkrtchyan’s Story

March 16, 2026
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SMART Center Launches EQ Lab — A Defining Addition to Its Holistic Curriculum

April 19, 2026
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Arpine Ghazumyan: On the Road from SMART to Grand Operatic Stages

December 30, 2025
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Empowering Futures: Inside COAF’s Youredjian Scholarships & Career Development Program in 2025

December 25, 2025
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COAF Launches New Football Program at the SMART Center in Lori

Join the Movement

Support youth-led change in Armenia’s villages.