VCLN Civic Health Index Overview and Discussion

Описание: Held Wednesday, January 22nd.
With Town Meeting Day coming up, and Inauguration Day and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day just past, you may be thinking about how you engage with your community’s governance as well as our state and national governance. We began 2025 with a timely topic - Civic Health - a measure of community engagement in activities like voting, volunteering, and participation in governance. Communities with strong civic health have better employment rates, stronger schools, more responsive governments, and even improved physical and mental health.

The workshop began with a presentation by Robyn Palmer of the Secretary of State’s Office; she was joined on the panel by Michael Moser from the UVM Center for Rural Studies and Susan Clark of Slow Democracy. We focused on the recently released Vermont Civic Health Index - a report looking at how civically engaged Vermonters are compared to the rest of the country. The report gathered data from Vermonters on voting habits, civic participation, and engagement with government, and identified strengths, challenges, and next steps for improving Vermont’s civic health. After the presentation, the floor was opened to participant questions and discussion.