Advocating to an elected official positively impacts policy decisions. It is often the personal story and connection that has the most impact on an elected official. You don’t have to be an expert or well-paid lobbyist to be an activist. You just need to be willing to share with elected officials why you care about after-school and how they can help. Successful advocacy is also about building a relationship with your elected officials. While you don’t want to bombard them, periodically communicating with them will lead to more success in seeing positive changes for Michigan’s children and youth.
3 Ways to be an Effective Advocate:
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Write a letter
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Hand-written letters are the most effective.
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Express your issue/concern in as few as 3-4 sentences.
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Ask your legislator for something specific, such as co-sponsorship of legislation.
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View this sample letter to
see an example
. It’s always best to use your own words.
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Make a phone call
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Phone calls are quick and easy!
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Tell the person answering the phone that you are a constituent.
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In 1-2 sentences, say what you’d like the legislator to do and why it’s important to you and your community.
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Phone calls are especially effective right before scheduled votes.
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Go on a lobby visit
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Face-to-face meetings are the most effective way of connecting with your elected official.
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Meet them in your community when they’re on recess or travel to Lansing or Washington, DC, to lobby.
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Share your concerns, stories, and facts regarding after-school.
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Ask your senator or representative for something specific, like co-sponsorship of legislation.
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Leave time for them to ask questions of you, but know it’s okay if you don’t have an answer to all questions. You can always follow up with them after the meeting with more information.
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Always remember to send a thank you note following a lobby visit to continue to build a relationship with your legislators.
Afterschool Alliance Tips for Communicating with Policy Makers
State Information
Federal Information