Answer: Civic engagement is seen by many as an activity that serves not only as a key component
to the maintenance of a democracy, but also as a force that sustains social ties across
communities small and large (Colby et al., 2000; Putnam, 1993; 2000). As defined by Thomas
Ehrlich, civic engagement can be understood as “…working to make a difference in the civic life
of our communities and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation
to make that difference…[and] promoting the quality of life in a community, through both
