Advocacy
One of our goals at Community Coordinated Child Care, Inc. is to provide assistance as you advocate for and promote early childhood education and care programs. For many of us the thought of writing a letter or placing a phone call to a legislator or other governmental official can be intimidating. Even more intimidating is the idea of actually visiting your legislator in person. From experience, we've found that once you take the first step and write a letter or make a visit you are motivated and challenged to do more. It can be helpful to remember that you are the expert in your field and that the legislator or official has to understand many issues and usually has no actual expertise in the issue you are addressing.
One of the key components to effective advocacy is the development of ongoing relationships with your legislator or official. It is more beneficial to have established a working relationship with the legislator before you need to contact her/him regarding an issue or policy concern.
There are many sources that provide tips regarding the "how to" of legislative advocacy. The 4-C Advocacy Committee, comprised of Board of Directors and staff members, would be more than pleased to provide a workshop on Advocacy Techniques or to assist you (individually or as a group) with a visit to the Capitol. Please feel free to contact us if you are interested.
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