Chapter 15 © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 Approaches for Getting Involved in Family Policy: Advocacy or Education

Chapter 15 Outline How Can I Get Involved in Family Policy? © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 Chapter 15 Outline How Can I Get Involved in Family Policy? What Is Family Policy Advocacy? What Is Family Policy Alternatives Education? How Distinct Are the Advocacy and Alternatives Education Approaches? What Are the Potential Consequences of the Advocacy Approach? What are the Potential Consequences of the Alternatives Education Approach? Which Approach Should You Use to Get Involved in Policymaking? Summary

How Can I Get Involved in Family Policy? © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 How Can I Get Involved in Family Policy? The focus of this chapter is not what to do, but rather how to do it. Most professional roles can be approached from either an advocacy or educational perspective: conducting program evaluations organizing seminars preparing press releases teaching classes or workshops testifying at hearings writing handouts.

What Is Family Policy Advocacy? © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 What Is Family Policy Advocacy? To campaign for an underrepresented group or a particular policy alternative that may potentially enhance family well-being Advocacy with a small “a” entails drawing policy attention to a particular group or issue but without lobbying for a particular policy position. Advocacy with a capital “A” means lobbying for a single policy option that best represents one’s own value system and personal interpretation of the scientific evidence.

What Is Family Policy Advocacy? © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 What Is Family Policy Advocacy? Assumptions Underlying the Advocacy Approach: the role of values in the political process the responsiveness of the democratic system the potential of timely action to shift the political balance of power The intent of an advocate is to persuade. For professionals who have a particular policy option they want to enact into law, advocacy is the approach most likely to achieve this goal.

What Is Family Policy Alternatives Education? © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 What Is Family Policy Alternatives Education? Informs policy discourse by clarifying the potential consequences of several policy alternatives. The value judgments and ultimate decisions are entrusted to the people and to a number of policymakers elected to make these decisions rather than to a single person such as the expert. The intent of a family policy educator is to educate by presenting research findings objectively without relaying personal preferences. The role of the educator is often to describe how the perceptions of social problems may depend on the vantage point of different interest groups.

What Is Family Policy Alternatives Education? © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 What Is Family Policy Alternatives Education? Assumptions Underlying the Education Approach: a pluralistic view of society a belief in the democratic process a recognition of the limitations of social science knowledge Scientific knowledge, the wisdom of the university, cannot be used to determine the 'correct' policy choice for society because science cannot supply the value judgments that rank the interests of one group as more important than the interests of another (Barrows, 1994, p. 3). The education approach responds to what policymakers say they need—not more information, but more objective and valid information from reliable, unbiased sources.

Frequent Questions about the Policy Alternatives Education Approach © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 Frequent Questions about the Policy Alternatives Education Approach Is objective, bias-free policy education ever possible? Even if complete objectivity cannot be achieved, educators can still embrace the ideal of objectivity and strive for it. If education is as objective and unbiased as possible, is it a politically neutral act? No policy effort is ever completely politically neutral. There is bias in the issues we choose to work on. In addition, providing information on an issue, no matter how objectively, favors passage because informed voters are more apt to vote “yes” than uninformed voters. Policy educators strive for objectivity, fully recognizing that perfect objectivity is never possible and that, even if it were, education is not a politically neutral act.

How Distinct Are the Advocacy and Alternatives Education Approaches? © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 How Distinct Are the Advocacy and Alternatives Education Approaches? These approaches are not totally distinct—educators can never be totally objective and effective advocates often educate policymakers on the downside of their position. Acting as an advocate is likely to hinder future attempts to serve as an educator; once you become aligned with a certain policy position, those who oppose that position may no longer view you as a credible information source. Credibility as an educator requires a reputation of being objective and unbiased, which allows you to be effective with decisionmakers of any political persuasion.

What Are the Potential Consequences of the Advocacy Approach? © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 What Are the Potential Consequences of the Advocacy Approach? Advocacy is widely used and well understood. Advocacy feels good. It can be easy to track and evaluate one’s efforts. Advocacy may be incompatible with the scientific method; social scientists who take advocacy positions may have the objectivity of their research called into question. Taking sides on an issue can undermine future credibility with the opposing parties. Advocacy agendas adopted within organizations could curtail membership and preclude open discussion of issues. Whether advocacy pays off depends on whether one has the political muscle, will, and infrastructure to be successful.

© Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 What Are the Potential Consequences of the Alternatives Education Approach? The alternatives education approach can be unique and refreshing to policymakers. Education may be best for working with policymakers across the political spectrum, for building bridges across diverse viewpoints, and for ensuring effectiveness over time. Because education is less common, its power is less well known. Education can provide a forum for policymakers to dialogue about policy options in a safe, neutral environment. It can be difficult to evaluate the success of education efforts. Policy education may be less effective for less powerful groups whose views are not familiar to policymakers and the public. The education approach can be difficult to execute.

Which Approach Should You Use to Get Involved in Policymaking? © Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 Which Approach Should You Use to Get Involved in Policymaking? The most desirable approach depends upon: the intended beneficiary the issue the professional’s job context the professional’s communication style. Would-be educators need to ask themselves: Do I have the skills, ability, and knowledge to approach this issue from an education perspective? Do I want to work on this issue in a more neutral, scientific manner? Am I willing to commit to all it takes to become a credible educator? What could happen if I use the education approach improperly?

© Routledge/Taylor & Francis 2014 Summary This chapter proposed two approaches for how you can get involved in family policy—the passionate approach of an advocate and the dispassionate approach of an alternatives educator. Both approaches can yield power in the political process. Which approach to use depends on personal and professional considerations. As important as what you do as a family professional may be how you do it.