Civic engagement : a fundamental principle of planning

Civic engagement is a critical function of a democratic society. Citizens have a civic duty to participate in processes- simple and complex- that contribute to a healthy and successful quality of life. Planning provides the necessary structure for citizens to prioritize the issues that need to be addressed by government. Without planning, policies and programs cannot be created and implemented that enhance the quality of life of citizens. The Neighborhood Partnership Center Program and the Neighborhood Resources and Technical Services Corporation were created by the City of South Bend, Indiana as opportunities for residents to affect change in neighborhoods. This study examined the theory and practice of civic engagement and planning, and then applied them to the NPC Program and NRTSC in the Rum Village Neighborhood in South Bend, Indiana to determine if they were models for fostering civic engagement. The selected criteria were inconclusive in proving the NPC Program and NRTSC fostered the degree of civic engagement activity that the City of South Bend intended the programs to produce.Department of Urban PlanningThesis (M.U.R.P.