WHY AN ELECTRONIC CIVIC ENGAGEMENT RESOURCE GUIDE?

Initially we had envisioned a resource book that could be placed in the hands of student leaders engaged in this work but as we thought of the dynamic evolution of this project we decided that creating a web based resource guide that could be accessed for free nearly anywhere would be best in the early stages of this project.

As the name implies, we see the information on this site as a collection of tools to help in “fixing the democracy.” It contains information on talking about democracy and democratic issues, on how and why to get involved, on how to take a critical perspective on individual and institutional citizenship. It describes skills for civic engagement and how those skills can be nurtured by colleges and universities. It suggests how students can be informed and involved citizens and active and engaged advocates for change.

Objectives of the Resource Guide

Our hope is that this resource guide will be rich in student voice and design, and that your feedback will lead to a dynamic, growing version in the present, and a more permanent version in the future. We would like it to reflect the collective wisdom of students and those on college and university campuses who support student voice.

To serve students this site strives to be:

• User friendly – It should be easy to access and use by anyone who comes upon these pages.
• Flexible – It should be responsive to the different needs of users with each section being somewhat independent of the others.
• Bold – It should challenge students and others to think critically about individual and institutional citizenship at the price of possibly ruffling a few feathers.
• Multifaceted – Its resources should address the spectrum of approaches to civic engagement with a variety of resources so that users with different backgrounds and different expectations will find it helpful.

Our ultimate objective for this resource guide is that it serves as an important resource for students engaged in civic work on campuses and in communities across the country.