ABOUT THE RAISE YOUR VOICE CAMPAIGN:
Civic Engagement Defined
What is “civic engagement?” There are many definitions of “civic engagement.” However, The Student Civic Engagement Campaign hopes to listen to students’ voices about how young people define civic engagement in their own lives and work.
Here are some ways civic engagement is being defined:
“Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern. Civic Engagement can take many forms, from individual volunteerism to organizational involvement to electoral participation. It can include efforts to directly address an issue, work with others in a community to solve a problem or interact with the institutions of representative democracy. Civic Engagement encompasses a range of activities such as working in a soup kitchen, serving on a neighborhood association, writing a letter to an elected official or voting.”
"Civic engagement means an institutional commitment to public purposes and responsibilities intended to strengthen a democratic way of life in the rapidly changing Information Age of the 21st century."
"Adding ones voice to community conversations. Advocacy on behalf of others. Participation in public life. Encouraging other people to participate in public life. Joining in common work that promotes the well being of everyone."
Sometimes civic engagement is simply defined through the activities that are associated with it. There are many ways to promote student civic engagement on a college campus, including:
• Courses and curriculum (especially service-learning courses) with a civic component as civic education
• Civic dialogues as a way of promoting public conversations and strengthening work in communities
• Participation in democratic organizations on campus as civic involvement.
Go to our Online Forms page for an activity that examines some other actions that you may or may not define as civic engagement.
Why Civic Engagement?
Many say, “Students are leaders of the future, not the present.” Or, “College is the time to ‘be a student’ not an advocate or agent of change.” At the same time, students increasingly have so many responsibilities competing for their time, between classes, work, homework, “why get involved in civic activities?”
Perhaps the best reason for college students to get involved in civic engagement is that unlike many older Americans, students have fewer personal interests to protect and are more effective at looking at the larger issue of the public good. Students are more likely to have a desire to make an effect on the world, to be idealistic, and to have compassion for others.
There is a crisis in our democracy with many social needs going unmet. The world needs committed, active students to address issues such as poverty, inequality, hunger, homelessness, corporate abuse, racism, etc.
Finally, students are an untapped collective power to address these issues. There are 15 million college students on over 3200 college campuses - mobilizing students could have an unbelievable impact on creating a more just and democratic society.
Campus Compact begins this student initiative with an interest in what young people have to say about the world and their role in the world. This initiative hopes to provide tools and opportunities for students to use their voice and let others hear what they have to say about critical public issues.
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