NCoC: Civic Health Index

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Civic Health Index

An annual report that elevates the discussion of our nation’s civic health by measuring a wide variety of civic indicators, America’s Civic Health Index is in an effort to educate Americans about our civic life and to motivate citizens, leaders and policymakers to strengthen it.

In 2006, the National Conference on Citizenship, in partnership with the Civic Health Index Indicators Working Group, launched “America’s Civic Health Index,” measuring civic trends over the last 30 years. In 2007, the Civic Health Index showed similar trends and focused on the attitudes and behaviors of a “civic core” of Americans. In 2008, the focus was on the timely theme of “Beyond the Vote” and geared findings towards ways to sustain engagement beyond an election (i.e. exploring public support for policies furthering community service and increasing civic education and testing phrases and messaging pertaining to civic health).

Focusing on the relationship between financial health and civic health, the 2009 Civic Health Index evaluated the impact economic and employment factors have play in effecting America’s civic participation, and was released on August 27.

The creation of America’s Civic Health Index and report is a cooperative effort of the NCoC, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service at Tufts University, and Harvard University’s Saguaro Seminar: Civic Engagement in America, as well as members of a Civic Health Index Working Group.

Title	Date
2009 Civic Health IndexCivic Health in Hard Times	August 27, 2009
Civic Health Index Finds America in the Midst of Civic ForeclosureThe annual America’s Civic Health Index, based on survey data collected in May 2009, is a look at the state of civic engagement in America that reflects the impact of the economic crisis. The survey’s results reflect the hard choices Americans have made during the downturn, with 72 percent of respondents saying they have cut back on time engaged in civic participation, which includes time spent volunteering, participating in groups or performing other civic activities in their communities.	August 27, 2009
2008 CHI Presentation Video Part 1from the 2008 NCoC ConferenceThe National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) is the nation’s leading advocate for civic participation and the only organization chartered by Congress to play that role. The NCoC created America’s Civic Health Index to assess how the American people were performing on a wide array of indicators of civic health.	September 22, 2008
2008 CHI Presentation Video Part 3 from the 2008 NCoC ConferenceThe National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) is the nation’s leading advocate for civic participation and the only organization chartered by Congress to play that role. The NCoC created America’s Civic Health Index to assess how the American people were performing on a wide array of indicators of civic health.	September 22, 2008
2008 CHI Presentation Video Part 2from the 2008 NCoC ConferenceThe National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) is the nation’s leading advocate for civic participation and the only organization chartered by Congress to play that role. The NCoC created America’s Civic Health Index to assess how the American people were performing on a wide array of indicators of civic health.	September 22, 2008
2008 Civic Health IndexBEYOND the VOTEThe National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) is the nation’s leading advocate for civic participation and the only organization chartered by Congress to play that role. The NCoC created America’s Civic Health Index to assess how the American people were performing on a wide array of indicators of civic health.	September 22, 2008
2008 Civic Health Index: Sustaining civic engagement beyond Election DayThe National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) today released their 2008 civic report called “America’s Civic Health Index: Beyond the Vote”. [True confessions: the Saguaro Seminar was a co-advisor to NCoC on the report, together with CIRCLE.]	September 22, 2008
2007 Civic Health IndexRenewed Engagment: Building on America’s Civic CoreThe National Conference on Citizenship (NCoC) is the nation’s leading advocate for civic participation and the only organization chartered by Congress to play that role. The NCoC created America’s Civic Health Index to assess how the American people were performing on a wide array of indicators of civic health.	September 17, 2007
2006 Civic Health IndexBroken EngagementThe principal findings of this report are based on 40 indicators of civic health organized into 9 catego- ries. The survey information is nationally representative of the population as a whole and is complete through 2004 (with information from 2005, where available, included).	September 18, 2006