From a brief document from the Arlington Forum with some useful tips and help for leaders wanting to encourage genuine involvement in the decisions and direction of their communities:
When citizens talk about what works in terms of civic engagement, they focus less on formal structures and processes and more on actual experiences—how individuals work together and treat each other, regardless of the setting.
This means that successful civic engagement is not like carefully following a recipe. In fact, a formulaic process can ring hollow to those who participate, making people feel as though they were just “window dressing.” What transforms “going through the motions” into the kind of civic
engagement that builds relationships and strengthens communities is careful and sustained attention to three touchstones: civic conversation,
“inreach,” and civic governance.
Civic Conversation—broad-based discussions among diverse groups and institutions that reach the core of
community values, direction, and well-being.
Inreach—organizations reaching inside to build and strengthen civic relationships among those who are working within and with those organizations. Civic Governance—initiative and responsibility for community problems, actions, and solutions shared by a wide range of citizens.
Civic engagement at its best nurtures civic conversation, pays attention to inreach, and leads toward civic governance.
Civic Governance—initiative and responsibility for community problems, actions, and solutions shared by a wide range of citizens.
Civic engagement at its best nurtures civic conversation, pays attention to inreach, and leads toward civic governance.
Download the full document here.
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