NCoC: Social Capital

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Social Capital

The most powerful force in American democracy is the connection among citizens. NCoC aims to understand how socio-economic and demographic factors, time spent with family, friends, and neighbors, and elements of trust and connectedness affect the process of civic engagement.

NCoC believes to address community issues and challenges in any area, research must be collected, discussion must occur, and solutions must be proposed. Here, you can see research, discussion, and solutions associated with social capital. This is meant to help explain and animate that focus area, as well as facilitate the process of moving from information to action within it.

Social Capital Issues:Research | Discussions | Solutions

Social Capital Research

Title	Date	Type
"Citizen-Centered" EngagementDiscussing and ActingOur most active citizens both attend public meetings on community issues and work with other people directly on public problems.	Sep 17th, 2007	civic health index
“Lonely Nation”: People Are Considerably Less Connected To Family And FriendsSigns of Civic DeclineMore than one-fourth of American households (29.8 million of them) consist of just one person, compared with less than one-fifth of American households (13.9 million) in 1975.	Sep 18th, 2006	civic health index
2008 Civic Health Index: Sustaining civic engagement beyond Election DayThe National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) today released their 2008 civic report called “America’s Civic Health Index: Beyond the Vote”. [True confessions: the Saguaro Seminar was ...	September 22, 2008	blog
A Call for Civic EducationVirginia Civic Health Index 2010	November 8, 2010	civic health index
A Closer Look: Great Consistency- Across Income, Education, Ethnicity- in Decreased ParticipationCalifornia 2009 Civic Health Index	November 24, 2009	civic health index
Access to Information and Civic EngagementMissouri Civic Health Index 2010	October 26, 2010	civic health index
ACTIONS THAT BUILD COMMUNITYArizona Civic Health Index 2010	September 23, 2010	civic health index
ACTIONS THAT INFLUENCE GOVERNMENTArizona Civic Health Index 2010	September 23, 2010	civic health index
African Americans are EnergizedThe 2008 America’s Civic Health index survey finds African Americans more engaged in almost every respect than the population as a whole.	Sep 22nd, 2008	civic health index
Americans are Turning Inward and Cutting Back Civic Engagement in Tough Economic TimesThe Economic Downturn is Reshaping Civic Engagement66% said that people are responding to the current economic downturn by looking out for themselves, while only 19% said people around them are responding to the recession by helping each other more.	August 27, 2009	civic health index

Social Capital Discussions and Commentary

Title	Date	Type
The Civic Acceleratorby Sara Johnson, Village Capital Program AssociateThis fall, Village Capital in partnership with Points of Light will launch the Civic Accelerator. This twelve-week program is an opportunity for nonprofit and for-profit ventures focused on civic engagement ...	August 9, 2012
We are CitizensLast night, the President offered a powerful reminder of the values, privileges and rights that bind us together through our role as citizens. In his State of the Union Address, the President called upon ...	February 13, 2013
Volunteering and Civic Life in America 2012 By the NumbersAre Americans Bowling Alone?Group participation is a central component of community involvement and broader civic health. Volunteering and Civic Life in America, presented in partnership between NCoC and the Corporation for National ...	February 26, 2013
Volunteering and Civic Life in America 2012 By the NumbersHigh levels of neighbor engagement means strong communities. How often do we talk with one another, help each other out, and how much do we trust the people in our communities? Our latest data shows there’s ...	March 14, 2013
Providing Authentic Opportunities for Youth Engagement in Local Governmentby Leon AndrewsWhat makes youth civic engagement “authentic?” How can cities move beyond token levels of youth participation in local decision-making toward efforts that truly prepare and empower youth to ...	September 1, 2010	discussion
Unlocking Social CapitalWhat is the role of digital communication and diversity in increasing civic engagement?The definition of social capital varies, though as buzzword its usage is climbing faster than the economy. As it relates to civic engagement, the idea is that social capital is what individuals build-up ...	October 15, 2010	discussion
Is Journalism an Act of Service?Rick Stengel remarked in his NCoC speech last month in Washington, DC that “journalism itself is an actual act of service…In a democracy you need a robust exchange of ideas.” If ...	October 19, 2010	discussion
Closing the College Completion GapA Guide for Faith CommunitiesA degree beyond high school has become an essential element of opportunity in America and is a proven pathway out of poverty. However, the majority of our nation's young people, especially low-income ...	November 1, 2010	discussion
New Generation Of Veterans Gains Strength And Support From One AnotherLove for country, service and sacrifice are certainly at the heart of military service, and the 2010 Civic Health Assessment found that veterans are more likely to be involved in their community than ...	November 4, 2010	discussion
Wrap Up: Global Youth Service DayCongratulations to our friends at Youth Service America (YSA) for their successful 22nd annual Global Youth Service Day, celebrating children and youth who improve their communities through service and ...	May 4, 2010	discussion

Social Capital Solutions

Title	Date	Type
Funding and Fostering Local DemocracyWhat Philanthropy Should Know about the Emerging Field of Deliberation and Democratic GovernanceAs the philanthropic community grapples with the question of how to support innovative and effective forms of democratic governance, PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement) has released a guide ...	May 19, 2009	publication
Creating Spaces for ChangeWorking Toward a “Story of Now” in Civic EngagementCreating Spaces for Change: Working Toward a ”Story of Now” in Civic Engagement , a new report from the Deliberative Democracy Consortium and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, is an attempt to describe ...	April 23, 2010	publication
Civic Engagement and Recent Immigrant Communities“Civic Engagement and Recent Immigrant Communities,” a new guide developed by the National League of Cities, presents local officials with the first steps and directions for efforts toward ...	August 18, 2010	discussion
Providing Authentic Opportunities for Youth Engagement in Local Governmentby Leon AndrewsWhat makes youth civic engagement “authentic?” How can cities move beyond token levels of youth participation in local decision-making toward efforts that truly prepare and empower youth to ...	September 1, 2010	discussion
Closing the College Completion GapA Guide for Faith CommunitiesA degree beyond high school has become an essential element of opportunity in America and is a proven pathway out of poverty. However, the majority of our nation's young people, especially low-income ...	November 1, 2010	discussion
Changing the Status QuoIntentional Succession Planning Through Leadership DevelopmentMany think of succession planning as a one-time process that only occurs when an organization considers how it will continue to thrive after a senior leader moves on. The 2010 American Express NGen Fellows ...	November 3, 2011	publication

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My Six Month AnniversaryMay 2, 2013 Michigan Releases its 2012 Civic Health Index TodayApril 24, 2013 N.H. Ranks High in Civic Health, UNH Carsey Institute FindsApril 17, 2013

Dave DelucaJune 21, 2012 Jacob SoboroffApril 11, 2012 Dev AujlaFebruary 28, 2012