youth civic engagement

Volunteering is only one form of civic engagement included, as defined above, in the construct of civic action and civic commitment or duty, but research has also shown a connection between youth who volunteer and other forms of youth civic engagement. Findings suggest that “among youth, volunteering plays a valuable role in shaping how youth learn to interact with their community and develop the skills, values, and sense of empowerment necessary to become active citizens.”

While many youth volunteer, most young people do not see a connection between volunteering and political engagement or activism. In the 2006 National Civic and Political Health Survey, the majority of young people said that they volunteered in order to help others, not to address a social or political problem. Only six percent of youth believed that their volunteering was a means to address social or political problems.

Another possible form of civic action and civic commitment and duty is service-learning. According to the American Psychological Association, service-learning and civic engagement can be related but are not the same thing. 

Service-learning does not have to include a civic dimension and all forms of civic engagement are not service-learning. Civic engagement is a broader concept that may encompass, but is not limited to, service-learning. Service-learning differs from community service or volunteerism in two distinct ways:

The service activity is integrated with academic curriculum and content.

Students engage in reflection activities after their service experience and apply their learning in real-life activities.10

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools’ Character and Civic Education group administers various programs in character and civics education. 

These programs include providing financial assistance for character and citizenship education activities in elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education, and reporting on issues and programs, disseminating information, and providing technical assistance to state agencies and state and local correctional institutions. 

The YSA Knowledge Center, under a grant from the Serve.gov, provides downloadable resources and video trainings to take service projects from idea to action through the project planning steps of investigation, preparation and planning, action, reflection, and demonstration/celebration. 

The United States Congress and the Department of Education have expanded support for character education for more than a decade, enabling schools across our nation to implement character education in a variety of ways. The Department of Education provides grants to state and local education agencies to support the development of character education. Since 1995, through the Partnerships in Character Education Program, the Department has awarded 97 grants to assist in designing, implementing and sustaining high-quality opportunities for students to learn and understand the importance of strong character in their lives.