This paper is the first statement on the thinking behind the Civic Pulse Model being developed by the Citizen Power team at the RSA. The Civic Pulse Model is a new approach to understanding, identifying, and measuring the underlying drivers of active citizenship within communities.

This report explains why it is important for policymakers to have a better understanding of the capacity for active citizenship in their local areas. It also sets out a preliminary method for measuring the presence or absence of key mechanisms and social assets driving participation. The RSA hope this report marks the beginning, rather than the end, of a much needed conversation on the future of measurement tools for local areas.