How can you be an active citizen?
Resources available
Active Democracy Australia aims to encourage and enable voters in every federal electorate to form an electorate action group, through which, together, voters in your electorate can improve how you are represented.
ACT active citizens kit: An information kit to guide citizens into active citizenship in the ACT.
The Australian Conservation Foundation has a Community Toolkit How to get your local MP to listen to your community to provide a practical guide for determined citizens to take collective action against pollution and destruction and for a more beautiful world.
The Big Deal documentary and associated site has a detailed guide to meeting your MP.
Local Development and empowerment, methods and inspirations Manfred Hellrigi’s video describing practical developments with citizen participation in Western Austria.
A research organization focusing on real-world problems facing Australia: Australia 21
CAPaDs work on helping voters choose candidate is based on the ideology of working with the community through the party policy platform.
A discussion on youth engagement with democracy: Recap Meet-up 9
Meet-up 3: A focus on exploring the experiences of citizen jury on compulsory third party insurance undertaken by the ACT government.
Meet-up 7 received feedback from policy officers of the ACT government who were/are involved in recent deliberative engagement policies.
Brookings Institute (US) Democracy 76 ways for citizens to civically engage introduces civil engagement in democracy through a set of 5 essential actions.
Take Part (UK resource): online resources for Active Citizenship; Take Part’s How to guide on How to become … an Active Citizen
Active Citizenship is about:
- Taking an interest in your community
- Having your say as a resident
- Taking part in decisions that affect you
- Above all it’s about ordinary people making things happen
Creating the new story revolves around the concept of completing other action groups by developing a narrative and materials to explain the change process CAPaD would like people to engage in.
Governing for health is a well researched case for policy and governance centered around public health.
A guide to getting read: The write stuff.
Active Citizens Australian Government
https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/celebrating-citizenship/active-citizen
The Australian government has a guide to being an active citizen in Australia:
“Be an active citizen—whether you were born in Australia or choose to become an Australian citizen. Active citizenship is about getting involved in your local community and displaying values such as respect, inclusion and helping others.”
Ways you can be an active citizen
“There are many ways you can contribute to and participate in your community as an active citizen. Here are a few suggestions:
- Attend a citizenship ceremony in your area to welcome and support new Australian citizens.
- Lead by example and be a role model by being respectful and inclusive of others and ensuring a fair go for all.
- Raise awareness and encourage discussion of the Australian values that unite us and the significance of Australian citizenship on Citizenship Day (17 September).
- Welcome refugees and help them to settle into Australia.
- Celebrate the strength in our multicultural community by participating in Harmony Week and Refugee Week in your local community.
- Share your citizenship story and what Australian citizenship means to you on social media using #AustralianCitizenship and @AusHomeAffairs and add the citizenship frame to your profile picture.”