Chapter 2: Official Programmatic Descriptions

SUMMARY

Youth civic engagement is a diverse field of practice, with each initiative claiming it has a unique approach. This chapter describes three initiatives, Youth-in-Government, Youth Science Center, and Public Achievement from the point-of-view of program staff. Their view is often privileged; it is the one used for official communication and public relations. Each program is described through its stated aims, strategies, ethos, curriculum, and program activity. These official descriptions are then compared to each other, suggesting places of convergence and divergence.

KEYWORDS:

• Youth civic engagement
• citizenship
• civic education
• experiential education
• service learning
• youth work