Ethical and Cultural
Considerations
&
Civic Responsibility
Ethical community engagement involves
working to high ethical standards.
Ethical and cultural considerations in civic
engagement are important to ensure that
the process is open, honest, and respectful:
Cultural considerations: Consider the
context and power dynamics.
Ethical considerations: Consider
communication and interaction.
Ethics in engagement: An ethical
approach keeps the process inclusive, fair,
collaborative, and informative.
Careful planning and preparation: Through
adequate and inclusive planning, ensure that
the design, organization, and convening of the
process serve both a clearly defined purpose
and the needs of the participants.
Inclusion and demographic
diversity: Equitably incorporate diverse
people, voices, ideas, and information to lay
the groundwork for quality outcomes and
democratic legitimacy.
Collaboration and shared purpose: Support
and encourage participants, government and
community institutions, and others to work
together to advance the common good.
Openness and learning: Help all involved listen to
each other, explore new ideas unconstrained by
predetermined outcomes, learn and apply information
in ways that generate new options, and rigorously
evaluate public engagement activities for
effectiveness.
Transparency and trust: Be clear and open about
the process, and provide a public record of the
organizers, sponsors, outcomes, and range of views
and ideas expressed.
Impact and action: Ensure each participatory effort
has real potential to make a difference, and that
participants are aware of that potential.
Sustained engagement and participatory
culture Promote a culture of participation with
programs and institutions that support ongoing quality
public engagement
Principles
Courage
Inclusiveness
Commitment
Respect & honesty
Flexibility
Practicability
Mutual obligation
As well as ensuring that how we do
community engagement is ethical, it is
also important to consider WHAT we do.
In our pursuit of profit and economic
growth, too often the ethics of what we
do has been ignored.
Following are five questions I think we
need to ask ourselves as community
engagement practitioners about what we
do.
What is the motivation for engaging the
community?
Whose interests are being served?
Is it contributing to community well-
being?
Is it a two-way process?
Is it contributing to environmental
sustainability?
Civic Responsibility
Civic responsibility
It is the responsibility of a citizen to a society
or place they live in. It includes actions and
attitudes associated with social participation
and democratic governance. Civic
responsibility can include:
Civic duties
These are mandatory tasks or activities that
citizens must complete in order to keep
society moving forward. Examples include
paying taxes, serving on a jury, attending
school, and testifying in court.
Civic sense
This is about having consideration for others
while living in a civilized society. Examples
include smoking only in designated places,
being polite, and throwing garbage in
dustbins.
Participation
This can include participating in
government, church, volunteering, and
memberships of voluntary associations.
Voting
Some consider voting to be a civic duty, no
matter the size of the election
Civic responsibility means active participation
in the public life of a community in an
informed, committed, and constructive
manner, with a focus on the common good.
The Meaning of Civic Duty
Civic duties are rights and responsibilities
that go hand-in-hand with living in a
prosperous, democratic society. To carry out
one's civic duty is to honor the implicit
contract between the government and the
people. Examples of civic duties include
serving on a jury, voting in elections, or
participating in community service projects.
Civic Duty Obligations and
Responsibilities
Civic duties are divided into two
categories - obligations and
responsibilities. The former is a
requirement by law, while the latter
though not mandatory, are important
ways for all citizens to get involved.
Some civic duties and responsibilities
extend to every community member,
regardless if they are citizens. Everyone
must obey laws and pay taxes, while
voting and jury duty is reserved for
