There’s always a lot of talk on GovLoop about attracting and retaining young talent in government. Obviously, there are things like paying more and making the hiring process simpler, but another big part of getting young people to take an active role in their government is educating them about the importance at an early age.
Recently, GovLoop sat down with Actor Richard Dreyfuss (yes, we actually did) to talk about his new program, The Dreyfuss Initiative, which focuses on revitalizing civic education in American schools. Mr. Dreyfuss’ program pushes for funding for civics through innovative avenues. The following is a excerpt from their site:
Civic education is the founding mandate of public education. Free public schools were developed in America for the express purpose of raising up good citizenship. This purpose has been abandoned and must be regained. Thus the mission of The Initiative is to create a demand for a more expert learning experience and to give our kids the splendid pleasure of learning what power they have.
Here’s Richard Dreyfuss himself telling us about the need for civic education in the United States:
What role do you think civic education plays in creating a culture where young people take an active role in government?
*** A special thanks to GovLooper Tara* for helping us film this interview. She’s a video rockstar!***