Measuring & Improving Campus &

Community Civic Health

Measuring & Improving Campus &

Community Civic Health

September 23, 2012PreConference WorkshopIARSLCE 2012 | Baltimore

WelcomeWelcome

NCoC?NCoC?•Explore modern citizenship•Convene, incubate, evaluate•Evidence-based approach

•Explore modern citizenship•Convene, incubate, evaluate•Evidence-based approach

Civic Health InitiativesCivic Health Initiatives•Measure “civic stocks”•Nationally and 25+ communities•Inform public policy, investments, initiatives

•Measure “civic stocks”•Nationally and 25+ communities•Inform public policy, investments, initiatives

American Democracy ProjectAmerican Democracy Project• AASCU’s national civic learning & democratic engagement effort with The New York Times, est. 2003•250 public, four-year colleges & universities•Preparing informed, engaged citizens for our democracy

• AASCU’s national civic learning & democratic engagement effort with The New York Times, est. 2003•250 public, four-year colleges & universities•Preparing informed, engaged citizens for our democracy

•Partnership between ADP & NCoC•ADP’s Civic Engagement in Action Series •ADP 10th Anniversary Signature Initiative•Other partners: CIRCLE, Lyon Software

•Partnership between ADP & NCoC•ADP’s Civic Engagement in Action Series •ADP 10th Anniversary Signature Initiative•Other partners: CIRCLE, Lyon Software

• Measure civic health and develop action plans that respond to findings

• Develop and share tools• Set of Civic Health Summits• 25 participating campuses

• Measure civic health and develop action plans that respond to findings

• Develop and share tools• Set of Civic Health Summits• 25 participating campuses

What is Civic Health?

And how do we measure it?

What is the Civic Health Index?What is the Civic Health Index?

•America’s Civic Health Index started in 2006.•Civic Indicators Working Group•Multi-faceted set of indicators•Bringing data to local communities

•America’s Civic Health Index started in 2006.•Civic Indicators Working Group•Multi-faceted set of indicators•Bringing data to local communities

Where does the data come from?Where does the data come from?•Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act•Corporation for National and Community Service and the U.S. Census Bureau. •Largest and most definitive civic data set in the country•CPS Voting, Volunteer and Civic Engagement Supplements

•Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act•Corporation for National and Community Service and the U.S. Census Bureau. •Largest and most definitive civic data set in the country•CPS Voting, Volunteer and Civic Engagement Supplements

What kinds of things are measured?What kinds of things are measured?

•Voting and Political Action•Volunteerism and Giving•Public Work•Group Participation•Social Connectedness•Trust and Confidence

•Voting and Political Action•Volunteerism and Giving•Public Work•Group Participation•Social Connectedness•Trust and Confidence

Campus & Community Civic Health Initiative Framework

Campus & Community Civic Health Initiative Framework •Civic health indicators as starting

point•Approach civic health from perspective of the campus, broader community, and/or the intersection of the two•Opportunity to learn today about potential models and begin action plans

•Civic health indicators as starting point•Approach civic health from perspective of the campus, broader community, and/or the intersection of the two•Opportunity to learn today about potential models and begin action plans

  

Campus

Campus-Community

Partnerships**

Community

Civic LearningInstitutional Context (e.g.,

campus civic ethos, mission, leadership, governance, reward

structures, recruitment,

retention, completion)

Local Community

State-Level (e.g., partner on NCoC state-level

CHI reports)Curriculum Co-Curriculum

  

Civic Health Indicators*

Political Engagement(e.g., voter registration and turnout, contacting elected officials, discussing politics, political civility)

Public Work (e.g., attending meetings, working with neighbors to solve community problems, civic professionalism)

Volunteering & Giving(e.g., frequency of volunteering, types of activities, substance/depth of efforts)

Group Participation(e.g., participation in religious groups, sports and recreation, civics and service)

Online Engagement(e.g., discussing politics online, communicating with friends online)

Social Trust(e.g., trust of neighbors, confidence in institutions)

Civic Knowledge and Agency(e.g. civics content knowledge, access to information, civic identity)

Social Connectedness(e.g. frequency of talking with neighbors, eating dinner with family)

Who are NCoC’s CHI partners?Who are NCoC’s CHI partners?  

•Nonprofits•Higher Education Institutions•Foundations•Policymakers

 

•Nonprofits•Higher Education Institutions•Foundations•Policymakers

How is the data used?How is the data used? 

•Measuring community vitality and establishing benchmarks•Informing program development and strategy•Providing evidence necessary to promote engagement•Directing resources and investments

 

•Measuring community vitality and establishing benchmarks•Informing program development and strategy•Providing evidence necessary to promote engagement•Directing resources and investments

Partnership OpportunitiesPartnership Opportunities 

•Writing and authorship•Outreach, dissemination and action•Funding and sponsorship•Partnership models: lead partner, coalition, advisory group

 

•Writing and authorship•Outreach, dissemination and action•Funding and sponsorship•Partnership models: lead partner, coalition, advisory group

Economic Value of Civic Health Economic Value of Civic Health  

2011 Issue Brief found positive connection/correlation

All civic indicators were greater predictors of unemployment than 8 economic factors •Higher civic rate, lower unemployment growth•Lower civic rates, higher unemployment growth

 

2011 Issue Brief found positive connection/correlation

All civic indicators were greater predictors of unemployment than 8 economic factors •Higher civic rate, lower unemployment growth•Lower civic rates, higher unemployment growth

The Case BuildsThe Case Builds 

2012 Issue Brief found:

• Nonprofits are lynchpin of economy

• Social cohesion is glue that keeps people employed

 

2012 Issue Brief found:

• Nonprofits are lynchpin of economy

• Social cohesion is glue that keeps people employed

The Case BuildsThe Case Builds

  

Related ADP EffortsRelated ADP Efforts

  

• eCitizenship Initiative• Political Engagement Project• Citizen Alum• Stewardship of Public Lands• Civic Agency

Participating Schools Action PlansParticipating Schools Action Plans

  

• Cal State Monterrey• Missouri State• Indiana University Northwest

Participating Schools Action PlansParticipating Schools Action Plans

  

• Cal State Monterrey• Missouri State• Indiana University Northwest

Thank you!Thank you!

  

Jen Domagal-GoldmanNational ManagerAmerican Democracy Projectdomagalj@aascu.org 202.478.7833www.aascu.org/programs/ADP/

Kristi TateDirector of Community StrategiesNCoC202-729-8038Ktate@NCoC.netwww.ncoc.net