Advocacy tool box


What is an advocate? Literally, the word "advocate" means "to speak for." If you have ever received the Children's Alliance of NH newsletter, you understand why children need all the powerful friends they can get. If there are child and family issues that you feel very strongly about, turn those feelings into action on behalf of children. Here's how:

• Learn all you can about the issue
  The easiest and fastest way to learn about anything these days, including children's issues, is on the internet. Our Current Issues and Online Resources pages are good places to start and are regularly updated. Be sure you're getting solid information by sticking to the sites of reputable organizations and/or media outlets. We also suggest joining our free child advocacy e-mail list for regular updates on children's issues and alerts and action is needed.
  
  
• Know the arguments on both sides of the issue well enough to be able to anticipate what the opposition will say to refute your position.
  
  
• Identify your audience and a strategy for reaching it. Who can give you what you want? Who are they influenced by? Whose minds have to be changed? How can you get your message to them? How can you avoid "preaching to the choir"?
  
  
• Be able to articulate your position clearly and authoritatively. Support your argument with verifiable facts.
  
  
• There's power in numbers. Find out if other people in your community or region are aware of this issue. Does a group or coalition already exist? Your efforts may be more effective if you work with an existing group. If no group currently exists, think about who would/could/should be in such a group if it did exist? Who are the local experts and opinion leaders on this issue? Talk to like-minded people about getting organized.
  
  
• What is your goal?
  
  • If you want to educate people about an issue and/or express your opinion, write a letter or brief essay and send it to your local newspaper. Depending on the issue, you might want to send your letter to other newspapers as well. Link to our Legislative Action Center, scroll down to the News Media Guide, and click on "View" for a list of -- and e-mail addresses for -- all the newspapers in the state. Be succinct and to the point in stating your case. If you're not used to writing for the public, you might want to consider showing your letter to a friend or two before sending it.
    
    
  • If your goal is to find out about legislation related to your issue, go to the Quick Bill Status Search page on the state Web site. You can enter a keyword and find most of the relevant bills and LSRs to that issue. (An LSR is a Legislative Service Request, a kind of "pre-bill" created when a legislator has requested that a bill be drafted). An LSR usually turns into a bill (HB for House Bill or SB for Senate Bill) but will have a different number. Learning about legislation at the LSR stage will give you more time to learn about the bill, talk to other people, and plan a strategy). Once you arrive at a bill's Status page, you can click on Bill Text to read it in its entirety.
    
    
  • If you want to express your opinion to any of your elected officials, you can use our Legislative Action Center. You don't need to know their names or contact information -- just enter your Zip Code, and you'll have the information you need. You have the option of telephone, "snail mail" or email. Choose the method you're most comfortable with. Be sure you state clearly what you would like them to do, and ask for a response.
    
    
  • If your goal is to influence pending state legislation, go to the Quick Bill Status Search page on the state Web site. Enter the bill number on the appropriate line (with no spaces: SB44). The Bill Status page will tell if, when and where a hearing is scheduled, and clicking on the bill number will tell you what action has taken on the bill. Anyone can attend a bill's public hearing. You can testify or sign a sheet to register your support or opposition, or simply listen and learn. If you're going to testify, be prepared. Plan to make a few key points rather than discussing many aspects of the bill. While you don't need to hide your emotions, your testimony should be based on facts, not feelings. You can also present your testimony in writing so that it becomes part of the official record. Bring 25 copies if it is a House hearing, six if in the Senate.
    
    
  • If you want to listen to live or past voting sessions of the New Hampshire House and Senate, go to the New Hampshire General Court Web page, click on Listen In, and choose either the House or Senate Streaming Audio. You can listen to past sessions and/or look at the votes and roll-call votes that were taken that day.