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In the spring of 2022, several civic groups in the Phoenix area met to discuss civic engagement and what could be done to help people feel like they have the ability to contribute to their community. Among those who met, there was a general sense that, at that time, something was broken in our country. It often seems like as a country we have forgotten how to have conversations with people we disagree with, or be able to find common sense solutions to problems we know are important. This project grew out of these conversations as one way to help to heal our communities. We seek to remind ourselves why it is important in a democracy to have respectful conversations, to develop the skills to be able to have those conversations, and to encourage people, including ourselves, to put those skills to use in everyday practice. The Creating Community project is the result of these conversations.

We envision these modules being shared with a variety of community groups, faith communities, and human resources officers to help adults develop the skills of citizenship, what the business community refers to as “soft skills.” These modules can be delivered in person or online, and facilitated by non-experts.

This material can be used to educate voting age adults in the need for civility, the skills of civility, and the practice of civility as members of their community. The specific community health outcome we target is . By encouraging robust social and civic engagement, the modules we hope to increase social/cultural cohesion so our communities can work together to solve the complex problems we face.

Please provide feedback on these materials and your use of them to Dr. Brian Dille: bdille@mesacc.edu