Civic engagement refers to any individual or group activity that addresses issues of public concern. It includes both political and non-political actions that aim to protect public values or make a change in a community. The goal of civic engagement is to promote the quality of the community and address public concerns. Civic engagement can take many forms, including:
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Individual volunteerism: This involves personal work to address a problem in the community.
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Community engagement efforts: This involves working with others in a community to solve a problem.
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Organizational involvement: This involves working with an organization to address public concerns.
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Electoral participation: This involves interacting with the institutions of representative democracy, such as voting or writing a letter to an elected official.
Civic engagement can be paid or unpaid and includes political activism, environmentalism, and community and national service. It can also include service-learning, which is a form of civic engagement that involves combining academic learning with community service. Civic engagement activities can help individuals become better informed about current events and develop the knowledge, skills, values, and motivation to make a difference in their community.
