Be an Advocate

What is Child Advocacy?

An advocate is someone who pleads the case for, or speaks on behalf of, someone else. Child advocacy is speaking for children—the least of these—those small individuals who cannot speak for themselves. Children do not have a vote, or a voice, in the public arena. Whether through action or inaction, children's policy will be made in arenas in which children are not present to define or defend their interests.

Child advocates will speak out on issues such as health, safety, economic security, education, childcare, juvenile justice, and prevention of child abuse and neglect at every opportunity. Advocates can be effective as long as we all speak honestly, and as long as we all speak the same message.

If children's issues are always handled the same way, we can expect the same thing:

How to Advocate…

1. Identify the problem
2. Identify possible solutions
3. Select the most logical solution
4. Analyze your solution and its outcome(s)

Key elements affecting change…

1. Know where policy is made
2. Know what makes and impacts policy decisions
3. Know how to reach policy makers
4. Know individual strengths of policy makers, committee assignments, party status, hometown connections, etc.
5. Know how to contact your policy makers
6. Know what gets their attention—Votes!

Elements affecting change in policy…

1. Awareness
   • Educate your policy maker
   • Educate a circle of friends that agree to educate a circle of their friends
   • Define the problem in simple terms, but know the material to back up your argument
   • Talk in terms of civic responsibility, honesty, moral obligations
2. Action
   • Get your message out!
   • Write letters and e-mails
   • Make telephone calls
   • Clip articles from the local newspapers and send copies to your Representative and Senator
   • Make mental and written notes in your handbook on statistics you read and hear regarding children's issues
3. Advocacy
   • Legislative advocacy
   • Administrative advocacy

Being an effective advocate…

1. Be realistic and always expect a compromise
2. Learn how the system works and the key points in the process
3. Know the key players in the process
4. Be persistent, but patient. Policy makers are overwhelmed with requests on any number of issues. Keep them updated and see them often, constantly reminding them of the importance of children's issues in the state.
5. Be assertive, but not rude. Remember, they work for you!

Communicate your message…

1. Advocates should connect their issue to a systemic (universal) problem, rather than trying to make it personal or individualizing the problem. You want the policy maker (or person you are speaking to) to see your issue as one that affects them at home.
2. Use data when possible. It is a simple and quick way to make your point with your audience. For example, “In 2000, 256 children died in Alabama. That is equal to two jumbo jets full of children crashing and killing all on board.”
3. Always emphasize the diversity of individuals affected by the problem or policy. Use socio-economic status, gender, and race to illustrate the scope of the problem. Poverty does not only affect those living in poverty, but the community, the crime rate, industries, etc.