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YMCA Promotes Civic Engagement in Young People
 The YMCA’s Civic Engagement http://www.ymcacivicengagement.org is an ongoing effort to increase the capacity of YMCAs to promote the development of civic engagement attitudes, skills, and behaviors, especially in young people. Originally launched as a national initiative in 2002 with a generous grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts, YMCA Civic Engagement is designed to reach young people directly and connect them to specific opportunities to act while simultaneously motivating and improving the ability of the YMCA and the civic engagement community to engage young people in civic life. The YMCA defines civic engagement as a person’s capacity to work with others to affect common interests, to see oneself as a stakeholder in public life, to value the mechanisms for democratic decision-making, and to believe that individuals have a responsibility to contribute to their communities.
Together, the nation's more than 2,400 YMCAs are the largest not-for-profit community service organization in America, working to meet the health and social service needs of 17.9 million men, women, and children in 10,000 communities in the USA. Learn more.
YMCA Civic Engagement is facilitated by YMCA of the USA www.ymca.net
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