ABSTRACT
Civic engagement and community development programs provide a unique opportunity for underrepresented communities to participate in the governance process of their community and country. For this reason, researchers and practitioners have begun to explore the intersection between civic engagement and community development. Equally, there is also the question of the role of citizenship in demanding better governance through civic engagement and community development. This research focuses on how civic engagement shapes community development by focusing on the role of citizenship using The Gambia as a case study. Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) were surveyed on the level of civic engagement of citizens and whether these translated into meaningful community development activities and transformation in community policies. Lessons for optimizing citizenship and community development are drawn.
