There are almost as many definitions of civic engagement as there are articles, books, and blogs about the topic. One that is well suited for purposes comes from Thomas Ehrlich in the Preface to the edited volume "Civic Responsibility and Higher Education":

"Civic engagement means working to make a difference in the civic life of our communities 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" (p. vi).

What might that look like in practice? Here are some ways generated from research and from the Integrating Civic Engagement in the Classroom Workshop CSUN Professor John Kephart hosted.

Knowledgeable voting, including issue research and candidate positions
Attending community meetings
Being informed about and engaging with policy decisions
Studying and advocating for environmental impact statements
Mentoring/community education
Protest/civil disobedience
Volunteering
News literacy
Attending public talks and community events
Participating in town halls
Creating community dialogue around issues important to those communities
Developing an awareness of sociopolitical and structural factors in policy creation, resource distribution, or community action
Joining advocacy groups around specific issues
Art projects/photo essays
Writing letters to the editor, community newsletters, or neighborhood apps
Write a blog
Hold government/regulatory agencies accountable by following up on laws or reporting violations
Lobby an elected representative or community group
Hold voter information sessions with family/community
Fundraising
Evaluating resource availability/distribution (housing, clothing, services)
Mobilizing allies (e.g.: undocumented students mobilizing friends to vote even if they can’t)

Do you want a reoccurring or a one-time community service activity?

We definitely encourage you to regularly devote to community service such as by starting a club.

However, you can also look for opportunities that only occur sporadically, such as planning special events or helping raise funds for a cause.

Who would you like to help?

Is there a specific group of people or cause you are passionate about?

Look for projects that relate to your passion and interests. You may also just want to perform particular community service activities that allow you to do hobbies you enjoy, like baking or acting, and that's fine too.

What kind of impact do you want to have?

Some people prefer to participate in community service activities that have a quantifiable impact, for example, activities where you know the specific number of kids you tutored, dollars you raised, or cans of food you collected. Some people prefer quantifiable activities because they feel they look stronger on college applications, or because they simply enjoy knowing their exact impact on the community.

What skills would you like to gain?

Many community service activities can help you gain skills.

These skills can range from teaching to medicine to construction and more.

If there is a particular skill you'd like to learn for future classes, jobs, or just out of personal interest, you may want to identify or create the project surrounding this.

We've created this below platform for you to share civic engagement ideas and opportunities.

Comment, like, and use the pink plus sign at the right bottom corner to add your own ideas!

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