ILLINOIS STATE RECORDS

Illinois Public Sector

The public sector is the tool by which the state of Illinois carries out its objectives, provides vital public services, plans and executes its activities for sustainable development of the state. It consists of various state agencies, institutions and organizations that ensure the continuity of the state economy and infrastructure. Although the executive and legislative branches of government provide the public sector with authority and legitimacy, the public sector is established to function without political interference, and efficiently provide essential services to all state residents including education, public safety, health care, utilities, infrastructure, access to information and so on without bias.

Why Take Interest in the Public Sector?

The Public Sector is one aspect of contemporary life that affects every member of any civilized society. It can be frustrating to understand government policies and the gap between the people’s expectations and the effects of government programs. Policies can widen without the right information. Verified facts and proper information are vital keys to bridging the gap in communication and delivery of public policies and services. It is a known fact that information literacy is the key to an inclusive society. Inclusion means that people participate in the process of making decisions that affect their everyday lives, their communities, and their future.

Participation allows people to make inputs towards developing strategies for innovative problem solving and the implementation of government programs that put everyone into consideration. The frustration often felt toward the government can reduce when people take ownership of government and have access to the tools to ask the right questions or influence the prioritization of government funding to certain programs or activities likely to have a more beneficial impact in their community. Information also promotes the consciousness of regulatory frameworks and synergy between governmental organs and encourages critical thinking on salient democratic principles and structures.

Why This Generation of College Students Should Lend Their Voices to the Decision-making Process

The Illinois Freedom of Information Act codifies the state resident’s right to know and puts an obligation on the public sector to provide information. Although any member of the public may request this information, there isn’t always guarantee they can interpret, understand or use the information provided by the public sector. Young people are more likely be digital, media and information literate, they sift through various types of information on a daily basis and have the opportunity to be involved in defining public policy indirectly through digital and other platforms or dive deeper into governance, directly influence outcomes of public decision, achieve equity in service delivery, enforce their rights and expose abuse of office or processes.

Young people by participating delve into matters that affect them and help create the mechanism for more youth involvement in effective policymaking. Youth participation also

1. It has a ripple effect, encourages more participation, more information literacy in the community.

2. Improves the trust between government and the people, especially young people

3. Develops capacity and experiences necessary to effectively partner with the government to achieve positive change.

4. Improves learning and application of leadership skills.

SCHOLARSHIP BACKGROUND

Why it’s important to have this generation’s college students voice out and provide their input regarding the public sector.

1. The availability of public records and information is very crucial to a sustainable economy, public safety, access to public services, job creation, and other opportunities. It is the main tool for igniting citizen participation. Public records provide accurate and useful information to individuals, investors, government agencies, law enforcement agencies, companies, small businesses, and the press.
2. Staterecords.org promotes public access to information by collecting and updating information from open state and local government sources in line with applicable information regulatory infrastructure in each state.
3. The scholarship program is aimed at inspiring strategic public engagement in young people in college. The $1,000 will be awarded to students who can demonstrate their knowledge of the Public sector and public records system in the state of Texas and who can propose solutions to challenges they have identified in the system and how they intend to contribute to engaging their community in the governance process