1. Advocacy
Bootcamp
Get Heard!
How to Maximize your Advocacy Efforts!
With Darlene Dallman, B.Com.(Hons)
Eastman Interlake Recreation
Professionals conference
October 28, 2015
2. What is Advocacy?
The act of pleading or arguing in favour of something
such as a cause, idea or policy;
Seeking active support
3. Lobbyist
Get paid to win favour from politicians
Most large organizations, industries etc. have them
• Petroleum producers
• Canadian Bankers Association
• Canadian Cattlemen’s Association
Recreation lobbyist?
4. What is Grassroots Advocacy?
Grassroots is defined as;
- the most basic level of an activity or organization
- ordinary people
Grassroots Advocacy is the ordinary people banding
together to make change.
5. Federal
Provides Leadership - Pathways to Wellbeing – A Framework for
Recreation in Canada
http://www.cpra.ca/UserFiles/File/EN/sitePdfs/initiatives/Nationa
l%20Framework/PathwaystoWellbeing%20d3%20web.pdf
Funding – Infrastructure dollars
Provincial
Provides Leadership - Manitoba’s Policy for Recreation
Opportunities
http://www.gov.mb.ca/cyo/recreation/docs/recreation_policy.pdf
Funding – capital projects / equipment (MB Community Places,
Manitoba Community Services, others)
Municipal
Provides Leadership?
Funding – operating? / capital?
6. Political Arena – Why get
involved?
Take active part or someone who opposes your view will
Do so to ensure your interests are understood and
remain high on the political agenda
Getting involved is actually fun and challenging
Advocacy helps for recruitment and retention of
volunteers / members
7. Political Landscape
Competition for limited resources
Decision makers have many decisions to make
If your not proactive, you may be marginalized
How do you break through the clutter
8. What Works?
“Real people, delivering real local stories with real
local issues”
Local leaders working with local politicians
Using originality to break through the clutter
Owning the consumer argument
A sustained and coordinated approach
9. Grassroots Advocacy
Concepts
A grass-roots approach gets volunteers / members
involved - builds commitment
Best approach involves educating and sensitizing
decision-makers over time
Need to frame issues before the government does
Position yourself as a resource to government /
community
Start early, advocating as an afterthought is less
effective
10. How to be Effective – 10
Steps
1. Have a plan
2. Know your community
3. Tie into government agenda
4. Give credit early and often
5. Be a player on relevant government policy milestones
6. Frame advocacy in the public and consumer interest
7. Take a multi government level approach
8. Understand and make use of the media
9. Seek supportive stakeholders
10. Stay Positive
11. Have a Plan
Identify what you want
Gather statistics
Create a framework of how you’re going to reach your
goal
Look for opportunities
Create timelines
Assign responsibilities
Update and adapt plan to meet challenges and
opportunities
12. Know your Community
Know your council members
Who are your community leaders
Community values
13. Tie into Government Agenda
Make your issue relevant by tying it into the stated
priorities of the current government
Use the same language the government uses
Buzz words
14. Give Credit Early and Often
Make politicians look good – helps cultivate good will
Photo ops
Speaking opportunities
Don’t forget your volunteers / members / supporters
15. Be a Player on Relevant
Government Policy Milestones
Weigh in at budget time
Election platforms
Keep your issue at the forefront
16. Frame Advocacy in the Public
and Consumer Interest
Why is this good for the public?
17. Take a Multi-government
Level Approach
Establish a relationship with all levels of government
Advocate at all levels
18. Understand and Make use of
the Media
Know your local media contacts
Offer a support network to the media
Help politicians with media exposure
22. What do Decision Makers
Want to Know?
What are the local statistics
Real life stories and examples that illustrate the case
What your visibility and influence is in the community
Specific actions they can take to make you happy
23. Effective Face to Face
Meetings
Have one or two key arguments
Tell a story (short story)
Have a specific request
Questions draw them in, make them pay
attention
Do not allow them to distract you
Prepare your elevator pitch – get your
message across in 45 seconds or less
Remember the 5W’s
Keep it simple!
24. Effective Letters
State that you are a constituent or
stakeholder at the beginning
Lead with your request
Speak from the heart
One core argument
Do not send big packages of information
Repeat the request (closing)
Copy other stakeholders if appropriate
Have other stakeholders send similar letters –
not form letters
25. Effective e-mails
Not recommended, email delivers speed but lack of
investment
Even more important to signal you are a constituent
Subject line – needs to be clear
Personalize the request
Attachments are a waste of time
Avoid spam
26. Compelling Phone Calls
Use only when time is a factor
Identify yourself and the fact that you are a constituent
Be brief, concise
Do not call on every issue – reserve your political
capital
27. What Does Not Work
Confrontational style that harasses or insults
Lack of preparedness
Too rehearsed or artificial
Not listening is biggest most common mistake
28. Advocate with your Ears
Really listen
Ask for advice
Seek supportive statements
29. Helpful Meeting Hints
Know your issues
Make your issue relevant to the person your speaking to
Prioritize your issues
Organize your presentation
Intro
Framed in terms of advocating to politicians but you advocate within your community all the time
Invite questions comments
Committees / interest groups working together
Rec groups should band together to advocate to the provincial govt
Politics / local campaigns
Get local politicians to help you advocate up the political ladder
Example of library funding
Sustained = ongoing
Be professional
Sustained approach
Help leaders do their job
Convince people first not change their mind after
Stats to support your argument
Letter writing campaigns / awareness campaigns
Opportunities to educate community members / politicians
Community leaders have a circle of influence you want to tap into
Example new library in Teulon
Community values help frame arguments
Are there ecomonic benefits health benefits etc
Pressure up and down the political ladder
Educate all levels
Let them know who you are – that you are working towards positive change
Identify stakeholders – who else does this benefit
Are you credible as an individual / organization
Be persuaisive
Create urgency
Request
Argument
Summary - request
Fine for follow up
Ask for a response to see if they read it
Ask leaders how do I achieve my goals
Ask for a committment
