Our Mission
The Young Civic exists to help the next generation understand, participate in, and shape civic life.
We believe young people deserve more opportunities to understand how government works, hear directly from the people who serve their communities, and find meaningful ways to participate in civic life. Through conversations, journalism, and accessible civic education, The Young Civic connects the next generation with the people, institutions, and issues shaping their communities."
Why The Young Civic?
The Young Civic grew out of Teens for Democracy, a student-led initiative created to help young people become more informed and engaged in their communities through conversations with elected officials.
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The Young Civic was created to build on that foundation as a broader civic media platform, connecting young people with the people, institutions, and issues shaping their communities. Too often, government feels distant, complicated, or inaccessible to young people.
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The Young Civic aims to change that by making civic information easier to understand and creating opportunities for young people to hear directly from the people who serve their communities.
What We Do
The Young Civic brings young people closer to civic life through three core areas of work.
THE YOUNG CIVIC PODCAST
Conversations with elected officials, public servants, and civic leaders about the issues and institutions shaping our communities.
THE YOUNG CIVIC JOURNAL
Nonpartisan articles and opinion pieces exploring government, civic life, public policy, elections, and issues affecting the next generation.
CIVICS 101
Accessible and thorough explainers that break down how government, democracy, and our American experiment work.
Our Nonpartisan Commitment
NONPARTISAN: The Young Civic does not endorse or oppose candidates or political parties.
INFORMATIVE:Â Our goal is to explain and explore civic life, not tell our audience what to think.Â
ACCESSIBLE:Â We make government and civic information understandable and relevant.
We believe civic education is strongest when people have the information and tools to form their own opinions and participate in their communities.
About the Founder
Nihar Jain
Founder, The Young Civic
Nihar Jain is the founder of The Young Civic, a civic media platform dedicated to connecting the next generation with the people, institutions, and issues shaping their communities.
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A student at the University of the Pacific majoring in Political Science and Economics, with minors in Pre-Law and Public Affairs, he seeks to bridge the gap between young people and government through accessible civic education, nonpartisan storytelling, and conversations that make public life easier to understand.
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His interest in civic engagement grew out of years of involvement in local government, community service, and youth leadership in California’s Central Valley. Through organizing community projects, speaking with public officials, and creating opportunities for students to engage directly with local leaders, he saw both how much local government affects everyday life and how difficult it can be for young people to know where they fit into that process.
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Through The Young Civic, Nihar hopes to build a platform that makes civic life feel less distant and more relevant. Whether through the podcast, The Young Civic Journal, Civics 101, or coverage of local civic events, his goal is to create a space where young people can learn how government works, hear directly from the people making decisions, and feel more confident taking part in the communities around them.