One of the domains that constitute Global Competence Education (GCE) is Take Action, or how students translate their ideas into appropriate action to improve the health of a democratic society. Take Action is in continuity with Civic Engagement (CE), which can be defined as a plurality of practices and attitudes in civic, political and social life that contribute to the health of a democratic society (Banyan, 2016; Adler & Goggin, 2005). But CE cannot be taken for granted, nor can the educational interventions through which people can gain the necessary knowledge and attitudes to take action.

Based on a multi-case study carried out in 7 educational institutions in an Italian city, this paper aims to explore how students experience educational interventions run by schools in collaboration with the community to foster CE. Our findings suggest the need for teachers to pay better attention to students’ point of view and lived experience and to create concrete opportunities for them to take action.