Identify a problem that your national community is experiencing. Then write your answers to the questions on the Problem Identification and Analysis Form. Below are some examples of problems that you can address:
Economy
Inflation
Global Supply Chains
Political Polarization
This can address the effects of political polarization on our politics, government, personal lives, etc.
Privacy
This can address data privacy, government surveillance, cybersecurity, etc
Gun Control
Elections
Environment
This can include littering and lack of access to garbage removal/trash cans, recycling problems, and any environmental issue the community is facing (pollution, farming practices that threaten environment, city planning and over development, loss of local ecosystems, threats to clean water, climate change, etc).
Affordable Housing
This can include homelessness, lack of affordable housing, the end of the moratorium on evictions during the pandemic, and sustainable housing/development.
Wealth Gap
This can address the widening wealth gap between the wealthiest Americans and the rest of the population – focusing on the effects of a wealth gap on our economy, quality of life, and democracy.
Poverty
You can focus on any issue related to poverty – like systemic barriers to opportunities, hunger, government welfare assistance, education, etc.
You can also read the following article to see if you face any of these problems in your community: “The 10 Most Critical Problems in the World, According to Millennials” (Business Insider), Feb 26 2018. Found at: https://www.businessinsider.com/world-economic-forum-world-biggest-problems-concerning-millennials-2016-8?op=1
2.Interact with your community
Interview Assignment. Now discuss the problem from your Problem ID form and interview someone that you know. Share what you’ve learned from your Problem ID form, including what you learned about the problem and the government policy that you chose to analyze on the Problem ID form. Then, find out what they know about the problem and how they feel about it. Use the Interview Form to record the information you receive.
3. Join Civil Society: Find an Organization
Find at least one civil society (non-governmental) organization that is working on your problem. Identify and describe the organization, their platform, their work, and what policies they propose to solve the problem. Write your work in a Word document and submit it with the other forms.
4. Turn in your completed forms to the assignment box.
