Exciting Updates from the Tufts’ Tisch College of Civic Life

We received this announcement from NCDDer Peter Levine at Tufts’ Tisch College of Civic Life, sharing many exciting updates happening at Tisch that we wanted to help boost to the larger NCDD network. Don’t miss out on the next announcement and sign up for this newsletter via the Frontiers of Democracy Updates Email List linked here. Do you have information you’d like to share with the NCDD network? Then check out this page to learn how to boost information with the expansive coalition.


Update about Frontiers of Democracy and Civic Initiatives at Tufts

Via Peter Levine on email list for the annual Frontiers of Democracy conference at Tufts’ Tisch College of Civic Life.

RE: Frontiers of Democracy conference and/or the Summer Institute of Civic Studies at Tufts’ Tisch College of Civic Life. We canceled both of those events in 2020 due to COVID-19. We will make decisions early in 2021 about whether to hold them in-person or to offer online programming instead next summer. The dates for Frontiers will be June 25-27, 2021; the Summer Institute will be June 21-25.

In the meantime, we wanted to update you about several projects involving Tisch College that may interest you.

CivicGreen is a new collaborative project (and website) meant to enrich our democratic imagination and to expand our policy options for sustainable, resilient, and just responses to climate crisis in the United States in the coming decades. It locates civic engagement at the heart of work that needs to occur in communities of all kinds, across cities and regions, and among professional and other institutional partners that are key to solving problems for the long run. CivicGreen is fundamentally about civic democracy at the intersection of green strategies to address our ecological and climate crises and to build healthy and sustainable communities for all.

Equity in America is a new online tool that allows anyone to explore dimensions of equity and inequity in the USA and generate easily-interpreted statistics and graphics. It is meant to inform public debate and deliberation (including in classrooms). The site also presents “research briefs” on current topics, including COVID-19 and policing.

Political scientists may be interested in the new Civic Engagement Section of the American Political Science Association, which is open to all members of APSA, and the APSA’s Institute of Civically Engaged Research, which is also held annually at Tisch College.

In the domain of k-12 civic education, please stay tuned for Educating for American Democracy: A Roadmap for Excellence in History and Civics Education for All Learners, a major project of iCivics, the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at Harvard University, the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, Tisch College’s CIRCLE (The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement), and Tisch College itself.

For youth voting and civic engagement and college students’ political engagement, please follow CIRCLE and the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education.

The Civic Studies Major at Tufts is going strong and offers a distinctive mix of theoretical, empirical, and applied courses.

The 2020 All-America City Award Event is Now Virtual!

Let the 2020 All-America City Award Competition begin! This beloved annual community event hosted by NCDD partner organization, the National Civic League, kicks off today and continues until the Weds. August 19th. This inspirational event recognizes communities that leverage civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness and innovation to successfully address local issues. This year has gone virtual but you can still join by heading on over to the NCL site linked here. If you are looking for a great boost of spirit, then we strongly encourage you to join the live stream via the AAC Facebook page and cheer on these #AAC2020 finalist communities! Learn more about the event below and on the NCL website here.


The 2020 All-America City Award Event Kicks Off!

This event recognizes communities that leverage civic engagement, collaboration, inclusiveness and innovation to successfully address local issues. The All-America City Award shines a spotlight on the incredible work taking place in communities across the country. By celebrating the best in local innovation, civic engagement and cross-sector collaboration, the All-America City Awards remind us of the potential within every community to tackle tough issues and create real change.

The 2020 All-America City theme is “Enhancing health and well-being through civic engagement.” The 2020 All-America City Award is focused on celebrating examples of civic engagement practices that advance health and well-being in local communities. We are looking for projects that demonstrate inclusive decision-making processes to enhance health and well-being for all, and particularly for populations currently experiencing poorer health outcomes.

Since 1949, the National Civic League has recognized and celebrated the best in American civic innovation with the prestigious All-America City Award. The Award, bestowed yearly on 10 communities (more than 500 in all) recognizes the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create stronger connections among residents, businesses and nonprofit and government leaders.

You can learn more about the All-America City Award and this year’s happenings on the National Civic League site at: www.nationalcivicleague.org/america-city-award/.

Register for the Virtual Annual Civic Institute on August 21st

This announcement comes to us from our friends at the David Matthews Center for Civic Life. ICYMI on Friday, August 21st, the Matthews Center will be hosting their annual Civic Institute with this year’s theme, Common Bonds: Collective Purpose and Civic Resilience in Uncertain Times.  The event this year will be entirely online and open to folks outside the state, as well as free-of-charge! Make sure you see Dr. David Mathews, President and C.E.O. of the Kettering Foundation, give the keynote address sharing from his experiences at the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, during a past global epidemic. Read more in the article below and find the original posting here.


Common Bonds: Collective Purpose and Civic Resilience in Uncertain Times

The Mathews Center will host its annual Civic Institute on August 21st, 2020. The event will be held entirely online. The theme of this year’s event is Common Bonds: Collective Purpose and Civic Resilience in Uncertain Times.

Dr. David Mathews, President and C.E.O. of the Kettering Foundation, will deliver a (pre-recorded) keynote address drawing on his experiences at the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare—where he served as Secretary during the Swine Flu outbreak of 1976.

Our first digital-only Civic Institute will explore strategies deployed by individuals and communities as they respond and adapt to the challenges posed by a global epidemic. Community leaders across Alabama will showcase the innovative ways in which they have resisted social isolation by forging new connections with their fellow citizens and by exploring alternative perspectives uncovered through local historical research. This three-hour event (9:00am – 12:00pm CST) will be packed with the same quality thoughtful discussions and meaningful connections that you have come to expect from us each year.

  • 9:00 am – Opening Remarks by Cristin Brawner
  • 9:05 am – Pre-Recorded Keynote by Dr. David Mathews
  • 10:00 am – Short Talks with Panelists
    • Terrance Smith, Director of the Mayor’s Innovation Team in Mobile will discuss how his city is adapting to the challenges posed by the pandemic.
    • Margaret Morton of SAFE Sylacauga will discuss a new community resilience initiative with Laura Strickland (Director of the Sylacauga Chamber of Commerce) and Brigadier General Robert Holmes (retired).
    • Dr. John Giggie of the University of Alabama’s Summersell Center and students from Tuscaloosa’s Central High School will discuss The History of Us, a year-long course created to help students explore the African American history of their own community. Dr. Giggie co-taught the course with his graduate teaching assistant, Ms. Margaret Lawson, who will join the panel alongside students from the course.
  • 11:15 am – Breakout Discussions: Rebuilding, Recovering, and Reimagining Our Future
  • 11:50 am – Closing Remarks

Because the event will be offered entirely online this year, registration will be free of charge! If you are able, we ask that you consider making a donation to the Jean O’Connor-Snyder Fund here. One-hundred percent of your donation goes directly to support the JOIP internship program, which provides immersive civic learning opportunities for college students to research deliberative practices and asset-based approaches for working with Alabamians in community-based projects. Those who donate $25 or more will receive a DMC care package full of our latest resources and a special gift!

Register Now

You can find the original version of this event on the David Matthews Center for Civic Life site at  www.mathewscenter.org/common-bonds/.

Civic Saturday Fellowship Deadline Extended Until July 3rd

Citizen University announced they are extending the deadline for their Civic Saturday Fellowship application for one more week until Friday, July 3rd.

“The Civic Saturday Fellowship prepares motivated, local leaders (or, as we like to say, civic catalysts!) to start their own Civic Saturday gatherings in their home communities. In this nine-month fellowship, civic catalysts will attend the Civic Seminary, a three-day training in Seattle with Citizen University staff, and return home ready to create lasting impact in the civic life of their communities.” You can read more in the announcement below and find the original information on the CU site here.


Civic Saturday Fellowship Program

All around the country, we are facing a crisis in civic life – people are becoming more socially isolated, disconnected from a sense of common purpose, and cynical about their own ability to affect change. Enter Civic Saturday: a gathering that brings communities together to cultivate a sense of shared civic purpose and moral clarity. At Civic Saturday share a meaningful communal experience, and leave inspired to become more powerful, responsible citizens.

The Civic Saturday Fellowship prepares motivated, local leaders (or, as we like to say, civic catalysts!) to start their own Civic Saturday gatherings in their home communities. In this nine-month fellowship, civic catalysts will attend the Civic Seminary, a three-day training in Seattle with Citizen University staff, and return home ready to create lasting impact in the civic life of their communities.

Applications Open Now!

Applications are now open for the Civic Saturday Fellowship Fall sessions! The Fellowship begins with the Civic Seminary, a three-day training, then continues as you organize your own Civic Saturday gatherings in the following months. Apply now for Fall sessions: September 15-18 or October 20-23, 2020.

2020 Fellowship Informational Packet
Application Submission Form

Deadline extended!

Priority Deadline: June 19, 2020
Regular Deadline: June 26, 2020 – extended to July 3, 2020

Informational Webinar

Watch the pre-recorded Informational Webinar from June 3, 2020.

You can find the original version of this announcement on Citizen University’s site at www.citizenuniversity.us/civicsaturdayfellowship/.

Telephone Townhall – A View From You During a Pandemic

NCDD Member and NCL Senior Fellow Larry Schooler has announced a special event this week. Check out the announcement and the link to register below!


Join us for a one-of-a-kind, national broadcast conversation where you take center stage. You’ll have the chance to talk directly to community leaders, sharing what you need now and the actions required by our elected officials to get past this crisis. Unlike most “town halls,” you won’t be asking the questions but answering them!

National Civic League Senior Fellow Larry Schooler will be anchoring a live broadcast next Thursday, May 14 at 8pm ET, 5pm PT, featuring:
Steve Adler, Mayor of Austin, Texas
Dr. Mark Washington, City Manager, City of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Chief Art Acevedo, Houston Police Department
Judge Sarah Eckhardt, Travis County
Lee Feldman, City Manager, City of Gainesville, Florida

The focus of this event will be listening to the public; the panelists will be asking questions that they want the public to answer, and the public will be able to do so via call-in, text message, and social media. This event will be live-streamed on YouTube from a videoconferencing platform.

Learn more and register at: www.aviewfromyou.com. The event will be simulcast in Spanish.

Webinar Recording: Social Distancing Meets Public Engagement

Last week’s webinar, Social Distancing Meets Public Engagement, was our largest to date, with over 325 participants! This webinar, co-hosted with our partners at the National Civic League, featured Wendy Willis, Executive Director of the Deliberative Democracy Consortium, and Larry Schooler, Director of Consensus Building and Community Engagement, CD&P.  Wendy and Larry showcased strategies for virtual public engagement in this time of social isolation.

This webinar included information about leveraging government access television to enhance the efforts of local government to connect with their residents and stakeholders.  Presenters also talked about differences in various forms of online engagement and when it might make sense to use them, as well as tips for turning your in-person meetings into virtual ones.

This webinar is full of resources! Check out the recording of this session at this link. The PowerPoint slides, which contain loads of information, can be viewed separately here.

Additionally, a whole host of resources and guidance were shared by presenters and participants alike in the chat.

Thanks to our presenters, Wendy and Larry, the National Civic League for hosting with us, and everyone who participated!

If you have benefitted from events like this one, please consider making a contribution to help support the National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation: www.ncdd.org/donate. NCDD is a small nonprofit and we have expanded our programming to be responsive to our community during the pandemic. Any and all contributions are greatly appreciated and go directly to helping support our staff.

 

Exciting Updates from the Interactivity Foundation!

We wanted to share a couple of updates from NCDD member org The Interactivity Foundation, including some resources that may be helpful for those working on dialogue and deliberation efforts on campuses. First off, IF recently gave their website a fresh look and if you haven’t seen it yet, we encourage you to head on over there to check it out! Secondly, they posted about a day-long workshop organized by The Deliberative Pedagogy Institute last Fall, which featured several heavy hitters from the NCDD Coalition. In the post, IF kindly shared their Student Facilitation Workbook for free and a reminder about a new D&D text called, Creating Space for Democracy: A Primer on Dialogue and Deliberation in Higher Education, that has an incredible line-up of contributors.

You can read the article below and find the original version on IF’s site here.


Why do we need deliberative pedagogy?

Why do we need deliberative pedagogy? The short answer is that we can’t solve complex social problems if we can’t get together and talk about them. It seems simple, right? But in our current era of political polarization and retreat into comfortable, familiar social bubbles—where do we get together to have genuine interactions with people who have different opinions, views, and values? And have we lost (if ever collectively had) the skills to productively talk with one another once we are at the table together?

The Deliberative Pedagogy Institute:  Creating Space for Democracy, hosted by Providence College and co-sponsored by Campus Compact for Southern New England, offered a full-day workshop on November 15th for faculty, staff, students, and administrators designed to deepen their understanding of current campus-based democratic practices that foster dialogueinclusion, and civic action at colleges and universities.

Through plenary sessions, workshops, and networking, participants were able to:

  • Learn about various approaches to dialogue and deliberation;
  • Develop an understanding of “what works” to empower students to talk across differences, build leadership, and practice civic agency; and
  • Build a network and relationships with practitioners.

Presenters at the Deliberative Pedagogy Institute represented some of the leading voices of the deliberative democracy movement, including representatives from Everyday DemocracyEssential Partners, the National Coalition for Dialogue and DeliberationNew Hampshire Listensthe National Issues Forums Institute, the Sustained Dialogue Campus Network, and the Interactivity Foundation.

IF fellow, Shannon Wheatley Hartman, facilitated a workshop on “How to Design a Course That Empower Students to Be Facilitators of Exploratory Discussion.” Using IF pedagogy, modules, and a Facilitation Workbook, participants explored how best to incorporate student facilitation into the classroom and “level up” skills and capacity to then organize campus-wide and community-based exploratory discussions. To learn more about IF educational approaches and materials, please contact Shannon Wheatley Hartman at esw@interactivityfoundation.org

Also available for purchase on Amazon is the Creating Space for Democracy: A Primer on Dialogue and Deliberation in Higher Education.

You can read this article on IF’s site at www.interactivityfoundation.org/why-do-we-need-deliberative-pedagogy/.

Join Frontiers of Democracy Conference from June 18-20

Frontiers of Democracy is now accepting applications for its upcoming 2020 conference happening from June 18th until June 20th! The conference will be held at Tufts University in downtown Boston, following the American Political Science Association’s Institute for Civically Engaged Research, and preceding the Summer Institute of Civic Studies. Frontiers will be an opportunity to connect with members from these programs, as well as, practitioners and professionals working in democratic social movements, political reform, civic engagement, dialogue and deliberation, and more! Applications for sessions will be accepted until April 1st and we encourage members from the Coalition to submit an application and/or attend the conference. You can read the announcement below and find the original version on Peter Levine’s blog here.


Frontiers of Democracy: June 18-20, 2020

Frontiers of Democracy is an annual conference hosted by the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University since 2009.

In 2020, the conference will take place from June 18 (5 pm) until June 20 (noon) at the downtown Boston campus of Tufts University: Tufts Center for Medical Education, Room 114; 145 Harrison Avenue, Boston. You are invited!

You can register for Frontiers now.

You can propose a concurrent session for Frontiers using this form. Proposals will be accepted until April 1, 2020

The agenda is still in development but will include short plenary talks, concurrent sessions, and interactive activities for the large group. Among other whole-group activities, we will experience Pre-Texts (“pedagogical acupuncture”) and will use several new “teaching cases” to prompt intensive discussions in small groups. (Teaching cases are short narratives about real events that conclude at a moment when the protagonists must make a difficult choice.)

Frontiers will follow the American Political Science Association’s Institute for Civically Engaged Research and precede the Summer Institute of Civic Studies and will convene members of those two programs plus about 100 others: activists and practitioners in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors; scholars, educators, students; and others. Participants will come from many countries and many streams of work related to democracy–social movements, community organizing, civic education, arts and media work, political reform, civil liberties, dialogue and deliberation, political theory, and more.

A major objective is to build relationships among people who work in diverse ways at the frontiers of democracy in the United States and around the world.

MANY New Job & Internship Opportunities in the D&D Field

There are LOTS of new jobs and internships related to dialogue, deliberation, civic tech, and public engagement work! Including two special opportunities to work with NCDD Co-Founder Sandy Heierbacher who is now working with Everyday Democracy, and they looking for a Director of Communications and Community Organizer – check it out!

We work to stay up on the most recent opportunities and send them out via the NCDD Making-A-Living listserv. While the Making-A-Living listserv is a benefit of being an NCDD member, we have been finding such a robust line-up of jobs and internships that we wanted to lift these up here on the blog. If you’d like to receive these regular updates and are an NCDD member, sign up for the Making-A-Living listserv here. If you are not a member of NCDD, then we strongly encourage you to join so you can receive the most up-to-date positions we find! Learn more about the additional benefits of being an NCDD member by clicking here.

Remember if your org is hiring, let us know by sending the postings to keiva[at]ncdd[dot]orgGood luck to all applicants!


New Job & Internship Opportunities in D&D Field – November 11, 2019

Everyday Democracy is hiring for two positions in their Hartford, CT. Read more: www.everyday-democracy.org/about/jobs-internships

  • Director of Communications
  • Community Organizer

The Conflict Transformation Fund is hiring a full-time Initiative Director. Read more: www.conflicttransformationfund.org/about/work-with-us/.

Duke University is hiring for an Executive Director of the North Carolina Leadership Forum. Read more: www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/director-nclf-at-duke-university-1545474311/

Living Room Conversations is seeking volunteers for several positions. Read more: www.livingroomconversations.org/about-us/volunteer-opportunities/

  • Volunteer Coordinator
  • Social Media Moderator
  • Lead and Local Organizers
  • Communications
  • Research

[POSITION NOW FILLED] Civic Dinners is looking for a Social Media Manager for their Atlanta office. Read more: https://about.civicdinners.com/social-media-role

Citizen University is hiring for a Communications Intern. Read more: www.citizenuniversity.us/job-openings-3/

Convergence Center for Policy Resolution is seeking a President & CEO. Read more: www.convergencepolicy.org/employment/

Generation Citizen is hiring for several positions – read more: www.generationcitizen.org/join-us/careers-internships/

  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Communications Manager
  • Senior Director of Program & Impact
  • Executive Director (California)

Center for Tech and Civic Life is hiring for an Executive Assistant in their Chicago office. Read more: www.techandciviclife.org/news/

MOVE Texas is hiring for two positions. Read more: www.movetexas.org/jobs/

  • Regional Organizing Manager
  • San Antonio Field Organizer

Cities of Service is currently seeking AmeriCorps VISTA members to serve in cities across the US. Read more: www.citiesofservice.org/about/careers/

  • Experience Matters Program  – St. Paul, MN and Tulsa, OK
  • Guiding Opportunities Program – Oakland, CA and St. Louis, MO
  • Love Your Block Program – Hartford, CT and South Bend, IN

Democracy Fund is hiring for several positions below (in DC) – read more: www.democracyfund.org/page/jobs

  • Accounting Manager
  • IT Administrator
  • Just and Inclusive Society Fellow
  • Partnerships Associate
  • Program Associate, Public Square Program
  • Senior Advisor Government Accountability
  • Senior Associate, Strategy and Learning
  • Communications and Network Internship (Spring 2019)
  • Elections Program Internship (Spring 2019)
  • Governance Program Internship (Spring 2019)
  • Public Square Program Internship (Spring 2019)

Democracy Works has several positions and internships available (various locations). Read more: www.democracy.works/current-openings

  • Quality Assurance Engineer
  • Government Affairs Director
  • Voting Information Project Data Fellow

RepresentUS is hiring for several positions – read more: www.represent.us/careers/

  • Campaign Director (remote)
  • Senior Campaign Director (remote)
  • Digital Campaign Associate (Northampton, MA or San Francisco, CA)
  • Social Media Campaign Strategist (East Coast)
  • Digital Director (multiple locations)
  • Marketing Analyst (multiple locations)
  • National Media Strategist (multiple locations)
  • Social Media Strategist (multiple locations)
  • Regional Director of Development – West Coast
  • Communications Intern (Spring 2020)
  • Organizing Intern (Spring 2020)
  • Political Intern (Spring 2020)

IssueOne is looking for several positions. Read more: www.issueone.org/jobs/

  • Development Associate
  • Policy & Programs Intern (Spring 2020)
  • Development Intern (Spring 2020)

Young Invincibles has several positions open. Read more: www.younginvincibles.org/who-we-are/work-with-us/job-opportunities/

  • Development Coordinator
  • Content Strategy Manager
  • Digital Communications Coordinator

Knight Foundation looking to hire for several positions. Read more: https://knightfoundation.org/about/employment/

  • Junior Data Analyst – Miami

Fairvote is hiring for several positions. Read more: www.fairvote.org/employment_internships_fellowships#employment_opportunities

  • Director of Communications
  • Director of Advocacy
  • Digital Organizer
  • Software Developer
  • Voter Education Specialist
  • Regional Field Organizer
  • Data Analyst

EnviroIssues is hiring for multiple positions. Read more: www.enviroissues.com/jobs

  • Multi-Media Designer – Portland
  • Facilitation/Outreach Project Manager – Portland
  • Construction Outreach Associate – Seattle

Community Water Center hiring for two positions. Read more: www.communitywatercenter.org/careers

  • Communications Manager – Sacramento office
  • Community Organizer – Visalia office

Net Impact runs a jobs-internship board at www.netimpact.org/jobs.

Democracy Fund’s electiononline has LOTS of positions in various cities across the country. Read more: www.electionline.org/jobs-marketplace/

Careers in Government has several engagement & communication-related opportunities. Use the keyword search at www.careersingovernment.com/.

Apply Now for Citizen University’s Civic Saturday Fellowship

Citizen University is now accepting applications for the 2020 Civic Saturday Fellowship Program! Civic Saturdays bring together communities “to cultivate a sense of shared civic purpose and moral clarity”. This nine-month fellowship is an opportunity to receive a three-day training in hosting Civic Saturday and bring these skills back to their communities. Priority deadline is November 8th and final applications are due Wednesday, November 20th. You can read more in the announcement below and find the original information on the CU site here.


Civic Saturday Fellowship Program

Apply today for the 2020 Fellowship Cycle!

All around the country, we are facing a crisis in civic life – people are becoming more socially isolated, disconnected from a sense of common purpose, and cynical about their own ability to affect change. Enter Civic Saturday: a gathering that brings communities together to cultivate a sense of shared civic purpose and moral clarity. At Civic Saturday, people get to know one another, share a meaningful communal experience, and leave inspired to become more powerful, responsible citizens.

The Civic Saturday fellowship prepares motivated, local leaders (or, as we like to say, civic catalysts!) to start their own Civic Saturday gatherings in their home communities. In this nine-month fellowship, civic catalysts will attend the Civic Seminary, a three-day training in Seattle with Citizen University staff, and return home ready to create lasting impact in the civic life of their communities.

Fellows will explore the ethical foundations of their beliefs (and those of others), learn to craft and deliver catalytic sermons that draw on both the current day and civic traditions of our society, and ultimately establish Civic Saturday where they live and work.

The Civic Saturday fellowship was launched in 2018 with the goal of training motivated, local leaders to start their own Civic Saturday gatherings, and bring a sense of shared civic purpose and moral clarity into the civic life of their communities. In the first two years, over 50 civic catalysts have trained with Citizen University’s team in Seattle to learn how to create this unique, joyful gathering.

APPLICATIONS OPEN NOW

Apply here and access the Fellowship Information Packet here.

Priority deadline: November 8, 2019
Application deadline: November 20, 2019

Training dates for this round will be on March 10-13, 2020 or April 21-24, 2020. Please read the information packet for complete details.
Applications for September and October training sessions will open in the spring of 2020.

You can find the original version of this announcement on Citizen University’s site at www.citizenuniversity.us/civicsaturdayfellowship/.