I’ll be presenting to a group of about 50 social workers in late September, and the title of the workshop (which runs about 3 hours) is “Advocacy in Tough Times.” I’m starting to work on the agenda now, and I know I want to include some content on the legalities of advocacy, social workers’ ethical mandate to engage in advocacy, some of the current budget context, how-tos (including not only lobbying but also regulatory and media advocacy, how to involve clients), and some success stories. And I want to give them a chance to practice lobbying and media interviews and do some action planning regarding how to integrate advocacy into their own organizations.
I know, it’s already A LOT. And I’ll have handouts–lobbying tips, how to write a letter to teh editor, state budget and political overviews, web links, tips for working with media…
But, before I get too far down the planning road, I want to know what you think that social workers/nonprofit leaders need to know about advocacy. If you were in this workshop, what would you most want to walk away with? What parts of the advocacy process are most daunting to you? What advice/assistance has been or would be most helpful? Please let me know–and I’ll be happy to share what I work up with you, too!
