A report released today by the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) finds that states with higher levels of civic engagement are more resilient in an economic downturn. The report identifies five measures of civic engagement – attending meetings, helping neighbors, registering to vote, volunteering and voting – which appear to protect against unemployment and contribute to overall economic resilience.
An alarming new study of civic health shows that Florida’s young adult population is less engaged in voting, volunteerism and public debate than their counterparts in other states. The results have prompted several former state leaders to set a goal of increasing the voting rate among Florida’s Millennials by 10 percent in the next election.
The good news is, Ohio has strong assets in its community leaders and the state ranks first in the nation for its leadership rate of civic-minded people serving as officers or committee members in community groups and associations. The bad news is, Ohioans have modified their civic behavior, and their community life and sense of belonging have been affected by unemployment and the foreclosure crisis.
The Davenport Institute for Public Engagement and Civic Leadership at Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy will release the annual study of California civic participation—the 2010 California Civic Health Index—on November 10, following the key November 2 mid-term elections.
The 2011 Arizona Civic Health Index offers some surprising results about the state of civics in Arizona.
With the 2014 general election just 13 months away and voter registration numbers at an all-time low, hundreds of volunteers took to Chicagoland streets Tuesday to mark National Voter Registration Day in an effort to get as many new voters on the rolls as possible.
In challenging times punctuated by accusations of wasteful spending, special interests, and corporate greed, individuals are demanding accountability, respect, and trust from the governments and institutions that claim to serve the public interest.
Can putting extra emphasis on transparency bridge the trust gap between government and the public? And what role does public participation play in crossing that divide?
Join the discussion and read commentary from experts from the Sunlight Foundation, Mobilize.org, and the International Journal of Public Participation.
What more can we all do, as leaders in the field, to help transform Americans from spectators to highly engaged participants? With interest on service expressed by the upcoming Barack Obama administration, there could not be a better time to further augment our inventory of ground-breaking policies to encourage citizens to become more active in their communities and more committed to our democracy.
What programs would you suggest to encourage more civic engagement?
We want to hear from you. Submit your viewpoint to our online brainstorming session, otherwise known as our comment page.
The Republicans meeting in St. Paul heaped scorn on “community organizers” with snappy sound bites. But attacking community organizing for partisan advantage could prove a mistake.
Utica Observer–Dispatch September 17, 2010 AT ISSUE: Civic involvement can be critical factor in determining who we are Perhaps the stepchild of national observances is today — Sept. 17. In the scheme of things, what happened on this day is…
The most powerful force in American democracy is the connection among citizens. Social networking sites (SNS) have shown to promote increased connectivity. But does building online communities translate to engagement in other ways? Is social networking always a productive means of engagement, or can it be counter-productive in sustaining long-term participation?
<span style=" ;" >While there remains a vibrant debate over whether social media is creating new activists or just enhancing the tools used by existing ones, it is clear there has been a fundamental change in the way citizens are interacting with each other and through organizations. MyImpact.org co-founder Nick Troiano explains how participants at last week’s Personal Democracy Forum are using new technology to renew civic engagement.