Well it’s that time of year…Holiday weekend wrapping up, summer in view, Recreation and Parks month just a little while away…And also time for the 5th Session in Becoming a Community Builder.
In this session, we will discuss Quality of Life Advocacy- the ability to work proactively to promote what you do as services that deliver essential benefits to the community. We will learn ways to shape policy, influence those in positions that drive policy decisions and explore proven strategies for advocating the quality of life sector and its value.
Don’t forget to make sure you watch all the videos from previous sessions to get the full effect! Click here for our video archive: http://acecommunities.ca/community-builder/archive/
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
· Participants will be able to better understand advocacy and how to do it with limited resources .
· Participants will be to use multiple communications tools to “brand” the quality of life sector as essential.
· Participants will leave with a better understanding of how to make the “linearly logical and ecstatically pleasing” case for the essential nature of the Quality of Life sector using the many tools that ACE has to offer.
Let’s build community together!
Ian Hill
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I’m in the midst of writing a letter. It’s a letter of support targeted at my local MLA regarding a music center in my neighborhood. This music/arts center has been in the hot seat as of late as someone tried to shut it down based on the ‘undesirables’ (read: youth and musicians) that it was attracting.
Imagine that: musicians going to a music center. Unheard of…..
And so, I am attempting to lobby for the improvement of the quality of life in my neighborhood by supporting the arts. Good thing I attended Ian’s webcast on Friday on just how to be an effective advocate.
So as I read over my first draft, these are the points that I will make sure that I address:
1) Is my argument for the existence of this music/arts center both logically linear AND aesthetically pleasing (in ode to the ancient, Roman debate strategy that Ian mentioned)?
2) Can my argument offer effective solutions to real world problems? In this case, for example, can the debated music center provide youth with a safe and creative place to hang out at after school?
3) Is my letter non-judgmental and approachable? Does it encourage the reader (as in my MLA) to feel compelled by my argument as opposed to feeling like his ankle is being bitten?
4) Does my genuine concern and passion for the topic come through? I am a huge supporter of the arts with an artist husband and I most definitely feel that artistic activity in my neighborhood only makes it more interesting and compelling. Does that manifest in the letter?
5) Has my point come across in clear and concise verbiage? Say I only did have 30 seconds to convey my point, would the reader get the importance of what I am trying to advocate for?
Now having gone through the exercise of actually writing these points down, I will now return to my letter of support for my local music center. Because, as an advocate for the quality of life sector, it is truly my responsibility that I do my job right.
What have you advocated for recently?
Janet Naclia