Hydrocephalus Association: Building Your Advocacy Skills
བདུན་ཕྲག་རེ་བཞིན་གྱི་བཅུད་དོན།
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From researching cures to access to care, the policy-making process impacts those living with hydrocephalus every day. Through this course you'll gain the skills you need to be an effective advocate for those issues. You'll learn the four keys to effective advocacy, and how to apply that knowledge to the real world. Believe it or not, elected officials and their staff want to hear from YOU, their constituents--and this course will show you the way! -
There are four keys to effective advocacy; knowing what you want; who you're talking to; how to talk to them; and, how to follow up. -
"I'm just a bill, just a lonely old bill..." Chances are, if you were alive during the 1970's and 1980's, you heard some version of "School House Rock." You know -- the one where the singing bill talks about the legislative process? To be an effective advocate, you'll need to know a little more about a government than that. But don't worry! You don't have to be an expert. You just need to know enough to talk to the right people about the right things at the right time. -
Only when you know your specific goal can you be sure that you’re talking to the right audience. Plus, they need to know what you want them to do!Note: While this section refers to Capitol Hill meetings, the principle of "know what you want" can be applied to any advocacy situation
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Understanding what gets your audience up in the morning, and what keeps them up at night, dramatically increases your effectiveness. -
You must have your daily acronym in DC. Today's is "SPIT", which stands for Specific, Personal, Informative, and Timely.
The Message Formula Once you've figured out what you want, learned about your audience, and developed your story, now it's time to figure out how to fit all of this into a short communication. The Message Formula should help. This is in the context of a meeting, but can be used as a template for e-mails and phone calls as well. -
Should you call, e-mail, or seek a meeting with policymakers? The very first thing you should know is that what you say to policymakers is far more important than how you say it. Assuming that you have developed a compelling, thoughtful, truthful and positive message, you are likely to at least be listened to -- and hopefully have an impact -- however you choose to deliver the message. The overall key for any communication is that it be personalized and relevant. -
Following Up All the advocacy in the world won't do much good if you're not following up! In this section, you'll learn about site visits, as well as other strategies for follow-up. Use these materials to build your advocacy plans throughout the year.