# README: Civic Tech 101

**URL:** <https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/readme-civic-tech-101/1509>\
**Category:** Participatory Governance\
**Tags:** civic-tech-101\
**Created:** [September 30, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/readme-civic-tech-101/1509 "2022-09-30T17:32:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mari](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discourse.codeforamerica.org/mari/32/992_2.png) [@Mari](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/u/Mari)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/readme-civic-tech-101/1509/1 "2022-09-30T17:32:41Z")

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Want to influence an open Civic Tech 101 course for new volunteers? Join Sung’s working session [Practices, A Working Session](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/practices-a-working-session-brigade-congress-2022/1502) at Brigade Congress on Sunday morning October 16th and/or put your comments in this [Jamboard](https://jamboard.google.com/d/1CUuFRup_0Ug23c1RIyCILJWmdWeJJrIvuOuQRkDDVo0/viewer?f=0).

- **Prompt** : “When you see a course titled “Civic Tech 101”, what do you expect to learn in it?”
- **Jamboard Instructions** : Open this [Jamboard](https://jamboard.google.com/d/1CUuFRup_0Ug23c1RIyCILJWmdWeJJrIvuOuQRkDDVo0/viewer?f=0). Then, create sticky notes with your answers to the prompt. Make sure to “+1” the items you agree should be part of this course/ curriculum!

> **Already have a civic tech 101 curriculum and want to share with the Network?** Email Sung at [skim@codeforamerica.org](mailto:skim@codeforamerica.org) to discuss!

 ![Screen Shot 2022-09-30 at 10.42.04 AM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/codeforamerica/original/1X/f3bc5c7eb667f36184db5a6fc15e613e62b2b458.png)

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**Author:** ![Mari](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discourse.codeforamerica.org/mari/32/992_2.png) [@Mari](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/u/Mari)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2022, 9:02pm UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/readme-civic-tech-101/1509/2 "2022-10-19T21:02:29Z")

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Here’s what folks shared in the Practices working session led by @sung and the participatory governance area:

- What does the civic part of civic tech mean?
- How much can I change?
- Important pieces that are less obvious. (what makes things “stick”? etc)
- “Good” Civic Tech vs “Bad” Civic Tech
- Procurement - what does that mean?
- The role of nonprofits in local government
- That gov services for poor people are intentionally hard to use. Who benefits, why, and how we can resist/confront that.
- Building power and why it’s necessary
- How different it is to operate in a collective culture compared to regular life.
- Human-centered design + development practices
- Who else is joining this environment with me
- Why is it important? To me? To my community?
- Introduction to basic concepts
- Who is involved w/ civic tech
- What’s next?
- How can I learn more?
- How does it benefit me?
- How to work w/ gov’t on tech projects
- Don’t settle for relieving administrative burden
- Interconnection and the hidden curriculum of life - Thad
- See also prompt for civic tech book club
- Ethics for coding for the public
- Practical lessons for improving coding skill
- Why civic tech is important
- What is the “civic” part of civic tech? (we all know the tech is the easy part.)
- How to embed yourself within gov infrastructure
- “The Government is us. We are the Government; you and I.” ← how does this look in practice?
- Who does it benefit?
- Local Government. How does it work?
- NGO; 501c3; non-profit, not for profit. Decoding the alphabet soup
- What programs can I use that the Gov also uses?
- How to turn my passions into action?
- What is civic tech?
- Example of civic tech in action
- The bridge and integration between civic & tech

 ![IMG_8131](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/codeforamerica/original/1X/9b8ac87d2f51d69bede7742971978392420d4ac9.jpeg)  
 ![IMG_8121](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/codeforamerica/original/1X/6ae89005b98e331ce03357c88a9df8cf2c9ed0b4.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![Mari](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discourse.codeforamerica.org/mari/32/992_2.png) [@Mari](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/u/Mari)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2023, 6:42am UTC](https://discourse.codeforamerica.org/t/readme-civic-tech-101/1509/3 "2023-07-01T06:42:51Z")

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