In 2009, 347,000 or 12.8% of Seattle's residents worked with neighbors to solve a community problem, ranking our region second in this metric of civic health among the nation's 51 largest metropolitan areas. 46.8% of Seattle residents, 18 years and older, belong to religious, neighborhood, school, or sports groups—nearly 12 percentage points above the national average.

People in our region have a long history of gathering to improve their communities by collaborating, innovating, and investing together. This tradition of connection is evidenced today in community centers, coffee shops and, most recently, in active online networking. It is also present in the region's many diverse community organizations. The Rotary Club of Seattle, established in 1909, is the fourth oldest and currently the largest Rotary Club in the world. It now boasts 675 members with numerous smaller Rotary Clubs ourishing in neighboring cities and neighborhoods. Meanwhile, one hundred years later, Seattle was one of the first cities in America to launch a Social Media Club. This national member–owned organization is a lively community of professionals that shares best practices, establishes ethics and standards, and promotes literacy in emerging social media.

National data indicate that veterans are more likely than non–veterans to participate in community groups and work with their neighbors to solve community problems. In 2009, Washington State's Commission for National and Community Service partnered with the state's Department of Veterans Affairs to launch the first Vet Corps program to engage veterans in AmeriCorps national service positions. In 2010, the program was expanded to include military spouses and widows. Participants' testimonials make clear that civic engagement not only helped veterans and their families make a positive difference in communities across Washington State, it also aided personal reintegration into their communities. King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties are home to nearly 300,000 veterans. 1

Within our region's groups and associations, 11.4% of participants are leaders, identied in this research as ofcers and committee members. This rate contrasts with a national leadership level of 8.5%. Leaders are highly engaged in all forms of civic life. (Figure 5) Nationally, two–thirds of civic leaders express political voice in one or more ways, contrasting with 13.7% among group non–participants. Seventy–ve percent of leaders volunteer, compared with 15% of non–participants. Leaders are also about 50% more likely than non–participants to vote and be involved in non–electoral political acts.

Developing leadership and encouraging the expression of political voice among the growing foreign–born population is essential and takes special efforts. Immigrants tend to listen to those they trust, so it is important for training and leadership development to be delivered by trusted organizations. Many immigrants and refugees have come from countries where they have been explicitly dissuaded from political participation, and they still fear retribution for their political views when they arrive in the U.S. They need to be taught and reassured that their political voice is valued in America. Successful leadership trainings need to speak to the life and cultural experiences of particular immigrant populations.

How do we develop more leaders? Research identies three key assets: access to networks; interests or motivations; and time, money, and skills. 2 The Civic Health Index supports these conclusions. Educational attainment, particularly college experience, has a strong relationship to leadership (Figure 6). Though 57% of Americans have college experience, they make up 83% of our leaders. Employed Americans are about twice as likely to be leaders as unemployed Americans.

To assure youth leadership development, teaching civic skills should start early in children's lives and continue throughout their education. Washington's Board of Education passed a civic engagement policy in 2006 requiring K–12 students to pass civic/social studies classroom–based assessments that “demonstrate their civic skills, knowledge and actions.” 3 House Bill 2132, passed in 2009, states that one of the purposes of a high school diploma is citizenship. In the City of Seattle, all high school students must also complete 60 hours of service learning in order to graduate.

Unfortunately, however, there is great variability in the content and quality of civic skills being taught to our children. National research indicates that students of lower socio–economic background are less likely to attend schools where community service opportunities are offered, e.g. participation in student government, service clubs, newspaper/yearbook, or community volunteerism. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that non–Hispanic white youth are more likely to be offered at least one volunteer experience through their schools than Latino and African American youth and young adults born outside the U.S. 4 It is essential to think about how to reach youth of color through supplementary mechanisms including supporting strong civics programs run by trusted organizations.

Unequal access to civic learning—formal and informal—hampers affected students' abilities and confidence to be fully engaged citizens as adults, but this deficit is even more pernicious. The Center for Information & Research of Civic Learning & Engagement (CIRCLE) reports, “The consequence of unequal civic learning experiences also affects academic success. Youths who have civic learning opportunities are more likely to follow a positive academic trajectory, which can include staying in school and preparing for college.” 5 To sustain and increase greater Seattle's high rate of group leaders, we must guarantee equal access and delivery of robust civic learning experiences to all our children.

We must also sustain the strong network of adult leadership development programs our community hosts, including Leadership Tomorrow, Leadership Eastside, Project LEAD, Leadership Snohomish County, Leadership Pierce County, Advancing Leadership (Federal Way), American Leadership Forum (Pierce County), Asian Community Leadership Foundation (Seattle), and Out in Front (Seattle). These organizations exemplify the call to develop civic skills for emerging leaders within like communities and across our diverse region. In addition, we must look for new models of leadership development with diverse communities that may not be incorporated into these more formal leadership programs.

RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Provide opportunities for lifelong civic learning, service, expression, and action to all community residents.

2. Teach civic skills in K–12 schools and in higher education.

3. Support programs of civic engagement and leadership development conducted by trusted organizations that reach into more difcult–to–serve communities such as foreign–born or other communities of color.

4. Expand service–learning opportunities within a culture that expects and rewards leadership development.

5. Provide civic mentorship for youth and young adults through robust connections to caring role models and community organizations.

6. Grow our region's leadership development programs, ensuring that they represent the diversity of our populace.

7. Maximize the civic asset available in our region's veteran population through programs that leverage their commitment and skills for community service.