Citizen Participation Commission

Description:

Basically what I am attempting to do is put together local Citizen Participation Commissions which would bring all the entities together. I first looked at libraries and thought, "Well we first need to get the information and put that all together," and then I realized, well there's all these people that are probably willing to, and that want change, and want more help why not just bring all the parties together, why not bring in terms of we're talking in a local city, cities and towns, and bring the library system, and the school system, and organizations like The League of Women Voters and the government because it is all about making the local governments accountable and what I saw, and my experience and research is that if we just make our local representatives accountable they talk to the state and the state talks to the federal level and it really isn't that much work, we try to, and people get so drained, and not enough people are doing anything at all, because they see the people that are so drained. So, what do you think of my idea of commissions -because commissions basically don't cost anything. And the other thing I would like to see is that people that are genuinely interested in being in this commission can be - it's not that it is elected or board it's just that you need to keep your {political} party affiliations at home, because that's not what this is about.
--Shaiyel Seltzer

I. Serenade Website: http://www.goserenade.org/
A. Objective: to provide a centralized place for citizenship: complete civics education, solutions clearinghouse, and mentorship program that inspires and enlightens citizens to incorporate democracy into their daily lives.
1. Civics Education - How?
a. Textbooks/booklets/Telephone book included
b. Innovative Classes
c. Family Civic Projects
d. Civic Participation Commissions
(1) Local Government city / town Commissions
(2) Brings together library (system), school (system),
Public Broadcasting, organizations like The League of Women Voters (those whose mission is civic minded NOT political party minded), local government officials, and any citizen who wants to too (provided party affiliations, missions, and ideals are left at home).
(3) As far as I have researched, and as many interviews I have done, there are no commissions that bring these government entities that checks to make sure that each has what they need in regarding to public documents, books, maps, federal
depository....... The NEED is CLEAR. And through the transcripts, what will become apparent is that our current history of the United States, not just as a whole, but little piece by piece through state and local governments - a projected 20 year gap of history and government documents 1995 - 2015. Not even top politicians - the President is aware that the destruction of print material in
the name of "Saving Money" is destroying and widening the gap of over 50% of citizens who do not use computers.....
(4) The complexity of government has reached such heights that citizens have no one to tell them how to manuver through the various agencies and department in order to reach their goal.
2. Solutions Clearinghouse - How?
a. Online - Story and Solution Message Boards
http://www.goserenade.org/boards.html
b. Letters sent and then typed under appropriate subject
3. Mentorship Program
a. Unique - to provide mentors to adults (especially lacking)
b. Work with mentor programs and elevate their importance even more.

B. Website includes vision, overall mission, support portals, everything to support whatever issue, topic.... the place to share, and most importantly, specific from the smallest of towns, like Zig Zag, Oregon, to the largest populace New York City.

II. Accomplishments:
http://www.goserenade.org/accomplishments.html (More are needed to be added - for April and other things - but gives general ones)

III. Next Steps
A. Interviews: September 2005 in Baltimore, Washington D.C. and New York

B. Research (Actually not really fair to list. Always ongoing)

C. Interviews with librarians of different stature, school, and government officials (Again, always ongoing)

D. Transcribe interviews - from tape recordings

E. Write proposal for Civic Participation Commissions/Citizen Participation Commissions

F. Legal

Go Serenade!