Civic Engagement
Civic engagement involves “working to make a difference in the civic life of one’s community and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference. It means promoting the quality of life in a community, through both political and non-political processes.” It includes both paid and unpaid forms of political activism, environmentalism, and community and national service. Volunteering, national service, and service-learning are all forms of civic engagement.
Civic engagement is participation in activities that improve one’s community or address wider social issues.
Civic engagement can involve political and non-political activities.
Typical forms of civic engagement include participating in the electoral process, volunteering, and advocacy or activism.
Values associated with fostering civic engagement are:
Trusting and respecting how a community wants to take action for itself;
Creating agency and power in people, particularly those most affected by an issue;
Nurturing or fostering healthier, stronger, happier places to live;
Engaging community members in a processes that affect them and their communities;
Promoting transparency and participation
