Presentation on how to build your advocacy skills using the National Coalition for Literacy's Advocacy Clearinghouse and Toolkit.

1. .

2. Keeping Pace

4. National Coalition for Literacy

5. NCL’s Advocacy Clearinghouse and Toolkit
www.ncladvocacy.org

6. What You CAN Legally Do
http://www.ncladvocacy.org/tklegally.html

7. What Is Advocacy?
Advocacy includes
identifying, embracing, and
promoting a cause.
It is any attempt to shape
public opinion, and promote
the interests of your
community.
—The Lobbying and Advocacy
Handbook for Nonprofit
Organizations

8. What Is Lobbying?
A specific, legally defined
activity that involves stating
your position on specific
legislation to legislators
and/or asking them to
support your position.
—Center for Lobbying in the
Public Interest (CLPI)

9. Advocating Versus Lobbying
Lobbying is always advocacy.
Advocacy isn’t always lobbying.
—Gear Up for Capitol Hill, ProLiteracy

10. Educate Policymakers
—Gear Up for Capitol Hill, ProLiteracy

11. Support or No Support
No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while
the legislature is in session.
—Judge Gideon J. Tucker, 1866

12. Numbers Count!
Threshold Numbers
Helps legislators understand which issues
resonate with constituents

13. What You CAN Do as an American
You have the right to express your views with
your legislators.
Legislators expect you to express them.

14. What You CAN Do as an Adult Educator
You have unique, valuable information.
Legislators need your expertise to make
well-informed decisions.

15. Using Your Time Wisely
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/tktime.html

16. Advocacy Leadership
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/tkleadership.html

17. Contacting Legislators
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/tkcontact.html
Resources:
• Who are key legislators
• How to find your legislator
• Tips for writing, calling, meeting
Congressman Jared Polis, Created
National Adult Education & Family
Literacy Week

18. What to Say and How
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/tksay.html
Resources:
• Creating Effective
Hooks
• Examples
• Always make the Ask
and cinch a
commitment!
You don’t get what you don’t ask for.

19. Who You Involve
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/tkinvolve.html
Building Allies for Adult Education

20. Creating Responsive Networks
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/tknetworks.html
Example: National Adult Education
& Family Literacy Week Activities

21. Advocacy Strategies
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/tkstrategies.html
TX Example: Literacy Day at the Capitol

22. Facts, Research, Reports
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/factfinder.html
Find cut-and-paste facts on adult education and
family literacy and links to the full reports

23. Legislative Action Center
http://www.capwiz.com/ncl/home/

24. Sign Up for Mobile Alerts
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/signup.html

25. NCL's Use of Social Media: Mobilizing Advocates

26. Example: NCL, Acting on Facebook Alerts
http://www.facebook.com/NationalCoalitionforLiteracy

27. Acting on Facebook Alerts
Step #1: Compose
Message
Select Legislators
Specify Subject
“The Ask”
Insert Talking
Points

28. Using the Online Alert, Cont.
Closing
Enter
Contact
Information
Click Send
Message

29. Twitter.com
http://twitter.com/#!/ncladvocacy

30. Anatomy of a ReTweet
Indicates a Original source
User Name Retweet of information
Link to more
information or Hashtag
Avatar photo or video
/ Logo

31. Engaging With Legislators / Grasstops

32. Sample Cut-and-Paste Tweets
http://www.national-coalition-literacy.org/advocacy/aefl_tweet.html

33. NCLAdvocacy Blog
http://blog.ncladvocacy.org
1. Click on the title of the blog post where you wish to post a comment
or question.

34. How to Post to a Blog
2. Enter your comment or question in the Message field below, and click
“Comment” in the bottom left corner to submit your “post”.

35. Your Comment Awaits “Moderation”
3. Your comment will not appear right away. Instead, you will see a
message like this one: “Your comment is waiting moderation.”
4. The blog moderator will review your message in light of the blog
guidelines, and also ensure it is not spam. Once the blog moderator
reviews and releases your comment, it will appear beneath the Message
box.

36. Getting Started
2 minutes: Get Involved.
Sign up for CAEPA + NCL updates.
Bookmark the NCL Advocacy Toolkit
Act on alerts.
Like us on Facebook.
Follow us on Twitter.
5 minutes: Get Others Involved.
Share adult education facts and alerts.
Get sample Facebook, blog, and Twitter posts you
can use to update your status.

37. Getting Started, Cont.
10 minutes: Educate Yourself & Others.
Learn / share more about why adult education is
important.
Get / share the facts on adult education.
Learn / share about legislative priorities for adult
education and family literacy at the state/federal
levels.
Learn / teach the differences between educating,
advocating, and lobbying.

38. Getting Started, Cont.
Ongoing: Make a Difference
Browse the NCL Advocacy Toolkit to familiarize
yourself with the resources available to you.
Write a blog article (guest blog or on your own
blog) about the importance of adult education and
family literacy in your community.
Create your own local network of 5-10 individuals
interested in advocating for adult education and
keep them informed on adult education issues by
forwarding NCL updates and alerts.
Invite your legislator to visit your local adult
education program.

39. Questions or Comments?
Contact
Jackie Taylor
jackie@jataylor.net
Marsha Tait
mltait58@gmail.com
Thank You.