Youth Civic Engagement

Web Dialogues provide a framework for youth to learn about elements of government and the responsibilities of citizenship by discussing issues important to them with subject experts, lawmakers, and student peers.

National Student Issue Dialogues

On July 25-27, 2006, WestEd and the National Center for Learning and Citizenship (NCLC) hosted a web-based discussion to explore how online dialogue might enable high school and college students to learn about, discuss, and act on state, national and international issues that are important to them with subject experts, lawmakers and peers from throughout the country. Visit the dialogue web site and register to receive current updates on this iniative. Read more...

California Youth Democracy Alliance (CYDA)

CYDA is a program currently under development that aims to educate youth about informed civic engagement by providing a structure and guiding a process of research, deliberation, and advocacy on issues that are important to them. In addition to in person regional forums, CYDA will provide high school and college students throughout the state with an online version of the program through web dialogues. Read more...

LegiSchool Dialogues

During the 2005-2006 school year, The LegiSchool Project hosted two dialogues for high school students throughout the state; Gangs and California Culture and Are California High Schools Succeeding?. The dialogues were a continuation of LegiSchool’s Town Hall Meetings for youth on the same subject.

Elements of Web Dialogues that support effective civics education:

  • Dialogues bring into the classroom authoritative information on aspects of policy and government that teachers may not feel qualified to cover themselves. The discussions can be educational for both students and teachers.

  • Students can discuss controversial topics with the benefit of skilled discussion moderators, balanced background information, and the subject expertise of panelists. Skillful facilitators help students gain skills in communication and deliberation.

  • Students from many communities, states, or countries, introduce new and diverse perspectives into the discussions.

  • Lawmakers can share their personal goals and experiences as a public servant in addition to discussing the dialogue topic.

  • Assignments help students prepare their contributions by researching a topic, gathering information from peers or the community, etc. Tasks can vary in complexity based on the number of students represented by each registration.

  • Participation via the Web allows subject experts and lawmakers to take part at convenient times regardless of location. Staff can easily support the lawmakers’ role.

  • Summaries of each dialogue create a useful curricular resource.