Millennials Show Lower Engagement and Efficacy in IllinoisIllinois 2009 Civic Health IndexNovember 18, 2009
  Nationally, Millennials lead all generations in civic engagement, with a rate of 43 percent engaged in civic activities. Illinois Millennials (aged 15-29) showed lower levels of civic engagement and efficacy than their national peers, and were less likely to volunteer than their generational counterparts. A full 77 percent of Illinois Millennials reveal cutbacks since 2008 in civic engagement as opposed to 71 percent nationally. A mere four percent report working with neighbors to solve problems, compared with 10 percent nationwide. Illinois Millennials volunteer at a rate (39 percent) lower than Gen-Xers (47 percent) and Seniors (48 percent) within Illinois, but also less than the national average for their generational cohort (43 percent). They were also less likely to attend a public meeting where community matters were discussed, belong to club or donate to charitable organizations. Political Scandal May Impact Lack of Civic Engagement Most strikingly, Illinois Millennials showed substantially less trust for state government, while trust of national and local governments remained on par with national averages. This comes as little surprise given the prevalence of political scandal in the state throughout their adolescence and early adulthood, a formative period for civic identity. The State of Illinois is on the verge of having its fourth governor in four decades tried on criminal charges, attempting to balance a budget $9 billion in the red, and on a systemic level, is riddled with a pay-to-play culture of political corruption. Illinois Millennials see a state government that has abused the public trust and may not feel compelled to contribute to a seemingly broken system. They also may be reacting more demonstrably to political scandal given the lack of positive experiences in their lifetime from which to balance these negative assessments. Critical to reversing these trends is a renewed focus on civic education in public schools statewide. One Solution: Improve Civic Education The Illinois Reform Commission, asked by Governor Pat Quinn to make comprehensive and independent recommendations for political reform, identified civic education as worthy of “further inquiry”. They wrote, “Illinois schools should consider mandating a curriculum that teaches students about the staggering costs of political corruption and the need for honest, ethical government.” Enter the Civic Blueprint for Illinois High Schools. A product of a 2009 conference co-sponsored by the McCormick Freedom Project and the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition, the Blueprint maps out six specific pathways for Illinois high schools to take that will help students build a foundation for lifelong civic engagement. The pathways include activities and instruction ranging from classroom discussion of current events and democratic simulations to extracurricular activities and service-learning opportunities. The result? Students who understand first-hand the critical role an educated, informed and active citizen plays in shaping our government and society. The Blueprint encourages teams of teachers and principals to conduct a “civic audit” to evaluate how well their schools integrate civics across the curriculum via the six principles. It also connects students, teachers, administrators and policymakers with civic education resources provided by Coalition members to help address existing gaps. Successful completion of the audit results in statewide recognition as a Democracy School. To learn more about this initiative and the work of the Illinois Civic Mission Coalition visit the Democracy Schools Web site: http://www.freedomproject.us/democracyschools Civic Blueprint Principles • Formal instruction in U.S. government, history, law, and democracy • Discussion of current local, national and global current events • Service learning • Civics-oriented extracurricular activities; • Giving students “authentic voice” in school governance • Participation in simulations of democratic structures and processes If you like this kind of content, sign up for an NCoC.net account and we'll customize your homepage recommendations based on your interests..
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