When it comes to civic engagement, a new study finds Hoosiers are slightly better than the national average, but you would be surprised at who’s doing the engaging.
The annual 2015 Indiana Civic Health Index shows increasing participation by Hoosiers in service and civic organizations however participation in a school or neighborhood organization decreased. And when it comes to participation overall, urban Hoosiers have a participation rate of nearly 18 percent, while rural residents are slightly more than 10 percent.
Hoosiers outpace the national average when it comes to volunteering, charitable giving and how often they communicate with friends and family, however the state lags when it comes to voting.
Also, suburban Hoosiers are more likely to vote, urban Hoosiers are more likely to attend public meetings and rural Hoosiers are more likely to trust their neighbors.
A copy of the report will be available here.
Indy Politics spoke with former Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton, one of the co-chairs overseeing the study, to get his take on the report. You can hear his comments below. The Leon-Tailored Audio runs approximately 12 minutes.
Leon-Tailored Audio: Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton on 2015 Civic Engagement Index Study
