Advocacy Basics | Legislative Process | Advocacy Leadership Process
Advocacy Basics
My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration.
Government should be participatory. Public engagement enhances the Government's effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions. Knowledge is widely dispersed in society, and public officials benefit from having access to that dispersed knowledge.
—President Barack Obama
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies, January 21, 2009 |
The Administration’s commitment to public engagement affords us both the opportunity and the responsibility to raise awareness about the state of adult literacy in the nation. All kinds of groups, corporations, and individuals can—and do—advocate, educate and lobby. Adult educators and adult learners have irreplaceable wisdom and unique understanding of adult literacy that policymakers want to know.
Adult learners may not always be ready or able to share their experiences with their legislators. Therefore, adult educators partner with adult learners to educate policymakers about the adult literacy issues we, as a nation, face.
Congress receives over 500 million communications from constituents each year. Adult literacy advocates are small in numbers compared to K-12 and higher education advocates. How can we be more effective in raising the priority of adult literacy with Congress?
This toolkit offers resources to help practitioners, adult learners, and community members do just that. You will find resources that will help you to advocate effectively and strategically for public policies that support adult literacy.
How can you get started?
Register to vote! Contact your local election office. Visit Project Vote Smart where you can search for your local election office by state and county.
Next, educate yourself. Learn more about the Legislative Process and ways to use your time wisely. Learn the Advocacy Leadership Process, What You Can Legally Do, and how you can get involved.
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