Civic Engagement – Definition:
Civic Engagement is based in the fact that all citizens can contribute ideas, energy and action for proposals for improving community and these proposals are more likely to be accepted if citizens have a role in shaping them. It is effective if Civic Engagement is capitalized on citizens' energy to gather together representative of various segments of the community.
Civic engagement c reates win-win solutions to controversial community issues while engaging citizens in the political life of their community. It creates genuine public forums for face-to-face interaction while complementing the traditional decision making activities of agencies, courts, and legislatures. It generates solutions that are fairer, more efficient, and better informed.
Civic engagement is demonstrated by a personal ethic to cultivate service, fostering engagement in community or state and leaving a legacy of positive change.
Civic Engagement
The heart of a healthy democracy is a citizenry actively engaged in civic life—taking responsibility for building communities, solving community problems and participating in the electoral and political process.
˜ Envision the community where shared needs are met locally and individuals meeting these needs find lifetime employment skills, leadership techniques and a sense of belonging.
˜ View the community where helping human hands insure parks and trails are readied for public use.
˜ Picture a community where homes of the elderly and low income painted and repaired and the streets are neat and trash free.
˜ S ee older adults mentoring Montana’s youth and youth training senior citizens in computer use.
˜ Imagine this without significant tax increases or growing publicly funded works.
