Presentation Goals

1. SEANetRaise your Voice for Service LearningAdvocacy Trainingfor LSA Sub-granteesPresenter: Javier Betancourt, FL&S Program OfficerFebruary22, 2011

2. Presentation Goals 1. Provide tools you need to be a statewide advocate for service-learning and engage your sub-grantees in the process. 2. Learn how to inform the publicandelected officials. 3. Get new advocates for your work, and engage youth to participate and be active advocates.

3. Legislative Update • On February 19, 2011, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, legislation that would make deep cuts in government spending for the rest of the fiscal year. • The bill, passed by 235-189, immediately eliminates CNCS and the programs it funds: AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Learn & Serve America, VISTA, NCCC, the Volunteer Generation Fund, and the Social Innovation Fund.

4. Legislative Update • This is not the final say in the federal budget process. The House bill has been sent to the Senate for consideration. The Senate and the President will have opportunities to shape and influence the final spending package. It is up to us to help ensure the final bill restores funding for service!

5. Legislative Update • Members of Congress have returned home for a week-long recess. They will be in their districts talking to constituents. This presents the perfect opportunity for us to express our support for the CNCS and the Learn & Serve America program.

6. Support Service-Learning Day • We must take full advantage of this Congressional break and this starts with creating a "Support Service Learning Day" on Friday, February 25th. On this day we encourage you to work with your sub-grantees to 1) visit local representatives or 2) call them while they are in their local offices. • IMPACT MESSAGE: Tell your Member of Congress about the value and impact of service and service-learning in your local schools and community.

7. Whom to Contact: • U.S. Senators• U.S. House of Representatives• President Barack ObamaAt this critical moment, direct calls are the most likely to make an impact on the decisions being made. Faxes, letters and e-mail may take too long to reach the appropriate person. If unable to call, e-mails are the next best method.

8. Tell your U.S. Senators and Representatives that Learn & Serve America provides service by and to millions of Americans and addresses critical needs in education, including decreasing dropouts, increasing academic achievement, narrowing the achievement gap, improving school climate, and increasing teacher quality. Do not tell them how to vote on the bill or to fund service-learning or CNCS/LSA, as that is considered lobbying if you do it on time paid for by Learn & Serve. Impact Message 1

9. Through service-learning participation, your state’s K-12 students meet real needs, have improved academic outcomes, are more prepared for careers, have enhanced social skills, are more civically engaged, and help foster thriving communities and a more participatory democracy. Service-learning programs also show substantial return-on-investment by leveraging strong contributions on match from the community. This is not about a government program; it is about real beneficial outcomes for students and communities which can stimulate economic growth and better prepare citizens for careers. Impact Message 2

10. Structuring a Statewide Awareness Campaign • Needs Assessment – Define the policy issue that needs to be addressed • Research the issue – What specifically is the concern and how can it be affected positively through awareness? • Do your Homework: Be familiar with the legislation and key updates from external legislative watch groups

11. Structuring a Statewide Awareness Campaign Needs Assessment ISSUE DEFINITION AGENDA SETTING POLICY FORMULATION POLICY ADOPTION IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION Where is the Policy Issue in the process of development?

12. Structuring a Statewide Awareness Campaign • Needs Assessment – Define what the policy issue is that needs to be addressed • Research the Policy Actors – Knowwhat they stand for – How do they typically vote? What are their stances on similar topics (e.g. careers, economy, education). • Can you find common ground?

13. Policy Actors/Stakeholders Who are the stakeholders for Service Learning? • Public Officials (Senators, Representatives, Mayors, Governors, President, etc.); • District Superintendents, School Board; • Principals, Teachers, Parents, Students, Media (Newspaper, Radio, TV, Internet), Non-profits (NPOs), Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs); • Corporations, Private Industry, Foundations, Grant providers.

14. Structuring a Statewide Awareness Campaign Action Steps: • Send out memos with specific actions to your sub-grantees • Provide resources on your web site about awareness • Create detailed talking points and messaging tools • Make it easy – Provide detailed information about contacting legislators

15. Structuring a Statewide Awareness Campaign Action Steps: • Always remember not to lobby, and provide guidelines to sub-grantees about acceptable activity. • Don’t mention any legislation or funding in communications with elected officials.

16. Structuring a Statewide Awareness Campaign Action Steps: • Collect student success stories from your coordinators • Use your evaluation data both from CNCS and from your sub-grantee reporting. Legislators respond to data and research.

17. Structuring a Statewide Awareness Campaign Action Steps: • Consider creating a central event where youth meet with their legislators directly (“Day on the Hill”) • Form a connection with a legislator and introduce a bill supporting S-L! Keep it positive and you might have a chance to get it through. Keep in mind that funding is hard to get these days but there are other avenues for support through mandates.

18. Communicating with Public Officials

19. Prepare your presentation • Who are spokespersons? • What are the 2-3 main points? • How long is each person speaking? • Set appointments -- and keep them

20. Establish common ground • Research what they care about and be sure there is an intersection between what you want/need and what they want/need. Be sure to touch on the areas below: • Family • Community • State • National

21. Explain why you are the expert(s) • Life experience (i.e., service-learning exp.) • Knowledge/education • Background • Employment • Affiliations

22. Provide supporting materials • Position paper • Fact sheet • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) • State/District-specific info • Products, photos, artifacts, videos, presentations, performances, testimonies, etc.

23. Decision Points Identify EXACTLY what you are going to ask for/want the person to do, BEFORE you go on the visit! The communication is a 2-way opportunity as opposed to a favor request for you Design your communications accordingly.

24. Lobbying vs. Educating CNCS grantees are not allowed to lobby legislators. However, you can educate them about the amazing success stories from service-learning For additional info on advocacy guidelines and CNCS grantees, please see: www.learnandserve.gov/for_organizations/funding/gc_guidance.asp

25. Provide Information, DON’T LOBBY . . . . Don’t Say . . . • “Will you to sign on as a sponsor?” • Anything about Funding or Appropriations! • “Will you vote in favor of . .” • “Will you discuss this with the Senator?” • “By the way, there is currently a bill that would help us and others to do more of these good things. Do say. . . • “We want you to know about . . .” • “These great activities are supported by . . .” • “Here is a personal story about how S-L impacted our school…” *CNCS grantees are not allowed to lobby legislators on specific pieces of legislation

26. Offer assistance • Research results • Contact persons • Letters of support • Telephone numbers

27. Follow up … Invite the person to see your project in actionLeave artifacts/products/artwork to remember your project byGive the person an official role at one of our eventsInvite media to this eventShow appreciationfor the visit!

28. POP QUIZ!WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ARE LOBBYING? • “Will you vote in favor of HR Bill 547?” • We wanted you to know that last year we helped 3000 homeless families! • “By the way, there is currently a bill that would help us and others to do more of these good things . • “We want you to know about our awesome environmental project. • “These great student activities are supported by FL&S. • “Will you to sign on as a sponsor on the S-L Bill?” *CNCS grantees are not allowed to lobby legislators on specific pieces of legislation

29. POP QUIZ!ANSWERS: LOBBYING = REDEDUCATING = WHITE • “We want you to know about our awesome environmental project. • “These great student activities are supported by FL&S. • “Will you to sign on as a sponsor on the S-L Bill?” • “Will you vote in favor of HR Bill 547?” • We wanted you to know that last year we helped 3000 homeless families! • “By the way, there is currently a bill that would help us and others to do more of these good things.

30. Follow-up letter(s) • Review time, date, subject of meeting • Thank the public official • Have every student send a thank-you letter • Include follow-up invitations in the letters, with specific dates and events, and then call to help schedule a visit • Send info about your visit to the media • Enclose promised materials, data, contacts, etc. • Review commitments • Commend staff

31. Stakeholders Who are the stakeholders? Definition: an individual or party who affects, or can be affected by, the organization's actions

32. Stakeholders Who are the stakeholders for service-learning? District superintendents; school board; principals; teachers; parents; students; media (newspaper, radio, TV, Internet); public officials (Senators, Representatives, mayors, etc.); non-profits, faith-based organizations; corporations, private industry, foundations, grant providers.

33. Stakeholders How do you create a target message for each stakeholder group for advancing service-learning? GROUP ACTIVITY: Creating Target Messages

34. SAMPLE TALKING POINTS • Stress the direct tie of service-learning to curriculum, standards, FCAT, student assessment. • Note the distinction between service-learning and community service—s-l has students practice what they need to learn and be able to do through service.  The service is a means and application of learningand is formally tied to curricula.

35. SAMPLE TALKING POINTS • Research shows impacts in four key areas:  academic, behavioral, civic/citizenship, and career preparation • Powerful youth leadership roles • Low cost—less than $30 per student per year in most states • Note your district support for this and why the district thinks SL it is a good idea

36. S-L ADVOCACY ON THE WEB • Learn & Serve Challenge • Service-Learning United • Voices for National Service

37. Media Outreach Developing a Press Release • Keep it short and simple! • Don’t neglect the 5W’s • Thousands of press releases are sent to the media each day…Make yours unique. Samples are available on the FL&S website

38. Media & Public Service Announcements: • Keep the PSA between 30 seconds to 1 minute (unless you pay for a longer time period). • Have your name and contact information at the top of the page. • Use “catchy” phrases to grab people’s attention while keeping the focus on your planned or completed activity. • Use students as spokespersons in PSAs and to reach out to media. Say the name of the project and school (and a phone number, if applicable) at least twice.

39. Media & PSA, cont.: • Send announcements and press releases more than once to media outlets. • Get your story in your local, school, or community newspaper or magazine. Use your local education channel to show video from your project multiple times. • Fax PSAs to radio and television stations. • Explore the use of the Internet with web sites such as My Space and Youth Noise or create your own web site.

40. Contact FL&S Florida Learn & Serve 820 East Park Avenue, Bldg. F Tallahassee, FL 32301 850-922-7582 Fax: 850-922-2928 http://learnandserve.hhp.ufl.edu/index.html Florida Learn & Serve is a program of the Florida Department of Education funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Administration and support are provided by the University of Florida.