Be An Advocate

Some Basic Guidelines for Advocates

1. Believe in what you are advocating. Your own conviction is of prime importance in convincing others. Share your passion for Reading Recovery through organized efforts to communicate with people who can make a difference in the literacy lives of children.
    
2. Know your audience. Whether you seek to convince one person or a community of persons, knowing your audience enhances your chances of communicating with them rather than just throwing words at them. Develop a personal relationship with policy makers by taking advantage of opportunities in your community and by creating opportunities for them to get to know you and the Reading Recovery program.
    
3. Know your opposition. Be able to address the objectionable part(s) of the opposition’s stance directly and effectively, using verifiable examples and statistics.
    
4. Make full use of the media.
   1. Meet and get to know editors and reporters.
   2. Be aware of deadlines when scheduling news conferences, sending releases, or delivering materials.
   3. Seek the advice of these professionals when questions arise about what you hope to accomplish in the media.
   4. Be quick to praise media efforts which are helpful to your cause.
   5. Respond in a polite and timely fashion when news coverage is to be challenged or expanded.
   6. Be newsworthy.
       
5. Make use of other community systems. Do some brainstorming with other Reading Recovery advocates about potentially useful community systems (school boards, teachers and staff unions, parent organizations, and others). Many of these groups are open to communicating useful information.
    
6. Make full use of the political processes. Initiate/support/oppose legislation as necessary. Visit in person, by mail, telegram, fax, or e-mail. Provide good information and good testimony.
    
7. Consider working with a “lobbyist.” Often a lobbyist can open doors quickly due to long time relationships with legislators and other public policy makers.
    
8. Register to vote AND vote!

(back to "Take Action")

(on to Lobbying)