What is Civic Health?
When we think about the health of a community, we often think of its economy, the health of its citizens, or even its crime rate. What’s sometimes most important is the civic health of a community. Civic health looks at how involved members of a community are in making their neighborhoods and towns thriving places.
There are a number of ways to measure civic health. Communities with strong civic health rate high on the following measurements:
Service and Volunteering: Communities have a high number of citizens stepping forward and engaging in service for and with fellow community members.
Group Membership: Communities have a high number of citizens joining organizations and other groups that meet on a regular basis.
Connecting to Information: Communities have a high number of informed citizens. They have ample access to news through print, broadcast, and online sources, as well as by talking with neighbors and friends about political issues.
Social Connectedness: Communities have a high number of citizens inclined to interact with neighbors, working together informally to make things better.
The communities we live in have an effect on our personal health. Are you working to make your community a better place – a place with strong civic health?
Tags: civic health, health