Advocacy is making change. In order to make change, advocates need to have a clear and specific “ask.” The “ask” is what the advocating wants to change. For example: “Mr. President, please support an increase of poverty-focused development assistance by $5 billion in FY 2008.” The following are some tools you can use to implement your specific ask:
Letter-writing campaigns and petitions are a great ways to involve your whole community. You can use petitions at the end of events when you have educated your participants. Determine which method will work best: laptops for participants to e-mail messages, letters available for participants to sign, or postcards for participants to handwrite. During Act! Speak! Build! Week Habitat for Humanity International will provide electronic versions of a letter for your community to use.
HFHI’s Department of Government Relations and Advocacy monitors legislation, programs and regulations related to housing, community development and international development which impact the provision of affordable housing. The Web site is filled with information about domestic and international legislation and public policy efforts that impact the availability of affordable housing. Click on the link above to and join 22,000 other people and become an advocate and send an electronic message to legislation right now!
Advocacy is when anyone speaks out for what they believe in. Children of all ages can become advocates for an end to substandard housing. The Paper House Campaign lets youth as young as five years old communicate their concerns to their local lawmakers.
Create a video message to your government leader(s) advocating on behalf of the millions of people who live in poverty housing. Your video will inspire others to take action in this cause. Learn more at www.habitatyouthprograms.org/actspeakbuild/films_contest.
Panels are a great way to invite elected officials to your community. After the panel is over, have postcards or letters ready for the audience to sign before they leave. Click here for more information on organizing a panel discussion.
The ONE Campaign seeks to raise public awareness about the issues of global poverty, hunger, disease and efforts to fight such problems in developing countries. You can add your signature to the ONE Declaration at http://www.one.org/declare/index.html.
