Name: Bite-Sized Civics Institute
Start: 2025-09-20T14:00:00-04:00
End: 2025-09-20T15:00:00-04:00
Location: 125 Broadway, Hanover, PA, United States, Pennsylvania 17331

Do you feel like Charlie trying to make sense of everything going on right now and not knowing what to do about it? Join us for a 6-week workshop where we learn about local political education (what matters and what you can do to create change) from public policy director Dashiell Sears -- $25 per person for 6 weeks starting Saturday, September 20, 2pm - 3pm ET
Basic civics keeps our Democracy strong, and our communities informed of how our government works, whether it’s voting on the issues, understanding budgets, or applying for public or public-private programs, all citizens should be encouraged to understand the basics of civic life. Too often we find a gap in local civic understanding on how one’s own municipality or county operate, leading to confusion, misinterpretation of responsibility, and can lead to lack of civic engagement. This lack of civic engagement places the sustainability of continuing the basic functions of our municipalities in peril. This Bite-Sized Civics Institute seeks to provide a broad overview of municipal, county, and state-level structures, responsibilities, and budgets while encouraging to take steps in civic engagement at the local level.
Participants will learn:
- The separate responsibilities of municipalities, counties, and the State of Pennsylvania
- How to read and understand budgets and appropriations
- The basics of how well-known public assistance programs work
- The structure of our courts and legislature
- Why voting at the local level is the best way to change your life
Dash holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science and Masters in Public Policy from Temple University. Dash has spent a decade analyzing policy for public assistance and human rights while working on issue campaigns statewide. Dash previously worked on policy projects with the City of Philadelphia for his Masters thesis while assisting Pennsylvania residents with applying for state and federal assistance programs. Dash now works in policy for an international public health nonprofit working with cities to end local infectious disease epidemics through local, county, and state partnerships.