Following ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989, councils involving young people have become widespread, both in developed and developing countries. However, these councils are said to reflect the hierarchical nature of parliamentary and representative democracy, leading to tokenistic…

Describes common curricular components of 10 education programs to teach students democratic citizenship. Highlights characteristics of three programs: a high school government course, a college-level program, and an adult education program. Describes three broad priorities of successful programs: commitment, capacity, and connection. Includes a…

This speech transcript addresses five questions about global trends in civic education for democracy: (1) What is happening in civic education throughout the world? (2) What are common strengths and weaknesses in civic education? (3) Does civic education work? (4) What policies should guide the development and implementation of civic education…

The Council of Europe's Education for Democratic Citizenship Project created "Sites of Citizenship" in 12 countries. These grassroots initiatives attempted to involve individuals in creating democratic culture. Preliminary evaluation indicated that informal and nonformal learning at these sites was a challenging but innovative feature.…

The national-service movement promises to become a source of democratic renewal. Participation can be seen as the practice of citizenship if the political realities are recognized. The movement could produce a new generation of public leaders with practical skills and concepts. (SLD)

Service learning helps students develop skills such as creative problem solving, effective communication, decision making, and information synthesis. A recent report found that service-learning participants scored significantly higher on measures of personal and social responsibility, acceptance of cultural diversity, and service leadership.…

Collaboration across the domains of continuing education and organizations advance civil society to address public issues.