Template: Sustainable Civic Engagement Plan

Personal Sustainability Assessment

Current civic activities: _________________________________ Time currently devoted to civic engagement (hours/week): ___________ Realistic sustainable capacity (hours/week): ___________

Personal Resilience Inventory

Rate your current state in each domain (1-5, with 5 being strongest):

Burnout Prevention Strategy

My personal early warning signs of burnout: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

My intervention plan for each warning sign: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Non-negotiable boundaries I need to maintain: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Sustainable Rhythm Development

Seasonal approach to civic engagement:

Integration opportunities (ways to combine civic engagement with other life activities): 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Motivation Maintenance

My core values that connect to civic engagement: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Personal stories/experiences that fuel my commitment: _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Sources of inspiration and renewal: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Community Support Structure

People who support my civic engagement:

Communities/groups that nourish my engagement: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________

Distributed Leadership Plan

Current responsibilities I could share or delegate: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

People who might take on some of these responsibilities: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Skills I could help develop in others: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Celebration and Recognition Practices

Ways to celebrate progress and victories: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

How I’ll recognize others’ contributions: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Reflective Learning Practice

Regular reflection questions I’ll consider: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Reflection schedule: ☐ Weekly ☐ Monthly ☐ Quarterly ☐ Other: _________

Documentation method for lessons learned: _________________________________________________

Long-term Vision Connection

How my current civic work connects to longer democratic renewal: _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Legacy I hope to contribute to: _________________________________________________ _________________________________________________

Saying No Gracefully

Template responses for declining requests outside my focus: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Criteria for evaluating new opportunities: 1. ________________________________________ 2. ________________________________________ 3. ________________________________________

Reflection Questions

• Does my engagement plan match my actual capacity?
• Have I built in sufficient rest and renewal?
• Am I developing leadership in others?
• Does my approach allow for sustainable engagement over years?

Remember: Sustainable civic engagement isn’t about doing everything or being involved in every issue—it’s about finding your unique contribution and offering it in ways that can be maintained over years and decades. The most effective citizens aren’t those who burn brightest briefly, but those who can keep their flame alight through changing seasons and circumstances.