1. Add your name here, a few pictures and go!
Educating, Advocating, and Lobbying: Efforts to Provide Policy Makers with Evidence-Based Policy Information
Add your name here, a few pictures and go!

2. What will we cover? Lobbying Advocating Educating Evidence/Data
How to engage with policy makers

3. Advocacy and Lobbying
Lobbying: to specifically ask for an action related to a piece of legislation or regulation
To support or oppose a specific piece of legislation
Advocacy: to share information and experiences related to an issue
To identify a need or solution to a problem

4. Educating
Providing un-biased, evidence- based data about a specific topic or policy
Can be done via:
White papers
Info-graphics
One-pagers
Testimony

5. Evidence-based Policy Development
Unbiased research on a public policy topic
Large scale data sets that show a trend or describe a situation
Qualitative descriptions of an individual or family related to a public policy
Outcome data related to a program or intervention
To NOT share that information is to deny policy makers critical data
Maybe add a picture of your Annual Report or of the Think College Five Year Report here.

6. Four Actions of Advocating
In Person
Over time
With evidence
Make Yourself Available
Add photo here – do you have a picture of a meeting with a legislator??

7. In-person Visit the policy maker Visit staff members Be a constituent
In state
In DC
Visit staff members
Get to know their portfolios
Follow them
Be a constituent
Bring constituents
Support constituents to speak for themselves
Do you have a photo of a self- advocate speaking for him/herself? You could add that here.

8. Over Time
Advocacy is not a one-time event
Contact policy makers repeatedly
Three times a year
Bring information relevant to their efforts and interests
Thank policy makers for their work
Introduce policy makers to other sources
Do you have a picture of a rally at the state capitol? A group of self-advocates? Add it here.

9. With Evidence Provide new information Provide it in digestible form
One or two pages
Simple language without jargon
Link information to policy and legislation
Ensure your evidence is not biased
Follow-up with new information
Maybe add a picture of your leave behind template here as an example.

10. Make Yourself Available
Develop a relationship with staff
Ensure you can be contacted
Leave your contact information
Follow-up with an to staff
Follow-up with electronic versions of materials
When an issue is hot, contact the policy maker to offer assistance
Consider adding a photo of yourself here.

11. A Critical Need: Diversify
Add a photo of a diverse group of individuals here.
Be a servant-leader
Mentor others
Ensure those talking are those who are affected by the policy
Ensure a mix of racial, ethnic, gender, and disability/ability are represented

12. Engage
If you are a person with a disability, a family member, or provide support and services, engage with public policy
Support one another to interact with policy makers at all levels and all branches of government
Stick to it—over time and across levels
Add a photo of a student or group of students here. Maybe a photo of a student in his or her community.