Democracy Corps
How Do I Use Democracy Corps?
The Democracy Corps Teacher Resource Guide is divided into four phases. Information and experiences build on each other as students move through each phase, so it may be confusing for students if they skip sections or complete them out of order. For teachers who have a limited amount of time, there is a Fast Track version.
Phase One: Build a Foundation for Political Participation
This phase introduces students to the concepts of democracy and challenges them to explain when and why citizens should be involved in the political process. Phase One also includes an analysis of community needs and culminates with student selection of their target Democracy Corps issue.
Phase Two: Serve the Community
Phase two broadens student understanding of their target issue through a hands-on community service project. Highlights of this phase include direct contact with community experts in the students’ service learning field and first-hand experiences with the issue they are addressing.
Phase Three: Interact with Political Leaders
Students continue to focus on their target issue, but public interactions move from community experts to political leaders. Student goals are to determine what local or state division of governments addresses their issue, what, if any, policy decisions are currently being considered and how they can participate in the conversation to impact change.
Phase Four: Influence Public Policy
Students compile information gathered during the first three phases in preparation for a political rally or formal presentation to political leaders, civic leaders on a group of their peers. They conclude the project evaluating the effectiveness of their political impact and the value of involvement in our democracy.
