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User Guide to The National Citizen SurveyT" <br />What Does The NCS Measure? <br />Broadly, The NCS measures your community's "livability." A great many definitions have been made for <br />community livability,' including one from the Partners for Livable Communities, calling it "the sum of <br />the factors that add up to a community's quality of life."' Staff at NRC examined the extensive research <br />that has been done about community livability and many of the models that have been developed to <br />describe the components of livable communities.3 Eight facets of community livability were distilled <br />from our synthesis of this research: Safety, Mobility, the Natural Environment, the Built Environment, <br />the Economy, Recreation and Wellness, Education and Enrichment and Community Engagement. The <br />NCS questionnaire includes individual items that act as indicators of community quality within each of <br />the eight facets — and, split in a different way, they form three "pillars" of community quality: <br />Community Characteristics, Governance and Participation. <br />The Eight Facets of Livable Communities <br />Natural <br />Safety Mobility Environment <br />Protection from danger or risk Accessibility of a community Resources and features native <br />(e.g., public safety, personal by motorized and non- to a community (e.g., open <br />security and welfare, motorized modes of spaces, water, air) <br />emergency preparedness) transportation (e.g., ease of <br />travel, traffic flow, walking) <br />_ -,,. <br />Recreation and <br />Economy Wellness <br />J <br />Community <br />Engagement <br />Education and <br />Enrichment <br />Maintenance of a diverse <br />Recreation, healthy lifestyles, Learning, enrichment and <br />economy (e.g., vibrant <br />preventive and curative <br />workforce readiness for <br />downtown, cost of living) <br />healthcare, supportive <br />children, youth and adult <br />services, (e.g., fitness <br />opportunities, recreation <br />centers) <br />The Three Pillars of Livable Communities <br />Community <br />Characteristics <br />Inherent and acquired amenities, <br />the design and opportunities that <br />contribute to the livability of a <br />community <br />Governance <br />Services provided by local <br />government; government function <br />and levels of trust residents have <br />in government leaders <br />-.0*) <br />Quality and frequency of <br />social interactions (e.g., civic <br />s groups, volunteering) <br />Built <br />Environment <br />Design, construction and <br />management of the human -made <br />space in which people live, work, <br />and recreate on a day -to -day <br />basis, including the buildings, <br />streetscapes, parks, etc. <br />Participation <br />Connection to neighbors, resident <br />activities; use of community <br />amenities and services; "social <br />capital" <br />1 Many examples are shown at http:// www. camsys .com /kb_experts_livability.htm <br />Z Source: Partners for Livable Communities, http: / /www. livable .org /about -us /what -is- livability <br />3 See, for example: http: / /Iivable.nonprofitsoapbox.com/ storage/ documents / board_ resources /BOT _Meetings /2010 /4ExecCommNov5/ <br />Grand_ Alliance_doc_for_EC.pdf; http: / /www.sustainable.org/ images/ stories /pdf /Placemaking_v1.pdf; http: / /www.who.int /ageing/ <br />publications /Global_ age_ friendly _cities_Guide_English.pdf <br />