1. ADOLESCENCE EDUCATION PROGRAMME ADVOCACY

2. FAMILY: A SOCIAL INSTITUTION  Advocacy - Meaning  Need for Advocacy  Advocacy & Organizational Skills  Assertive Advocacy  Levels at which Needed

3. What Does Advocacy Mean? No universally agreed upon definition Terms used: Advocacy, IEC, Community mobilization An advocate is a person who influences others to support an idea/ issue/organization or program An advocate may recommend an idea or program for promoting its acceptability Different Forms: Media campaigns, Public speaking, Workshop/Meeting, Commissioning and publishing research or poll

4. Qualities of an Advocate  Knows the system & the socio-cultural environment  Is prepared and organized  Listens actively to what the audience say  Thinks about what the target audience wants  Communicates clearly and with confidence  Asks questions to promote discussion  Is assertive but respectful  Identifies friends who will be helpful  Takes action, one step at a time, to be effective

5. Being Respectful  Showing respect does not mean agreeing with what others say  Be respectful when you disagree, ask lot of questions, listen to actively  Work with others rather than disagreeing always and confronting them  Always remain polite, never raising your voice,  Ensure that your own feelings do not get in the way of expressing yourself  Stay focused on the purpose  Note down important points

6. Being Assertive Assertiveness is...  Expressing your needs clearly and directly  Expressing your ideas without feeling guilty or intimidated  Sticking up for what you believe in  Knowing how to prompt the audience to agree  Exhibiting self-confidence when communicating  Persisting until you get what you need and want

7. Being Assertive Assertiveness is Not...  Confronting views that are opposed to yours  Stating personal opinion as the most relevant  Being overconfident  Playing one-upmanship  Trying to overtly belittle those who express different opinion  Quoting policy decisions, being authoritative, making assumptions and decisions before a consensus emerges

8. Effective Advocacy Involves  Analyzing the environment  Defining the agenda or cause  Identifying partners  Lobbying the support of decision makers  Forming allies and rallying support  Establishing networks  Mobilizing public opinion  Eliciting the support of primary target audience  Addressing the concerns of adversaries

9. Levels at which Advocacy for AEP Required  Local level: For Principal/Teachers of the School, Parents, Opinion Leaders of the Community, Panchayat Leaders, District Level Educational Authorities  State Level: Policy-makers, Curriculum Framing and Examination Bodies, Teacher Education Bodies, Teacher Educators, Professional Associations  National level: Policy-makers, National Apex Bodies of School Education (Curriculum Framing and Examination Bodies, Teacher Education Bodies), Professional Associations

10. Advocacy and Its Need under AEP Activity 1 SUMMING UP Advocacy refers to the efforts of an individual or group to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate or assert the interests, desires, needs and rights of an initiative, policy, programme,or even an individual or a group. It is different from information, education and communication(IEC) and community mobilization. Advocacy is very important for AEP, as it covers certain content areas that have been taboo and very sensitive for generations Advocacy is needed at various levels, national, state, district, local community levels and it has to be conducted for educational policy framers, curriculum and material developers, teacher educators, educational administrators including Principals/Heads of Schools, schoolteachers, opinion leaders, parents and media persons.

11. Contd… Advocacy activities may be organized in different formats. These may include one-on-one discussion, meetings, workshops or through audio-visuals (relevant films/ clippings), presentations followed by discussion in small or large groups. Irrespective of the format, the purpose of organizing advocacy activities is to build a common understanding of the objectives of AEP, to be able to articulate the merits of the programme and respond effectively to the commonly voiced opposition related to programme activities

12. Activity 2 SUMMING UP A good advocate must have the following abilities: - Have adequate knowledge about AEP, conceptual framework of life skills focused adolescence education and is well prepared and organized - Have knowledge and appreciation of the realities of the school education system and the socio-cultural setting - Should understand the profile of the target group and think about what the target group wants and what they will like to say on various issues related to AEP

13. Contd.. - Be able to establish rapport comfortably and maintain it throughout - Be able to actively listen to what others say - Be able to ask questions not to embarrass the target group but to generate their interest in the discussion - Be able to communicate clearly and with confidence - Be assertive but respectful and never be aggressive