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
Civic Health and Unemployment II: The Case BuildsA 2012 Issue BriefThis 2012 Issue Brief explores the relationship between civic engagement and economic resilience. It finds that the density and type of nonprofit organizations in a community, as well as its social cohesion, ...	September 12, 2012	publication
Civic Engagement and Employment: NCoC Continues the Conversationby Kristi Tate, Director of Community Strategies, NCoC	June 13, 2012	discussion
Holding the Fort: Nonprofit Employment during a Decade of TurmoilReport shows job and economic contribution of nonprofit sectorThe Center for Civil Society and Studies has released a new report entitled “Holding the Fort: Nonprofit Employment during a Decade of Turmoil.” The report shows the U.S. nonprofit sector posted ...	February 6, 2012	publication
How people learn about their local community A report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project	December 8, 2011	publication
Understanding a Diverse GenerationNew Study Dispels Stereotypes About Young Voters Ahead of 2012 ElectionsThe findings of a new CIRCLE study, "Youth Civic Engagement in the United States, 2008-2010: Understanding a Diverse Generation," shatter stereotypes and dispel conventional myths about the ways in which ...	November 28, 2011	publication
Civic Health and UnemploymentCan Engagement Strengthen the Economy?This Issue Brief explores the relationship between civic engagement and economic resilience.	September 16, 2011	publication
Other Forms of Civic EngagementCivic Health and Unemployment: Can Engagement Strengthen the Economy?	September 16, 2011	civic health index
Can Volunteering Help Us Weather Tough Economic Times? National Conference on Citizenship Calls on Community Leaders to Further Investigate Perceived Connection between Civic Engagement and Economic Resilience A report released today by the National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) finds that states with higher levels of civic engagement are more resilient in an economic downturn. The report identifies five ...	September 16, 2011	press release
Report Shows Majority of Americans Civically Engaged in Their CommunitiesBoomers and Older Adults Rank High Across Several Key Categories of Civic EngagementBetween 2008 and 2010, a majority of Americans were civically active in a variety of ways, working with others to improve their communities, according to the 2011 Civic Life in America: Key Findings on ...	September 15, 2011	press release
Indicator 5: Work With Neighbors to Fix Something in the NeighborhoodPennsylvania Civic Health Index 2010	December 22, 2010	civic health index

Social Capital Discussions and Commentary

Title	Date	Type
Dear Shay, What It Means to Be an American...by Josh Fryday (Dad)A letter from father to one-year-old son regarding his rights and responsibilities as an American citizen.	January 13, 2012	op-ed
The Gardens of DemocracyAn interview with Eric Liu and Nick HanauerEric Liu is an author and speaker who served as a speechwriter and policy advisor to President Bill Clinton. Nick Hanauer is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist. Together, they have authored two books, ...	December 12, 2011	discussion
Gerda Weissman Klein: A true story of liberation and becoming American The transcript of a speech given by Holocaust survivor, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and Citizenship Counts founder Gerda Weissman Klein at the 66th Annual National Conference on Citizenship, ...	October 10, 2011	discussion
Power in the Spoken WordPropaganda, Hate Speech, and Civic EngagementIn a world where violence and sorrow often prevail, how do we create an environment where hate cannot flourish? This was a central question for discussion at a leadership summit titled “What You ...	August 8, 2011	discussion
Can the United States Remain United?Some have said that America’s dynamic is beginning to shift, as communities become more homogenized and the nation becomes more fragmented than ever before. This was a central point of discussion ...	June 23, 2011	event reflection
Capes + Masks + Tasers = Today’s Neighborhood Watch?The role of a “Citizen Superhero” in fighting crimeHollywood has long been obsessed with superheroes but now sometimes-caped crusaders are meeting us in real life to take on crime in communities. Have neighborhood watch participants evolved into Citizen ...	February 10, 2011	discussion
Giving thanks to communities on ThanksgivingThanksgiving is more than just turkey and football and holiday shopping. We think of today's holiday to be a family affair, first celebrate between the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians. The ...	November 22, 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
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
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

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