Civic Participation

This Civic Participation Resource Guide can help you connect and work with others who share your vision, commitment, and ideas to make Connecticut a great place to live and work for all.

Civic participation in Connecticut means all neighbors working together to solve the most immediate problems in their neighborhood, city or town. It also means public officials and their constituents building trust and strong relationships. Civic renewal requires that all of us, including young people, older adults, people of color, and immigrants can have access and take advantage of many different opportunities and pathways to participate in all aspects of community life.

Civic renewal and creating a better future requires civic participation at all levels and in all kinds of ways- which can include:

Connecticut’s civic health depends on these and many other kinds of relationships that lead to strong communities and a strong state.  Visit the website of the Connecticut Office of the Secretary of State, for general information and tools provided on “Civic Engagement Initiatives”, that the office if promoting across the state: Civic Engagement Initiatives (ct.gov)

211 Database links to State and Federal resources on Civic Participation information

Agency resource links:

Resources for Organizing Community Forums and Dialogues

Communities that engage their residents in meaningful conversations and in action to address neighborhood, school, and other issues are stronger, more resilient and respond better to prevent tragedies and economic crisis and respond to challenges and tragedy as they occur. These links provide a variety of resources for organizing community forums and dialogues and guiding conversations on difficult issues, including preventing school violence, welcoming new immigrants, building better community-police relations, etc. This is only a partial list and others will be added gradually, so check back often to find new resources:

Trainings

Federal Agency for Service and Volunteering

211 eLibrary Papers