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empowering civic engagement through increased accessibility and educational resources to advance social justice in our community
Our Mission
Our Mission
A collective to empower students and residents of SLO County to join local community action organizations, share educational resources & create change
What is civic engagement?
What is civic engagement?
Some of our favorite authors and activists have defined Civic Engagement in these ways:
Civic engagement can be defined as a set of actions aimed at improving quality of life and ultimately promoting social justice (Lenzi ,et al., 2014).
At the community level, civic engagement may involve calling attention to an issue by taking collective action; meeting with stakeholders, including decision-makers and people in positions in power, to share their concerns and solutions; or interacting directly with the institutions that have control over the issue(Suarez-Balcazar, 2021)
At the systems level, civic engagement includes collaboratively working for equity and justice to promote change... leadership of affected populations through community organizing, as well as working with community-based organizations, communities, researchers, and other stakeholders"(Suarez-Balcazar, 2021)
Why is civic engagement important?
Why is civic engagement important?
If you're like me - you've probably found yourself overwhelmed by events happening globally and even locally in our communities.
News articles over-sensationalize these headlines, causing many people to feel helpless in the face of issues such as global climate change, inequality, racism, political violence, food and housing insecurity, genocide, geopolitical conflicts, policing, ableism, and immigration raids.
But, we aren't powerless! In fact, there is so much we can do even in our communities to make a difference and forge a better future.
We are becoming disconnected from our communities - civic engagement can help!
We are becoming disconnected from our communities - civic engagement can help!
This chart, created by the American Civic Foundation, depicts how a majority of US residents feel isolated, a little of belonging, and only some belonging in their communities. Very few of US residents feel a fair amount or full belonging.
The digital age we find ourselves in promotes isolationism and disconnect from our community.
Civic action creates way to bridge our lives back into our community, fostering engagement and connection.
American Civic Foundation - chart depicts "Feelings of Connectedness in Your Community"(Corning, 2025).
How can engagement be made practical, flexible, and inclusive for US residents?
How can engagement be made practical, flexible, and inclusive for US residents?
Research shows strong support for digital engagement tools to assist US residents with civic engagement. This method aids busy individuals to visualize how they can engage with their community and streamline finding resources.
This is why Collective Action SLO was created!
American Civic Foundation - chart depicts "support for digital engagement tools" (Corning, 2025).
What is Collective Action SLO?
What is Collective Action SLO?
This website was created to make finding and learning about civic engagement more accessible for SLO county residents, students, and community members.
Resources available on this website:
Collective Action Calendar (posts upcoming events for local community action groups - easily transferrable to your own google calendar for easy notifications)
Civic Engagement Educational Resources (discusses different forms of civic engagement beyond volunteerism to educate about the versatility of action)
Local Organization Hub (lists community action organization and links directly to their webpages for more information)
Finding your Representatives & Register to Vote / Check Your Registration Status (links to digital tools to find your local, state, and federal representatives. also connects you to your representative's pages to submit public comments and emails to their office)
Educational Resources to Empower Your Action (books written by Indigenous, Black, Disabled, and Queer authors about intersectional civic action and accessible means of supporting one another).
Social Justice Research Showcase (local student and university professor research that supports social justice bridging academic research with community education- this page is under development)
Civic Engagement and Mental Health
Civic Engagement and Mental Health
In an extensive literature review by Fenn et al., in 2024, discussion surrounding the benefits of civic engagement for mental health and self-efficacy highlighted these key findings:
According to social capital theorists, participation in community life, collective action, and empowerment to create change can be harnessed for community health and well-being (Fenn, 2024)
"A sense of community is one of the strongest motivations for LGBTQ+ volunteers. They reported that feeling connected to the LGBTQ+ community was the most important predictor for sociopolitical involvement in both the LGBTQ+ and racially diverse communities(Gates, 2025).
Being associated with the LGBTQ+ community was related to lower risks of burnout in HIV/ AIDS volunteering. Several others have found that involvement and connectedness with the community were strong motivators for volunteerism"(Gates, 2025).
Findings showed that civic engagement was associated with greater resiliency and well-being, and authors concluded that civic engagement may help buffer against feelings of hopelessness following tragedy(Fenn, 2024).
Surveys of Californian youth of Latinx, Black, and Asian-Pacfic Islander descent from low-income communities who had participated with a community-based organization on projects like environmental advocacy work and improving school climate and anti-bullying initiatives for LGBTQ+ youth indicated a sense of social connectedness, collective self efficacy and community well-being as a result of their participation (Bloemraad and Terriquez 2016).
Moving from Overwhelm to Action
Moving from Overwhelm to Action
Civic engagement allows us to find a purpose and means of involvement during difficult times.
"As we prepare for more bad waves of news, I am a remembering that there is always a right next thing to do that I am never alone in my despair and that when we come together we can create new worlds that are kinder and more of what we all deserve. After such a long year filled with such different forms of loss, I'm remembering organizing is always an option and it works" (Quote from B Loewe's Instagram in 2021 featured in Kaba's "Moving from Overhwhlem to Action" concluding chapter of Let This Radicalize You (Hayes & Kaba 2023)).
Local Resources
Feeling overwhlemed to a state that is detrimental to your wellbeing? Collective Action also includes taking care of yourself and seeking assistance when needed.
Here are local mental health services to contact when in need of assistance:
Central Coast Residents
Cal Poly SLO Students
805-756-2511 (24-7 crisis line)
Share with us! How can we make this information more accessible for you? Are there any other features or content that would be helpful?
Share with us! How can we make this information more accessible for you? Are there any other features or content that would be helpful?
send in your comments and questions in the form below!
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