David Matthews Center For Civic Life

ALABAMA ISSUES FORUMS (AIF) - AIF PROVIDES CITIZENS WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND ADDRESS AN ISSUE OF PUBLIC CONCERN THROUGH DELIBERATION. DELIBERATION IS A FORM OF DECISION-MAKING THAT ENCOURAGES CITIZENS TO EXAMINE MULTIPLE APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING AN ISSUE AND ULTIMATELY FIND COMMON GROUND FOR ACTION. THROUGH DELIBERATION, A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS ATTEMPTS TO LOOK AT WHAT MATTERS TO A COMMUNITY IN RELATION TO AN ISSUE AND WEIGH POSSIBLE ACTION IDEAS AGAINST COSTS, CONSEQUENCES, AND TRADEOFFS. A NEUTRAL MODERATOR GUIDES THE DELIBERATIVE DISCUSSION USING AN ISSUE FRAMEWORK PROVIDED BY NATIONAL ISSUES FORUMS (NIF) OR THE DAVID MATHEWS CENTER FOR CIVIC LIFE, AND A NEUTRAL RECORDER WORKS TO CAPTURE AND SHARE THE MAJOR THEMES AND IDEAS. USING THE INFORMATION GATHERED THROUGH FORUM REFLECTIONS AND POST- FORUM QUESTIONNAIRES, THE DAVID MATHEWS CENTER FOR CIVIC LIFE PROVIDES ANNUAL REPORTS TO THE PUBLIC ON HOW CITIZENS ARE THINKING ON ISSUES IN THE AREAS OF CITIZEN RESPONSIBILITY, E

COACHING COMMUNITY INNOVATION WORKSHOPS (CCI) - CCI WORKSHOPS ULTIMATELY AIM TO PLACE THE TOOLS FOR DELIBERATION DIRECTLY INTO THE HANDS OF ALABAMIANS. THE DAVID MATHEWS CENTER FOR CIVIC LIFE OFFERS THESE WORKSHOPS TO INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS STATEWIDE TO EQUIP THEM WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO DEVELOP THE DELIBERATIVE MODEL IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES. CCI WORKSHOPS ARE DESIGNED TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY CAPACITIES TO MAKE INNOVATIVE DECISIONS, SECURE COMMITMENTS TO ACT TOGETHER, AND LEARN FROM EXPERIENCES.

JEAN O'CONNOR-SNYDER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM (JOIP) - JOIP IS THE LONGEST RUNNING PROGRAM OF THE DAVID MATHEWS CENTER FOR CIVIC LIFE. THE JOIP INTERNSHIP PROVIDES IMMERSIVE CIVIC LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS TO RESEARCH DELIBERATIVE PRACTICES AND ASSET-BASED APPROACHES FOR WORKING WITH ALABAMIANS IN COMMUNITY-BASED PROJECTS. THE DAVID MATHEWS CENTER FOR CIVIC LIFE ADMINISTERS THE JOIP PROGRAM, COLLABORATING WITH FACULTY MENTORS TO RECRUIT STUDENTS FROM INSTITITIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION ACROSS ALABAMA.

STUDENTS' INSTITUTE - THE STUDENTS' INSTITUTE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF AN INTENSIVE SERIES OF COMMUNITY-BASED FIELD TRIPS AND WORKSHOPS. IT PROVIDES YOUNG ALABAMIANS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEEPEN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP, EXPLORE ASSETS AND CHALLENGES WITHIN THEIR COMMUNITY, AND DEVELOP SKILLS FOR MORE EFFECTIVE ENGAGEMENT. DURING THE INSTITUTE, STUDENTS ARE CHALLENGED TO CRAFT A VISION OF THEIR COMMUNITY THAT IMPROVES YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND STRENGTHENS THEIR COMMUNITY'S FUTURE. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE PROCESS, STUDENTS ARE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AT A COMMUNITY SHOWCASE EVENT IN FRONT OF FRIENDS, FAMILY, TEACHERS, AND PUBLIC SERVANTS.