What Is Our Advocacy Role? Presented by the Public Policy Committee September 16, 2016
Performance Measure 1-3: Percentage of Planning Council members who take action to increase access to quality ece
advo cate v. To recommend. --n. 1 advo cate v. To recommend. --n. 1.One who supports or defends a cause. 2. One who pleads on behalf of another. -- ad’vo ca’cy n.
Who Are Advocates? What Do They Do? Advocates are ordinary people who may or may not have a formal education in politics, education, the courts or other public systems Advocates collect and analyze information, form opinions, and take action Action may be as a simple as a one-on- one discussion, or As complex as writing a letter, organizing a demonstration, mounting a public awareness campaign
Everyone in this room is an advocate for children! One-on-one and collective advocacy with others are effective ways to draw attention to critical children’s issues—talk up issues with the people you come into contact with on a daily basis. Each of us can build relationships with the students, families and providers we serve and educate them on the issues. If you use Facebook, or other social media, quick references to important issues can and do make an impact beyond your immediate network.
Group Advocacy is Influential Advocacy groups: Give a voice to citizen interests Mobilize citizens to participate in the democratic process Support the development of a culture of democracy Assist in the development of better public policy Ensure governments’ accountability to citizens Jennifer. Might want to get people to discuss individual vs. collective advocacy examples—with your kid’s teacher, at the doctor, etc.
Group Advocacy is Influential
CCPC Advocacy Related Bylaws (Approved by the Board of Supervisors and the County Superintendent of Schools 3/8/2005) ARTICLE I: Statement of Purpose The Child Care Planning Council complies with California CalWORKs legislation AB1542 (Ed Code Sections 8499.3 and 8499.5) and serves as a forum to address the child care needs of all families and in all child care programs, both subsidized and nonsubsidized, in Alameda County.
CCPC Advocacy Related Bylaws (Approved by the Board of Supervisors and the County Superintendent of Schools 3/8/2005) ARTICLE I: Statement of Purpose - continued The Council's major responsibilities are the following (assuming adequate levels of funding and staffing): 1) provide a forum for the recommendation of local priorities for child care funding and the development of policies to meet the needs identified within those priorities when appropriate and requested; and 2) advise the County Board of Supervisors (CBS) and County Superintendent of Schools (CSS) on child care program and policy issues.
LPC Bylaws (Approved by the Board of Supervisors and the County Superintendent of Schools 3/8/2005) ARTICLE I: Functions - continued 5. Prepare a comprehensive County-wide child care plan designed to mobilize public and private resources to address identified needs …. Robin
Current LPC Advocacy Protocol Judy
Process for Developing 2016-2017 Legislative Platform Public Policy Committee: On August 3 and September 7 discussed anticipated legislative and budget activity Refined previous platform and added specific language around systematizing AB 833 pilot areas Approved sending recommended platform to full LPC
www.childrensdefense.org
Questions for Discussion What are two things you as an individual, or with your organization, can do to reinforce our platform? What are three things the Planning Council should do to promote our platform? How can you personalize the ECEPC platform in terms of your program? Use outcome of this to develop framework for measuring member taking action. Have half the tables answer the first questions, and half answer the second. Do a little sharing as a group, and then conclude with discussing how the platform relates to the people they serve: “Access to ECE” means in terms of my program that Mrs. Smith has AP subsidies and doesn’t have to wait to enroll her child in care.