Active Citizens

[mlc13]

Further to my poll from last week.....

Why do you consider yourself to be / or not to be an Active Citizen within your community?

What does the term "Active Citizen" mean to you?

Thanks!!

Later this week, I'll post my answers to the questions I've posed in case you'd like to read them as well.

Comments

[inacom]

>>> What does the term "Active Citizen" mean to you?
someone who volunteer, go to public meetings, donate money, go to community celebrations

>>> Why do you consider yourself not to be an Active Citizen within your community?
quite simple: I hardly ever do any of the above.

[mlc13]

Thank you for your honesty!

[mildred_strange]

I responded "no" to the poll, assuming being an "active citizen" involved being active around where I live.
As mentioned in the first post, I'm active where I spend all my time, the University environment, but not where I live.

I live in a fairly up and coming neighbourhood, filled with great bars and shops, galleries and events. But I don't feel connected to the demographic in my community, so I don't care to be active.

Whereas at the University, I'm surrounded by people I consider my peers, and am very active.

[mlc13]

Thank you for your perspective. I guess the assumtion towards Active Citizenship is that you are active within the community where you live, but not everyone considers their living quarters their "community".

[the_moogie]

To me, an active citizen takes personal responsibility for their community--however they define "community." I live in the Chinatown/Kensington market area. A group of citizens here formed the Kensington Market Action committee to make the neighbourhood a better place. They installed bike racks and cleaned up garbage and planted trees and plants and do other projects as well.

Sometimes it's done on an individual level as well. Toronto has had lots of activists who have made a difference to their community.

Being an active citizen requires being informed about what's going on, and forming conclusions about what needs to be done. Once you know the context and know what needs to be done, you might do it all yourself, you might form or join a group, or you might email or call your political representatives.

An active citizen cares and puts that caring into action.

[mlc13]

Well said! Thank you for your input - I think that there are many ways to consider yourself an active citizen though many people likely feel they are too busy to do anything, or think it won't have an impact.

If everybody does one little thing, soon enough that turns into a pretty big thing.

[summ3r_daze]

Why do you consider yourself to be / or not to be an Active Citizen within your community?
I do consider myself to be an active citizen. I have to say, it's purely selfish though. I participate in activities related to my children's schools, as a parent volunteer in the classrooms, on various parent councils, helping to organize school events, because these things enrich the school, help other kids & families in the community and therefore provide a better environment for my kids.

What does the term "Active Citizen" mean to you?
An active citizen is one who takes part in the community to make life better for everyone in the community. I'd say you qualify as an active citizen if you take ownership for issues/problems in your community, in however large or small a capacity. Taking ownership of a problem (seeing garbage on the street in the community) and then dealing with it (picking it up!), is being an active member. It's all about taking ownership of problems.

[mlc13]

Thanks!!
Whether it's selfish or not, you're certainly contributing to many other children's development as well as your own children.

As someone who grew up with a lot of parental involvement, I think it fosters a strong sense of community and a desire to give that back when possible (hope that makes sense!)