"Despite the absence of support, resources or even a career, literacy educators are expected to be organizers,
recruiters, counselors, and diagnosticians as well as researchers,
curriculum developers, and of course, literacy instructors.”
--Hannah Fingeret, 1984.
Congratulations! You've decided to initiate or re-engage in advocacy for literacy. If you work in the literacy field as a teacher, administrator or volunteer, you may have some experience writing letters to legislators or have heard that you need to make advocacy a priority in your organization.
Initiating a structured public policy planning process could be a way to get started. Participating and learning advocacy through a short, concrete process may help move a group of literacy advocates beyond the fear of change; provide a bridge "to cross from their own experience to a new way." (Saul Alinsky, 1974)
1. First, find an organization to act as a mediator or convener.
2. Research and document a public policy plan that involves all stakeholders.
The process that I used was based on the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits 2002 book The Lobbying and Advocacy Handbook for Nonprofit Organizations: Shaping Public Policy at the State and Local Level by Marcia Avner. It was given out by my state nonprofit support organization and is also mentioned on the ProLiteracy Advocacy webpage. There may be others that would work as well. Fieldstone Alliance is the publisher
http://www.fieldstonealliance.org/client/listproducts.cfm?FullCat=9
A sample Readiness Inventory from the book is attached below. It is a good initial activity to do for each participating organization member as well as the convening organization.
A firm timeline and a specific list of outcomes from the process is necessary so that policy discussions can move from abstract ideas to concrete goals and actions. Briefly, here is the process recommended by the authors:
1. Prepare the planning team
2. Articulate vision and goals (see ours below)
3. Establish criteria and identify Issues
4. Target arenas of influence
5. Choose strategies and tactics
6. Design organizational infrastructure
7. Create your work plan
8. Present the work plan
Crafting a message and outlining specific and small advocacy goals are relatively easy to implement and can go a long way towards developing the “strength of jointly held beliefs and the development of values that transcend those of each organization” (Donaldson and Kozoll 1999)
See the sample Vision Statement and Advocacy Goals below.
3. Increase capacity and number of local advocates
Although it may seem easier to “just do the work,” there are a multitude of benefits to reaching outside staff and board members for advocacy support during the planning process and implementation. Once the initial process is completed, you should plan specific training activities for potential advocates.
The National Coalition for Literacy's Fabulous Advocacy Clearinghouse and Toolkit should be your first stop:
http://www.ncladvocacy.org/
Volunteers (including AmeriCorps members) are able to help with the research aspects of the work—compiling information on contacts, data and statistics, legislative committees or meetings, as well as creating the message.
There may be current or former adult learner leaders who seek the chance to develop their own leadership potential by telling their stories and might benefit from public speaking training.
4. The New Orleans Experience: Include disaster-preparation and recovery in the planning discussions.
Adult literacy advocates need to be present at all recovery discussions; preferably local advocates in the state capital vicinity should be prepared for this duty.
These advocates will need to press for plain language documents to go out to the general public regarding recovery and assistance, the inclusion of funding for literacy service organizations as part of the educational system, and support for adult learners who will want to continue their education once the immediate crises have passed.
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sample board resolution.doc Size : 25 Kb Type : doc |
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Readiness Inventory.doc Size : 38 Kb Type : doc |
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Literacy Alliance Public Policy Goals.doc Size : 33 Kb Type : doc |
