Description: Learn the ABC’s of advocacy: this webinar will cover the basics of advocating for your agency and the clients that you serve. Facilitator: Matthew Hamilton-Kraft, Director of Youth Services, Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc., Jamestown, NY

1. Getting Started:
Giving Your Vision a Voice
“How wonderful that nobody need wait a single moment
before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank

2. Webster’s Definition –
to speak or write in support of
something
Practical Definition –
Providing information in a
manner which will generate
concern, interest AND
action.
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3.  What concerns or barriers do you have
regarding your advocacy efforts?
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4. People can be moved enough by a particular
story, issue or experience that motivates
them to make an effort to affect change.
Crisis Center story...
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5. Inspiration
Anger We act because
Frustration we choose to
Excitement react to an internal
Job Requirement or external stimulus.
Personal Experience
Exposure to Need
What else?
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6.  Local, state and federal policies do not impact
local programming
 Only my administrators can be the “voice” of
our agency
 You have to be an expert to talk to
policymakers
 You have to be a lobbyist to have an impact
on policymakers
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7.  Other people will speak to the policymakers
about this issue
 Non-profit charitable 501(c)(3) organizations
and those who work in them are not allowed
to do policy work
 Policymakers only listen to the rich, famous
or people in their own party
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8.  Talk with your supervisor about your
interest.
 Review existing your organization’s policies
and procedures.
 Create a list of options for involvement that
would fall within those policies and
procedures.
 Know that you can and should consider
taking part in advocacy activities, as they
represent your opinion, on your own time
when necessary.
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9. Advocacy is a critical piece of
creating policy. Legislators at all
levels rely on the expertise of
others to help inform their
decisions. The time you spend
educating and increasing
awareness of your program and
youth issues is time well spent.
Each story, each letter, each call,
and each visit are part of the
wheel that keeps the process
moving.
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10. A D V O C A C Y
Know Your Audience
Who do you want to get your message to?
Who has the power to make the needed change?
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11. A D V O C A C Y
Deadlines are important.
 When will the policy/law etc. be voted on?
 When will it be introduced and sent to committee?
 What are other important times/dates that you
need to remember?
 What reasonable time lines need to be set for your
efforts?
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12. A D V O C A C Y
Utilizing a Variety of communication methods are key to
reaching the right person at the right time in the right
way.
write letters or opinion editorials
create petitions
make phone calls
hold a press conference
sponsor a community rally
get the story featured on a television program
do a radio interview
What can your group do that will call attention to your efforts in positive
ways?
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13. A D V O C A C Y
Opposition doesn’t mean enemy.
Who will be those on the opposite side of your
issue?
How do you create a response?
Remember that you do not want to create
adversaries. Someone who may disagree about
one issue may be your strongest ally on another.
If two people agree on everything all the time – only one of
them is doing the thinking.
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14. A D V O C A C Y
Change can be a challenge and yet it is
rarely as bad as we feared. Uncertainty
supports reticence to stray from the norm.
What are you working toward and why is
there a change needed?
 What evidence supports you?
 What stories do you have?
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15. A D V O C A C Y
Action Plans are important for individual and group
efforts.
What is the timeline for who will do what?
When will they do it and where?
What contingency plans are in place for the
unexpected?
How will you evaluate your progress?
While action plans are not written in stone, an approach that
demonstrates coordination and cooperation can also influence
policymakers.
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16. A D V O C A C Y
Collaboration brings multiple voices and increased
opportunity to efforts.
Who can you call on to lend support?
What are other groups, organizations,
businesses, government or media entities that
are potential partners?
How will you make them aware of your issue and
gain their support?
Who plays what role in the collaboration and why?
Working with others can be successful when the common goal is put
before individual agendas. Safe Place programs have long been
recognized as models for collaborative efforts between the public
and private sector. How can these existing partnerships be
maximized?
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17. A D V O C A C Y
Your level of Commitment can inspire
others.
What will each member of your team do to make
the vision a reality?
How do you demonstrate your willingness to get
involved and make a difference?
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18. The line is open for questions
regarding the topic at hand,
personal experiences in
advocacy efforts or assistance
regarding a current situation.
What’s on your mind – or on
your to do list?
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19. www.thomas.loc.gov
www.senate.gov
www.house.gov
www.allianceforjustice.org Are there other
www.independentsector.org resources that
www.nn4youth.org you utilize or
www.nydic.org can identify?
www.ncmec.org
www.1800runaway.org
www.cwla.org
http://clpi.org
http://www.endhomelessness.org
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20.  Forward legislative alerts
 Provide templates for letters, calls, etc.
 Forward media opportunities
 Letters of support
 Training and networking opportunities
 NOLA 2012 Conference
 What else?
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21.  Executive Director: Laurie Jackson
ljackson@nationalsafeplace.org
 Organizational Advancement Director: Susan Harmon
sharmon@nationalsafeplace.org
 Program Development & Research Director: Robin Donaldson
rdonaldson@nationalsafeplace.org
 Program Coordinator: Sherry Casey
scasey@nationalsafeplace.org
 Communications Coordinator: Hillary Bond
hbond@nationalsafeplace.org
 Grantwriter: Amy Sanders
asanders@nationalsafeplace.org
 Office Manager: Julie Arney
jarney@nationalsafeplace.org
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22. The staff of the National Safe Place Program and the members
of the National Safe Place Advisory Board appreciate your
commitment, dedication and ongoing efforts on behalf of
youth and families in every community. Please don’t hesitate
to contact us if we can be of further assistance. Until next
time – Best Wishes!
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world. Indeed,
it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead, American Anthropologist
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