Category Archives: youth & student engagement

EvDem Announces New Leadership in Democracy Awardee

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In case you missed it, our friends at Everyday Democracy, an NCDD member organization recently announced the winner of the third annual Paul and Joyce Aicher Leadership in Democracy Award! Please join us in congratulating Happy Johnson and Arthur Johnson of the Lower Ninth Ward Center for the Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED) in New Orleans, who for almost a decade has been “combining citizen engagement with environmental science to create equitable development and policy on climate resilience”. The Aicher Award Committee recognized the following finalists: Catalyst Miami, BRIDGE, Lisa Jo Epstein, and Ximena Zúñiga; and honorable mentions to Brandyn Keating, The Phoenix Association, Blontas (Winkie) Mitchell, and Roanoke Valley Points of Diversity. We encourage you to read the announcement below or on Everyday Democracy’s blog here.

3rd Annual Paul J. Aicher Leadership in Democracy Award Announced

For more than 25 years, Everyday Democracy has worked with communities across the country to foster a healthy and vibrant democracy – characterized by strong relationships across divides, leadership development, including the voices of all people, and understanding and addressing structural racism. The Aicher Award seeks to elevate community leaders who embody these values.

After considering more than 60 nominations from around the country, Everyday Democracy has announced the winner:

Happy Johnson and Arthur Johnson of New Orleans, LA

Happy Johnson and Arthur Johnson of New Orleans, La., were selected as the winners of the 2019 Paul and Joyce Aicher Leadership in Democracy Award. This team’s winning nomination was selected from 64 nominations in this third annual national contest. Everyday Democracy will present the two men (who work together but are not related) with a $10,000 award at a ceremony on December 5th in Hartford, CT.

Happy Johnson and Arthur Johnson have been working at the Lower Ninth Ward Center for the Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED) in New Orleans for almost a decade, combining citizen engagement with environmental science to create equitable development and policy on climate resilience. According to Martha McCoy, Executive Director of Everyday Democracy, “there are many others across our country and globe who are facing the inequitable effects of climate change and want to tackle it through democratic ways of working. Arthur Johnson and Happy Johnson provide inspirational models of the kind of leadership we need, so that we can address critical climate issues in inclusive, sustainable ways.”

The Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development (CSED) has been on the front lines of restoring the fragile ecosystem of the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood of New Orleans while strengthening the Ninth Ward’s civic fabric. CSED is committed to equity and social justice in an already underserved community that was completely devastated after Hurricane Katrina. Arthur Johnson and Happy Johnson have been leading the effort every step of the way.

The Lower Ninth Ward is still reeling from the effect of Hurricane Katrina. With a population that is 93% African-American, the neighborhood has been marked by an uneven recovery effort compared to other neighborhoods in New Orleans. Thirteen years after the storm there were still no supermarkets in the Lower Ninth, and residents had to fight the city to ensure that at least one school of the five that were closed after the storm would be rebuilt. A couple of months ago, one small grocery store was opened.

Arthur Johnson and Happy Johnson are leaders in and advocates for the neighborhood at the heart of CSED. They are an incredible example of steadfast and consistent leadership. They are homegrown and grassroots. In an environment where resources are drying up, they implement programs that have strengthened and restored both the ecological and civic infrastructure of their community.

Their work has elevated the voices of African American, Vietnamese, and Latino residents in conversations with state-level agencies, demonstrating that bridge building, equity, inclusion, and transparency make equitable, community-driven change possible and sustainable. Their commitment to racial and intergenerational equity is evident across all of their work. Arthur and Happy were nominated by Nicole Cabral of Public Agenda, and received several letters of support including one from the National Wildlife Federation that noted: “CSED’s sought-after expertise transcends politics and is regularly tapped for non-profit, mayoral and community appointments, panel discussions, presentations and public policy recommendations.”

“Community engagement is who we are.” – Arthur Johnson

Happy Johnson served as one of the youngest African Americans to drive an Emergency Response Vehicle in New Orleans post-Katrina and has dedicated his life to building cultural and environmental resilience. Additionally, his series of children’s picture books about wetlands restoration and disaster preparedness have been taught to thousands of students throughout the American South. Arthur Johnson noted, “We are thrilled to be recognized, because it will help us move the mission of equity and democracy in the Lower Ninth Ward in the face of many challenges.” He went on to say that “Having two black men being recognized for something like this is unusual and also a powerful symbol…. The kind of recognition your foundation gives doesn’t happen a lot in our country.”

Happy added that “the work is difficult, and recognition doesn’t happen often. This award is a great boost to our morale.” Happy Johnson was excited that he and Arthur were being recognized together, noting that this is the first time this has happened. Arthur reflected that people don’t work together across generations often enough, and that seasoned leaders and younger people should work together all the time. This thought aligns directly with the intergenerational equity work Everyday Democracy is focusing on, to complement its focus on racial equity through community dialogue to change.

This year, the Acher Award Committee also recognized these strong finalists for the award:

Catalyst Miami, FL; BRIDGE, Lee, MA; Lisa Jo Epstein, Philadelphia, PA; and, Ximena Zúñiga, Amherst, MA

There were also four honorable mentions:

Brandyn Keating, West Bridgewater, MA; Blontas (Winkie) Mitchell, Springfield, OH; The Phoenix Association, CT; and Roanoke Valley Points of Diversity, Roanoke, VA.

Paul J. Aicher and his wife Joyce were known for their generosity and creative genius. A discussion course at Penn State helped Paul find his own voice in civic life early on, and sparked his lifelong interest in helping others find theirs.

Paul founded the Topsfield Foundation and the Study Circles Resource Center, now called Everyday Democracy, in 1989. The organization has now worked with more than 600 communities throughout the country, helping bring together diverse people to understand and make progress on difficult issues, incorporating lessons learned into discussion guides and other resources, and offering training and resources to help develop the field and practice of deliberative democracy.

Learn more about Paul’s journey and the origins of Everyday Democracy.

The Paul and Joyce Aicher Leadership in Democracy Award honors work that creates opportunities for meaningful civic participation for all people, addresses racial inequities through dialogue and collective action, and shows the power of bridging all kinds of divides by making dialogue a regular part of how a community works.

The award winner will be celebrated in Hartford, CT on December 5th. More information to follow.

You can read the original version of this announcement on Everyday Democracy’s blog at www.everyday-democracy.org/news/3rd-annual-paul-j-aicher-leadership-democracy-award-announced.

Apply Now for Citizen University’s Civic Saturday Fellowship

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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/.

Apply by Oct. 9th to Host A Nevins Fellow *for Free*!

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NCDD Member Organization the McCourtney Institute for Democracy is again offering the incredible opportunity for D&D organizations to take advantage of their Nevins Democracy Leaders Program. The 2019-20 application is open now through Wednesday, October 9th, for organizations who want to host a bright, motivated, D&D-trained student at no-cost!

The Nevins Democracy Leaders Program was founded in 2014 after a gift from David Nevins, President and Co-Director of the Bridge Alliance, an NCDD Member Org. The program provides Penn State students with education and ­training in transpartisan leadership skills by exposing them to a variety of viewpoints and philosophies, as well as teaching critical thinking along with the tools of dialogue and deliberation.

But the flagship work of fostering the next generation of democracy leaders centers on the yearly initiative to place Nevins Program students in unique fellowship position with organizations focused on D&D, transpartisan dialogue, and civic renewal – that means organizations like yours! Stipends and living expenses are provided to the students through the program so that organizations can bring these bright, motivated students into their work for a summer at no cost. The McCourtney Institute provides $5,000 toward the cost of hosting a Nevins Fellow for a summer internship. Students come to their internship sites well prepared and ready to get to work.

Fellows have interned at the following organizations, just to name a few:

  • Everyday Democracy
  • Participatory Budgeting
  • National Institute for Civil Discourse

Much like students apply for the fellowship, organizations apply to host a fellow. Nonprofits, government organizations, or other groups committed to building and sustaining democracy that would like to host a fellow can apply here!

NCDD hosted a Confab Call last September with Chris Beem from the McCourtney Institute, who covered lots of the important details about the program. You can listen to the recording of that call by clicking here. You can also check out this blog post from a 2017 Nevins Fellow about their summer fellowship with the Jefferson Center, to get a better sense of the student’s experience. We also encourage you to watch this video from 2019 Nevins Fellow John Villella, who did constituent engagement work for the Baltimore City Council.

It’s an amazing opportunity for everyone involved!

We can’t speak highly enough about the Nevins program’s students or about the value of this program’s contributions to the D&D field. We know that these young people will be great additions to organizations in our field.  We encourage you to apply today!

Jefferson Center on Making Our Democracy More Meaningful

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NCDD Sponsor organization, The Jefferson Center, share a piece written by Annie Pottorff called “Americans are ready for more meaningful democracy”. The article lifts up the recent report published by Public Agenda that explored what Americans think about the current state of our democracy. We encourage you to read the article below and find the original version on JC’s site here.

Americans are ready for more meaningful democracy

Last week, the nonpartisan research and public engagement organization Public Agenda released new findings about what Americans thought about the state of democracy. The results weren’t exactly surprising: 39% say America’s democracy is “in crisis” and 42% say it’s facing serious challenges.

But on a more hopeful note, most believed that ordinary individuals can make a difference, especially if enough people get involved. They were excited about efforts just like ours, including participatory budgeting, community events, public surveys, online forums, and civics education.

When asked what would make them more likely to participate in one of these programs, they outlined a few key criteria. We couldn’t help but notice how our Citizens Juries and broader civic engagement hit the mark:

Respondents wanted programs that…

Seem genuine and likely to have real impacts

Participants in Citizens Juries, assemblies and community panels we conduct know from the outset their recommendations are going somewhere. Their findings are shared with the project sponsors, published online, and amplified through traditional and social media. We help advance local actions and guide policy development based on the recommendations.

Allow people to contribute their own skills and experiences to solving a problem

We recognize all participants as experts, and invite them to share their stories, experiences, and expertise with the group, a key supplement to the presentations and research supplied by expert witnesses. We also recognize communities we engage have existing resources and strong networks we can support to drive change.

Invite public officials to listen, contribute, and respond

Public officials are invited to contribute to the conversation in meaningful ways. In some cases, officials give stakeholder presentations and answer questions, like at the Flats Arterial Community Panel. At the Winona County Energy Dialogue, city council members and local energy leaders participated as Citizens Jurors, co-creating recommendations with their community. And at the Willmar Community Assembly, the mayor observed the event, listened to the recommendations, acknowledged their importance, and pledged to integrate into city practices.

One of our participants summed it up this way:

I would recommend [participating in a Citizens Jury] on three levels. One, the Jury’s made up of everyday people, not just professional people, but a wide demographic of people. Two, it was very fair, and everybody had a chance to participate, and three, you know, from what’s being said, that your input is being recorded and may play an important part in the final outcome in the future.

Reading the Public Agenda research, it’s clear that people like you are ready to get involved if genuinely meaningful opportunities are available. With your help, we’re doing just that by engaging individuals around the world to face our biggest challenges. Thank you for being part of the future of democracy!

Over the next few months we will be exploring ways to build awareness of and support for how governments and public officials can incorporate deliberative practices in their work and engagement practices. We look forward to sharing what we’re learning with you on the blog and in our newsletter.

You can find the original version of this post on The Jefferson Center site at https://jefferson-center.org/americans-are-ready-for-more-meaningful-democracy/. 

Submit Application for NCL’s 2020 All-American City Awards

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In case you missed it, applications are now being accepted for the 2020 All-American City Awards! Hosted by the National Civic League, an NCDD partner, this year’s award theme is focused on “Enhancing health and well-being through civic engagement”. We encourage you to watch the video from the 2018 awardees with tips on how to apply and how the award has benefited their communities. We also recorded our co-hosted NCDD-NCL Confab call earlier this spring which can provide some great context and background information on the award – watch it here (please note the award theme this year is slightly different, though still in the same vein of health equity in communities). The deadline is Wednesday, February 19, 2020. You can read the announcement below and find the original version on NCL’s site here.

National Civic League’s 2020 All-America City Awards: Enhancing Health and Well-Being Through Civic Engagement

The National Civic League is now accepting applications for the 2020 All-America City Award, focused on enhancing health and well-being through civic engagement. With the National Civic League’s Co-Title Sponsors, Kaiser Permanente and Well Being Trust, the 2020 Awards reflect the concept that good health for the entire community requires a focus on mental, physical, spiritual, cultural and economic well-being.

We are looking for applicants with community-driven projects that reflect the concept that good health for the entire community requires a focus on mental, physical, spiritual, cultural and economic well-being.

Projects focusing on this theme might include:

  • healthy & safe environments
  • opportunities for lifelong learning
  • meaningful and well-paying jobs
  • affordable and humane housing
  • reliable transportation and accessibility
  • environmental health and safety
  • a sense of belonging and inclusion
  • access to mental health care
  • substance-abuse recovery and prevention
  • healthy eating and exercising
  • affordable, accessible health care

Begin your community’s application today to become a 2020 All-America City!

Important Dates

  • July 2019 – May 2020
    All-America City Promising Practices Webinar Series
  • November 1, 2019
    Submit Letter of Intent to Apply (not required to apply)
  • February 19, 2020
    Applications Due
  • March 2020
    Finalists Announced
  • March-June 2020
    Competition Preparation
  • June 5-7, 2020
    All-America City Awards Competition and Event in Denver, CO

You can find the original version of this announcement on the National Civic League’s site at www.nationalcivicleague.org/america-city-award/.

Fourth Annual Civic Institute Hosted by DMC on Aug. 16

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The fourth annual Civic Institute is happening Friday, August 16th, hosted by NCDD member org the David Mathews Center for Civic Life. This will be one of the premier events dedicated to strengthening civic life in Alabama and will be a fantastic opportunity for those doing civic engagement work throughout the state.  DMC recently announced the session line up which you can read more below and on the DMC’s site here.

2019 Civic Institute: Sessions Announced

Join us Friday, August 16th at the American Village in Montevallo, Alabama for an exploration of the forces that pull us closer. 

The 2019 Civic Institute is your chance to connect with civic-minded change-makers and thought leaders from across Alabama in a dialogue on our state’s past, present, and future.

This year’s theme is “Closer to Home” and the day will be packed with engaging speakers and interactive sessions centered around some of the most profound issues we encounter as Alabamians. The Civic Institute is the perfect event to collectively ponder the power of our citizens and our communities to build the kind of Alabama they want to call home. Dr. David Mathews, president and CEO of the Kettering Foundation, will deliver the luncheon keynote address. Breakfast and lunch are provided.

We’ll gather from 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM on Friday, August 16th at the American Village in Montevallo for a day of panels, sessions, conversations, and more. View FAQs and save your seat today here!

If you are registering a total of three or more people to attend the day-long event, you are eligible to save 10% per person. Contact the event organizer, Kate Zeliff, at kmauldin@mathewscenter.org with the details and you will receive a promotional code.

Interested in helping to sponsor the Civic Institute? Click here to find out more.

Sessions:
*Each participant will attend two of the six sessions, which run concurrently.

Inside Out: Strategies for Resisting Disconnection and Crafting Civic Identity in Alabama Communities and Prisons

This session will explore the responsibility we all share for welcoming the formerly incarcerated back into the fold of public life. We will deconstruct the core tenants of civiclife (education, participation, socialization, work, etc.) as they serve to define and limit the carceral subject. This session will feature speakers on the front lines of this work who are making investments into the currently and formerly incarcerated; from teaching college courses behind bars to providing housing for women during reentry, we will explore creative strategies for resisting disconnection and isolation through dialogue and deliberation. Read more and register here.

The Benefit of the Doubt: Preparing Ourselves for Authentic Engagement and Productive Disagreement

What does it mean to engage with each other in “good faith”? What does it mean to afford our neighbor “the benefit of the doubt”? What, exactly, is the benefit of assuming the best in a stranger? There are plenty of opportunities to become involved as a formal practitioner of dialogue and deliberation, but far fewer chances for us to examine the ways we interact with friends, neighbors, and strangers interpersonally. This session is about how to act—how to let down our individual and collective defenses to bring strangeness closer and become comfortable living with the ambiguity and uncertainty that characterizes community work and public identity. Read more and register here.

Building a Durable Life: The Impact of Social Infrastructure on Alabama’s Public Health

Often regulated to the realm of professionals, health may be one of the most ubiquitous, yet compartmentalized topics of daily life. And like any other issue of both public and deeply personal concern, expert terms will only ever be a part of its definition. Considering people’s lived experiences, and the spaces, networks, and cultural contexts in which they occur, is vital to understanding the importance of social infrastructure in public health. This session will view health not just as a result of research and medicine, but also as a product of dynamics hidden in plain sight. Read more and register here.

Geographical Imaginations: The Role of Storytelling in Southern Culture and Identity

Stories help us make meaning of the world, and there is perhaps no region of America more storied than the South. But Southern stories, like most, aren’t simple. The stories of home that we tell ourselves and each other are intertwined with history and collective mythmaking. Some stories are passed down from generation to generation, while some stories are lost, forgotten, and/or erased—and must be recuperated. This session will explore some of the groundbreaking work being done to resuscitate the stories of marginalized voices in Southern history, and will examine the narrative structures of feeling that undergird our public and private identities. Read more and register here.

Found in Translation: Engaging Communities Across the Language Barrier

Talking about difficult issues is challenging in any language. In every community there are problems to solve, limited resources, and different perspectives. Cultural and language barriers can make communicating about shared problems and opportunities an even greater challenge. But these barriers represent rich worlds on each side, and sometimes in order to address problems well—and heal divides—it becomes necessary to look at an issue from a broader vantage point. This session will feature community leaders who represent, and often inhabit both worlds daily, working to bring people together across language and cultural barriers in Alabama communities. Read more and register here.

A Public Enterprise: Civic Education and Community Collaboration in Workforce Development

Active citizenship and civic education are rarely the first things that come to mind when discussing workforce development. This panel seeks to change that perception. The dedicated Alabamians featured in this session are working in their communities to create programming that prepares the next generation for a successful career and for active citizenship. Panelists are leaders in Alabama’s workforce development field, who will highlight the essential role of partnership, collaboration, and community engagement in effectively preparing young Alabamians for the jobs of the future. Read more and register here.

View FAQs and save your seat today here! If you have additional questions, contact the event organizer, Kate Zeliff, at kmauldin@mathewscenter.org. We hope to see you on August 16th!

You can find the original version of this announcement on the David Mathews Center blog at www.mathewscenter.org/2019-civic-institute-sessions/.

Mellon Foundation Grants $800k for PLACE Collaboratory

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We’re always excited to hear of new efforts being developed to promote stronger civic engagement practices between our communities and higher education institutions. We wanted to share a new project launched yesterday, so folks in participating regions can tap in, as well as, to serve as an inspiration that civic engagement work is being well funded. The Partnerships for Listening and Action by Communities and Educators (PLACE) Collaboratory is a new initiative that seeks to create better cross-sector collaboration between communities and higher education institutions in order to develop action plans grounded in community voice. PLACE is organized by the Bringing Theory to Practice project in partnership with the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), and has received an $800,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for the two-year effort. You can read about the project below and find the original article on the BTtoP site here.

Bringing Theory to Practice Launches Partnerships for Listening and Action by Communities and Educators (PLACE) Collaboratory

Washington, DC—June 19, 2019—The Bringing Theory to Practice (BTtoP) project is pleased to announce the launch of a multi-campus collaborative initiative (a “collaboratory”) titled Partnerships for Listening and Action by Communities and Educators (PLACE). The project is supported by a two-year, $800,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), which serves as the host and partner to BTtoP.

The PLACE Collaboratory brings together a network of academic-community partnerships, involving eleven colleges and universities from diverse sectors and regions, to do civic-engagement and public-humanities work. Using cultural practices like oral history or photo-voice, as well as the civic pedagogies of the humanities, these partnerships will develop shared public agendas that ground the setting and solving of community issues in community voice. They may involve such significant themes as community development, wealth disparities, and environmental justice, but the agendas and action plans will be set through listening and dialogue. Some partnerships will be anchored by a single university; in others, multiple institutions may join together in regional collaboration. All the partnerships will include undergraduate students as key participants, culture-makers, and often cultural brokers.

The collaboratory will also work as a committee of the whole, communicating and convening regularly to set shared goals and values, confront common challenges, and learn together. The goal of each local project will be to develop action plans grounded in community voice and enabled by academic-community partnership. The goal of the larger collaboratory will be to distill best practices for such partnerships, to model the role of the humanities in sustaining them, and to use networked collaboration to disseminate them across higher education.

“We are thrilled for the opportunity to pursue the PLACE initiative,” said David Scobey, the Director of BTtoP and Principal Investigator for The Mellon Foundation’s grant. “Its focus on the value of community engagement to higher education, and the potential contribution of higher education to community betterment, is at the heart of our mission. So is the innovative focus on the humanities as a way of fostering authentic engagement and democratic agenda-setting. And we believe strongly in the power of networked collaboration to make change in higher education. We are grateful to The Mellon Foundation and our colleagues at AAC&U for supporting this proposal, and to our partnering institutions for joining us.”

“The PLACE collaboratory serves as a model for the ways in which colleges and universities should be engaging, as anchor institutions, with the communities in which they are located. Humanities practice, at the core of this project, is more critical than ever, as we seek to bridges differences in support of the common good,” said AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella.

The participating institutions in the PLACE Collaboratory will be Rutgers University-Newark; the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; five institutions in the Greensboro, North Carolina region (Elon University, Greensboro College, Guilford College, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical University, and the University of North Carolina, Greensboro); and four institutions in the Los Angeles region (College of the Canyons, Pitzer College, the University of LaVerne, and the University of Southern California).

The PLACE Collaboratory initiative is made possible through the generous support of The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and in alignment with their mission to “strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies.”

You can find the original version of this announcement on The Bringing Theory to Practice site at www.bttop.org/news-events/june-19-2019-bringing-theory-practice-launches-partnerships-listening-and-action.

Youth Collaboratory Accepting Applications Until July 1st

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For younger folks excited to build their civic power, Citizen University is accepting applications for their 2020 Youth Collaboratory cohort! The Youth Collaboratory is an exciting opportunity for 24 high school sophomores and juniors, who are passionate about civic engagement, to join this year-long program to strengthen civic literacy and network with civic leaders. Applications are due Monday, July 1st – so make sure to share with your networks and submit applications ASAP. You can read more about the Youth Collaboratory and how to apply in the post below, and find the original version of this information on Citizen University’s site here.

Empowering the Rising Generation: Youth Collaboratory

The Youth Collaboratory is a year-long program to empower and connect a rising generation of civic leaders and doers.

24 highly-motivated students from around the country will join Citizen University and travel to cities around the nation, meeting leading civic innovators, sharpening their literacy in citizen power and producing their own independent projects in their communities.

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to be connected to a network of incredible change-makers and gain skills and connections for a lifetime of civic power.

In this era of economic and political inequality, the work of power literacy is especially urgent, nowhere more so than in the rising generation of young people who will be facing the consequences of today’s polarization and inequality for years to come.

Members of the Youth Collaboratory participate in interactive workshops led by Eric Liu and Citizen University educators, collaborate with Citizen U staff to develop programs to engage youth nation-wide, and individually complete projects in their communities. Each cohort meets three times, in three different locations.

Armed with the knowledge, skills, connections, and experience of the Youth Collaboratory, our diverse cohort of passionate young people will be prepared to be true leaders of civic change in America for the next generation.

The 2020 Youth Collaboratory Cohort will begin in October 2019.

Sign up on our interest form to receive information about Citizen University’s youth programs.

You can find the original version of this information on the Citizen University site at www.citizenuniversity.us/programs/youth-collaboratory/.

Join Democracy Beyond Elections Campaign Kick Off in NYC

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We are thrilled to share this exciting announcement from our friends at the Participatory Budgeting Project – an NCDD member organization, in collaboration with Civic Hall, for the national kick off of the Democracy Beyond Elections campaign. This campaign seeks to strengthen democratic engagement and participation between and beyond elections and we strongly encourage folks in the network to be present if they can when this new effort launches on Monday, June 24th at Civic Hall in New York City. Learn more about this new effort to amplify participatory democracy in the post below and find the original information on the Eventbrite page here.

Democracy Beyond Elections: A New Deal for Our Broken Democracy?

Join the Participatory Budgeting Project and Forums @ Civic Hall for the national kick off of the Democracy Beyond Elections campaign. We are convening to build support for a democracy that deepens participation and civic engagement beyond and between elections, and creates a pipeline for diverse and equitable community leadership.

Learn about top new models of participatory democracy, including Ireland’s National Citizen Assembly, Scotland’s Community Empowerment Act, Spain’s Decide Madrid, and New York City’s Civic Engagement Commission and Participatory Budgeting. Be inspired by how community and government leaders from these programs have used participatory democracy to equitably reshape government policy and spending on issues such as abortion, climate change, and transportation.

We’re asking questions like:

  • Why is trust in government so low?
  • Can we unrig our systemically undemocratic government structure so it reflects the majority rather than the privileged elite?
  • How could participatory democracy support social movements for equity and give more power to historically marginalized people?
  • How can we leverage moments of political and economic crisis to win structural changes in government?
  • How is participatory democracy different from and related to electoral politics?
  • How can we bring government by the people to scale in the U.S.?

The evening will start with a brief overview of the Democracy Beyond Elections campaign from Shari Davis, Co-Executive Director at the Participatory Budgeting Project. Guest speakers will then share their experience with expanding or engaging with participatory democracy practices, before moderated conversation and audience discussion. Speakers include:

Miguel Arana Catania | Director of Citizen Participation, City of Madrid

Louise Caldwell | Entrepreneur, Member of Ireland Citizens Assembly

Fiona Garven | Director, Scottish Community Development Centre and Community Health Exchange

Sarah Sayeed, Ph.D | Chair, Civic Engagement Commission | Senior Advisor, Community Affairs Unit, New York City Mayor’s Office

Doors open at 5:50 pm, we start promptly at 6:15 pm.

This event is coordinated by Forums @ Civic Hall and the Participatory Budgeting Project, in partnership with the Center for Popular Democracy, Generation Citizen, Everyday Democracy, and People’s Action.

Support for this program was provided by the Ford Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the foundations.

For more information visit https://www.participatorybudgeting.org/dbe/.

You can find the original version of this information on the Eventbrite page at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/democracy-beyond-elections-a-new-deal-for-our-broken-democracy-tickets-62891807088

Lots of New Jobs & Internships in Dialogue & Deliberation!

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Did you know that every week we compile the hottest new jobs and internships related to dialogue, deliberation, civic tech, and public engagement work?! We work to stay up on the most recent opportunities and send them out at the beginning of the week on our 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 weekly 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 or seeking interns, to let us know by sending the postings to keiva[at]ncdd[dot]org. Good luck to all applicants!

Weekly List of New D&D Job & Internship Opportunities – May 30, 2019

* NEW – National Civic League looking to hire Civic Engagement Program Director (in Denver office). Read more here.

* NEW – Participatory Budgeting Project is seeking a Development Manager (in New York City or Oakland). Read more: https://www.participatorybudgeting.org/jobs-and-internships/

* NEW – Ethelo Decisions is hiring for a Sales Manager (Vancouver, BC). Read more: https://ethelo.com/blog/sales-manager/

* NEW – Social Pinpoint seeking New Sales Coordinator – Canada/USA (Remote). Read more: https://www.socialpinpoint.com/sales-coordinator-us-ca/

Community Water Center hiring for several positions in their Visalia CA office. Read more: https://www.communitywatercenter.org/careers

  • * NEW – Water Leadership Strategist
  • Community Organizer
  • Administrative Assistant

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

  • * NEW – Program Manager, Massachusetts
  • Senior Director of Development Strategy (in either San Francisco, New York, or Boston)
  • Associate of Finance & Operations
  • Development OneStar VISTA (in Austin, TX)
  • Social Media and Digital Marketing Fellow (in either San Francisco, New York, or Boston)

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

  • * NEW – Campaign Director
  • * NEW – Senior Campaign Director
  • Associate Administrative Director
  • Data Analyst
  • National Media Strategist
  • Online Campaigner
  • Organizer
  • VP of Development
  • Organizing Intern (Summer 2019)

Ag Innovations seeking for two positions in Sebastopol, CA. Read more: http://www.aginnovations.org/about/careers

  • * NEW – Office Coordinator
  • Senior Facilitator

**ICYMI – below are the positions we shared recently!

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

  • Accounting Manager
  • DEI Fellow
  • Director of Partnerships
  • Director of People
  • Grant Associate
  • Program Associate, Elections and Voting
  • Senior Advisor Government Accountability
  • Senior Associate, Public Square Program
  • Staff Accountant
  • Communications and Network Internship (Summer 2019)
  • Elections Program Internship (Summer 2019)
  • Governance Program Internship (Summer 2019)
  • Legal Fellow (Summer 2019)
  • Public Square Program Internship (Summer 2019)
  • Strategy, Impact, and Learning Internship (Summer 2019)

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

  • Engineering Manager
  • Chief Technology Officer

BetaNYC is looking to hire a full-time Public Interest Technologist / Civic Hacker. Read more: https://beta.nyc/2019/05/13/job-opening-public-interest-technologist-civic-hacker/

CivicStory is hiring for a News Project Manager (in New Jersey). Read more: https://www.civicstory.org/press-release-srh-project-manager

EnviroIssues is seeking Project Coordinator candidates to support projects at their Seattle and Portland offices. Read more here

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

  • Detriot Director
  • Executive Assistant to VP of Journalism (Miami)

Change Research is seeking a part-time Operations and Sales Support Specialist in their Berkeley, CA office. Read more here.

JLA Public Involvement is looking to hire for two positions in their Portland office:

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

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

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

Find value in what you see here? Please consider supporting our work through a tax-deductible donation and/or becoming an NCDD member (see more benefits here!).  We appreciate any contributions offered. Thank you for your support!