NCoC: Discussions and Commentary

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Discussions and Commentary

NCoC engages in Research, Discussion and Solutions to real world issues. We apply this strategic approach in 6 primary civic focus areas, highlighted here.

NCoC believes addressing an issue occurs in three primary strategic phases: research, discussion, and solutions. The discussion phase is an important element in understanding challenges and animating research findings, as well as turning them into action plans and solutions in communities. This is why NCoC is committed to using our website as a platform for ongoing discussion and commentary about issues facing the civic sector.

Here, you will see a list of our featured discussions, broken down by focus area. Scroll over the title to see a brief description, and click to read the article and join the discussion.

For all featured discussions sorted by date, click here.

Ongoing Discussion Series are also generated on the following topics:
The Meaning of American
Can Engagement Strengthen the Economy?
Public Policy Chat

Discussions by issue area are here:

Title	Date	Type
All Volunteer ForceCivic Lives of Our Newest Generation of Veterans“All Volunteer Force: From Military to Civilian Service,” a report written by Civic Enterprises, and underwritten by Target and the Case Foundation, finds that the overwhelming majority of ...	November 11, 2009	publication
Paths to 21st Century Competencies Through Civic Education ClassroomsThere is an expectation that students will have mastered an essential skill set by the completion of their education. In an economy that is globally connected and rapidly changing, the required skills ...	December 1, 2009	publication
An Inequitable Invitation to CitizenshipNon-College-Bound Youth and Civic EngagementThere has been considerable effort to engage college-bound students in public life, but much less attention has been paid to the 50% of youth that are not on the secondary education track. Philanthropy ...	December 8, 2009	publication
Social media aids in Haiti earthquake relief and responseFrom Twitter organizing to Google maps to text-to-give donations, the widespread use and application of social technology is altering and facilitating the modes through which Haitian earthquake relief ...	January 15, 2010	discussion
Mobilize.org announces merger and acquistionby Ian Storrar, COOMobilize.org has recently announced its merger and acquisition with Generation Engage to enhance the mission of investment in Millennial-driven solutions to our society’s pressing social problems. ...	January 22, 2010	discussion
What’s in a Generation?Are stereotypes being replaced by a society-wide call to do good?Stereotypically, Millennials are characterized as engaged, while their sibiling generation, Generation X is classified as apathetic. But statistically, this engagement gap could be questioned. Both ...	February 16, 2010	discussion
Education/Participation Gaps: A Case Studyby Abby Kiesa, CIRCLEEducational achievement has long been credited as the biggest predictor of whether or not a young person will be civically engaged. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement ...	February 23, 2010	discussion
eCitizenship... LiterallyMan uses Twitter, flickr, blogs, video to share naturalization experienceDavid Chen took both eCitizenship and his naturalization ceremony to a new level when he used social media to share his experience of becoming a U.S. citizen. David used Twitter, flickr, personal ...	March 19, 2010	discussion
Supporting a Nation of Social Inventorsby John BridgelandIn a piece originally appearing on the Huffington Post, NCoC Advisory Board Chairman John Bridgeland discusses the importance of moving government from status quo funder to catalytic partner of social ...	March 22, 2010	blog
What is the Role of Big Citizenship in Social Innovation and Change?by Stephen GoldsmithGuest contributor Stephen Goldsmith, co-author of the new book, The Power of Social Innovation, discusses the role of “big citizenship” fostering social innovation that empowers citizens ...	April 1, 2010	discussion