Hello MSWs and blog followers,
A much needed update is in order.....
We have 43 people officially registered for Legislative Lobby Days this year!!! This means UCLA will be a loud voice among the crowed of social workers and MSW students at Legislative Lobby Days 2011.
We have reserved a bus and our hotel rooms and are logistically ready to begin our advocacy efforts in Sacramento April 9th 10th and 11th.
We have received generous donations from several sources thus far:
$1,000 from NASW Region H
$1,500 from The Luskin School of Public Affairs
$3,5000 from the Social Welfare Dept.
These donations will provide us with enough funding to pay for our way up to the capitol and our lodging and we are so grateful and honored to have the support of UCLA and NASW Region H.
In order to fund meals and other costs of our trip we are selling T-shirts (see below post) and have many shirts still available. Please contact rrgarett@ucla.edu if you are interesting in buying shirts for your friends, family, and co-workers or if you know anyone else that would like to buy a shirt from you. Please feel free to pick up shirts to sell on your own from Toby Hur's office at the UCLA School of Public Affairs.
Lastly, In order to keep our minds thinking about how we can be the most effective advocates for our clients at Legislative Lobby Days, here are "Rules of Effective Advocacy"
1. Get to know legislators well ‐ their districts and constituencies, voting records, personal schedules, opinions, expertise and interests. Be sure to have a good understanding of the legislator and his/her concerns, priorities and perspectives.
2. Acquaint yourself with the staff members for the legislators, committees and resource officials with whom you will be working. These people are essential sources of information and have significant influence in some instances in the development of policy.
3. Identify fellow advocates and partners in the public health community to better understand the process, monitor legislation, and assess strengths and weaknesses. Finding common ground on an issue sometimes brings together strange bedfellows but makes for a stronger coalition.
4. Identify the groups and other legislators with whom you may need to negotiate for changes in legislation. Do not dismiss anyone because of previous disagreements or because you lack a history of working together. ʺYesterdayʹs opponent may be todayʹs ally.ʺ
5. Foster and strengthen relationships with allies and work with legislators who are flexible and tend to keep an open mind. Donʹt allow anyone to consider you a bitter enemy because you disagree.
6. Be honest, straightforward and realistic when working with legislators and their staff. Donʹt make promises you canʹt keep. Never lie or mislead a legislator about the importance of an issue, the oppositionʹs position or strength or other matters.
7. Be polite, remember names and thank those who help you ‐ both in the legislature and in the public health advocacy community.
8. Learn the legislative process and understand it well. Keep on top of the issues and be aware of controversial and contentious areas.
9.
Be brief, clear, accurate, persuasive, timely, persistent, grateful and polite when presenting your position and communicating what you need/want from the legislator or staff member.
10.
Be sure to follow up with legislators and their staff. If you offer your assistance or promise to provide additional information, do so in a timely and professional manner. Be a reliable resource for them today and in the future.
source: http://faithandwellness.org/images/stories/Top_Ten_Rules_of_Advocacy_APHA_8-10.pdf
ONLY 40 DAYS UNTIL LEGISLATIVE LOBBY DAYS 2011!!!
