1. Empowering Volunteers to Become Advocates

2. Objectives
Consider the context of your program and potential advocacy goals.
Work together to brainstorm ways to engage volunteers in advocacy efforts specific to your program.
Create and share next steps for your site.

3. Introductions
Name
Program
Role
Role(s) of volunteers

4. ELC Advocacy Background
Advocacy is part of our mission:
“We are a learning community of refugees, immigrants, and advocates.”
So: what to do about shifting political and cultural conversations about immigration? Did we have a role?

5. ELC Advocacy Background
TLC Grant
Why volunteers?
Statewide meeting convened by this national project, originally housed within HIAS
Goal is to increase welcome for refugees (and immigrants)
Awarded mini grants for advocacy projects (iftar dinners in St. Cloud)
PAUSE on question of why volunteers: not staff, different skillsets and access to networks, unique firsthand experiences

6. ELC Advocacy Background
Caveat:
Effective advocacy is a journey.
We continue to learn what it means to earn the role of ally and advocate.

7. What are your advocacy goals?
ELC Example:
Engage volunteers to increase welcome in Minnesota for immigrants and refugees.

8. What are your advocacy goals?
What messages do you want to share?
On behalf of whom?
Who is your audience?

9. 2) Who are your people? ELC Example: 11 staff members
160 volunteers annually
425 students annually
Talk about how population impacts activities and focus. (education levels, religion, etc)

10. 2) Who are your people? Who will do advocacy work with you?
What are the demographics of the populations you work with/for/within?

11. 3) How will you gather input from your people?
ELC Example:
Teacher surveys and meeting
Student feedback
in person and via survey, with translation when possible

12. 3) How will you gather input from your people?
What are the best methods of communication to reach your stakeholders? Your helpers? Your audience?
Who can carry this work out?

13. 4) What are your known resources- time, treasure, talents, etc?
ELC Example:
TLC grant
Staff role
Community partners
Personal and professional networks
Written into staff position to make sustainable; community partners as resources (OSH, OSLC, MLC, etc)

14. 4) What are your known resources- time, treasure, talents, etc?
What is your current capacity? What growth is possible?
Who is in your networks?

15. 5) What can you offer volunteer-advocates?
ELC Examples:
VAC
Op-ed training
Call Your Reps training
Tales, Traditions, and Toast
Independence Pizza Party
Homeless Day on the Hill

16. 5) What can you offer volunteer-advocates?
Social media
Event sharing
Infographics
Education

17. 5) What can you offer volunteer-advocates?
Weekly newsletter
Calls to action
Education

18. 5) What can you offer volunteer-advocates?
New opportunities
Advocates for Human Rights presentation
ESL Socials (credit to the Minnesota Literacy Council)
Student Support Coordinator

19. 5) What can you offer volunteer-advocates?
Considering your goals, people, and resources, what activities or actions can you realistically create or lead?

20. Share action plans for your site.
What next steps will you take?