Citizenship Toolkit

Incorporating Citizenship into Your Member Development Plan

The National and Community Service Act of 1990, as amended, seeks to "renew the ethic of civic responsibility and the spirit of community throughout the United States." In his 2002 State of the Union Address, President Bush expanded this vision by urging Americans to foster a culture of "citizenship, service, and responsibility" by engaging in service to their communities and country. To aid Americans in doing so, the President created the USA Freedom Corps, which coordinates voluntary service efforts, both domestically and abroad. The programs of the Corporation for National and Community Service — AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America — are proud to be part of this effort.

Civic education deepens the experience of doing service, by connecting it to such fundamental American values as liberty, responsibility, and freedom. It has, therefore, become a priority for all AmeriCorps programs with the 2003 guidance. To make this feasible, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) is committed to enhancing citizenship training for all AmeriCorps members.

The 2003 AmeriCorps Guidance recommended that applicants incorporate citizenship training into their member development plan in order to provide members with a better understanding of American democracy and the vital role they play in preserving it. This toolkit is designed to help applicants incorporate citizenship into their member development plan based on the Corporation's 2003 citizenship goals and objectives. Applicants should develop citizenship training suitable to their specific program needs, using this toolkit as a resource for expanding the meaning of citizenship and civic engagement among AmeriCorps members. But all such plans should consider including a service project and a discussion of the relevant principles of American democracy that it might illuminate. Some of our founding documents would be very useful and are available to be used for consultation and/or discussion.

Download the Citizenship Toolkit

The toolkit has four main sections. Click the links below to view and print each section:

The Constitutional Rights Foundation is a former Corporation for National and Community Service training and technical assistance provider.