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.
Section One: The Corporation's Goals
for Citizenship
Section Two: Member Development
Section Three: Citizenship Curriculum
Section Four: Resource Directory
Constitutional Rights Foundation is a former Corporation for National and Community Service training and technical assistance
provider.
Citizenship Toolkit Home | Member
Development | Citizenship Curriculum | Resource Directory
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