What is Civic Engagement?

Civic engagement has been defined as “individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern.”

Civic engagement can also be summarized as a citizenry working together to make a difference in the civil life of a community and developing the combination of skills, knowledge, values, and motivation in order to make that difference.

An engaged citizenry builds community and improves quality of life through both political and nonpolitical processes. Civic engagement can take many forms – from attending a City-sponsored event to volunteering on a task force to organizing a Neighborhood Watch to voting in an upcoming local election.