Transcript Overview of advocacy

Overview of advocacy
• What it is
• What it does
• Why do it
• Role of ACHA leaders and members
Need for Advocacy
• To change community conditions
• Set of skills to
– Shift public opinion
– Mobilize needed resources to support
- an issue
- constituency
- policy
Advocacy Is About
• Building relationships
– Legislators and officials – federal, state, local
- Other interested organizations
- Media
• Building skills
– Identifying issues
– Communicating facts/experience/goals
• Influencing policy – having a plan, having
passion, following through
ACHA
• 1998 mission
• 1999 strategic plan
• As a nonprofit organization
Consider
• Message
• Messenger
• Delivery
– Strategies
– Vehicles
– Timing
• Media
Elected officials
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Like to be asked
Are good learners
Have many demands on their time
Do not have sufficient resources to meet
demands
Are always running for office
Respond to crises
Behave differently when they know they’re
being watched
Look for opportunities
Want to know solutions to problems
A Well-Prepared Advocate
• Focuses on priorities
• Learns policy makers’ past positions
on issues
• Builds relationships with policy
makers’ staff
• Lines up arguments, anticipates
opposing points
• Collects constituent-specific info
An Effective Advocate
• Understands the process: getting
attention, being credible
• Is prepared: clear message, written
material, allies
• Communicates: policymakers, media,
partners
• Follows through: passion/commitment,
info/relationships; patience
But You Don’t Have Time?
• One minute: leave a message with a
policymaker
• 3-5 minutes: copy and share an article of
interest with colleague or policymaker
• 5-10: send an email or letter to
policymaker
• 10-15: write a letter to editor
• 3-6 hours: attend a training, participate in
a coalition meeting
• More: represent org on coalition,
participate on an advocacy task force
But You Don’t Have Support?
• Present testimony, develop factsheets,
identify accurate sources of info
• Speak at local town or public meeting as a
citizen
• Use own networks – profess. assoc, local
coalition, interested community
members
• Take a course on advocacy, read
• Research and publish findings – make policy
recommendations locally and nationally
Frequently Asked Questions
• Are we allowed to lobby, or not?
• Are there restrictions on work time
and property?
• How do I know if I have permission/
authority to speak on behalf of
my university?
21st century vision
• Train students and members on advocacy
and advocacy leadership
• Nurture members to be policy leaders
• Provide opportunities
• Reward/recognize leadership
• Develop/share factsheets/advocacy alerts
• Build relationships with policymakers
• Hold policymakers accountable
• Infuse advocacy into curricula
• Encourage members to hold power
ACHA
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Identify college health advocacy priorities
Participate in coalitions
Develop factsheets/issue briefs
Mobilize membership and others
Monitor and provide input re legislative
action issue alerts for responses
Communicate/meet with legislators
Organize/participate in press events and
hearings on college health issues
Continue to support advocacy summits
Encourage adv courses, training on campus
College health opportunities
on campus
• Students as advocates
• Curricula infusion
• Access to: coalitions, volunteer base,
research, technology, outreach,
media, voter registration
Resources
• Listservs
• Higher ed advocacy consortium
• Websites
Websites
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www.pfaw.org
www.adl.org
congress.org
www.commoncause.org
www.aclu.org
thomas.loc.gov
www.vote-smart.org
www.kff.org
www.health.gov/healthypeople
www.apha.org/legislative
www.acha.org/news.cfm
www.aahperd.org; www.capwiz.com/aahe/home/
Next Steps
• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to go?
• How do we get there?