Generation Citizen
Model & Strategy
Generation Citizen aims to strengthen our nation’s democracy by empowering young people to become engaged and effective citizens. The solution starts in our schools. Generation Citizen partners college students (called Democracy Coaches) with classroom teachers to teach an action civics course in which teens solve problems they are facing in their own communities. Over the course of the in-class program, students choose an issue they care about, develop a focused, strategic plan to address the issue, take real action and then reflect on their successes and challenges.
Through direct engagement in real-world advocacy, guided by near-peer college Democracy Coaches and teachers, students gain the civic knowledge, skills, and motivation necessary to effect change in their communities. Generation Citizen closes the civic engagement gap by teaching students how to harness the power of our democratic system to make a difference in their own lives.
Scott Warren, co-founder and Executive Director of Generation Citizen, grew up abroad and his passion for activism stems from his experiences living in Latin America and Africa. In 2002, Scott served as an observer in the first truly democratic elections in Kenya’s history, where he began to recognize the transformative potential of democracy. During college, Scott served as the National Student Director of STAND, a national student anti-genocide coalition. Scott also helped lead successful campaigns to divest Brown University, the City of Providence and the State of Rhode Island from companies conducting business in Sudan.
Scott founded Generation Citizen his senior year at Brown with the aim of helping to create an authentic democratic experience for all youth across the country, keeping in mind the transformative power he first witnessed in Kenya. He is an Echoing Green Fellow and was recognized as one a Forbes “30 Under 30”.
IMPACT
Through GC’s Action Civics curriculum, students recognize the power of their individual voice to advocate for change in their communities. Evaluations have shown that GC students are not only increasing their civic knowledge and skills, but also their intended civic motivation (i.e. the likelihood of voting, volunteering, and participating in the political process).
To date, GC has served over 80,000 students and is on track to serve 30,000 additional students in the 2020-20 academic year. GC has sites in California, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, and Texas, as well as remote programming in Utah, Alabama, and Kentucky. It has helped to organize the entire civics education field as it becomes a more prominent discipline.
Generation Citizen News
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2021 #CivicsDayGC season starts tmrw! Students will showcase their amazing class civics projects, starting w/ GCTX… https://t.co/KDggVI1c1S
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RT @amycurranokc: "Being involved with Generation Citizen has also helped my parents get more civically involved. I live in an immigrant co…
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Kicking off our 1st alumni event, @BillingsDiahann of @RISEtoWIN talks w/@LizClayRoy about her mom running for comm… https://t.co/1ierLEra1w
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This week, the @NYSEDNews Board of Regents launched the Seal of Civic Readiness pilot program to recognize students… https://t.co/TtLFlt941t
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If you aren't able to participate in our collab event with @RISEtoWIN Beyond 2020: Civic Engagement Moving Forward,… https://t.co/a8cc3iK5dN
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Youth have the power to create civic change. Beyond 2020: Civic Engagement Moving Forward is TOMORROW. Don't forget… https://t.co/7A3BGGDgu0
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Passing equity-centered #CivicsEd must be a priority for Congress this year. TY Rep @rosadelauro & @TomColeOK04… https://t.co/v9MC8RfXSV
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RT @meg_dougherty: We do not teach civics to indoctrinate our children. We teach civics to teach our Ss to make our communities better. #HB…
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HB 3979 would limit speech and engagement in TX classrooms. Healthy democracy needs free speech & educated young pe… https://t.co/gPGjgp0uwf
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"...GC relies on teachers in the field and also young people to help guide the organization." Reminder to GC teache… https://t.co/XoPSdtqHzJ
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RT @amycurranokc: In honor of Teacher Appreciation week, support some teachers by watching student presentations and providing some feedbac…
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We're just 1 week away from our collab event w/ @RISEtoWIN Beyond 2020: Civic Engagement Moving Forward, Wed 5/12… https://t.co/GJzAPXZWWS
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RT @diversity_talks: Our founder @Butler__Kiara joins @rhodeislandpbs and @myrwu on Monday, May 10 to discuss the educational, judicial, an…