ADVOCACY

An act performed with or on behalf of others through direct intervention, empowerment, or representation. Case advocacy refers to actions taken in relation to a particular individual consumer. Cause, social, or systems advocacy refers to actions taken in relation to a common issue affecting a group of persons.		  
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  PRACTICE

Established actions or ways of proceeding in the regular performance of organizational duties. Policies and procedures often guide practice.		  
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Social Advocacy
  
Private Org Public Agency  

SOC 3: Advocacy Issue Assessment

 
The organization develops a comprehensive understanding of both the advocacy issue and the organization’s capacity to address the issue.

SOC 3.01

 

The organization conducts an assessment of the advocacy issue that explores:

  1. the nature and origins of the problem;
  2. consequences of the problem;
  3. past efforts to address the problem;
  4. pros and cons of different possible solutions;
  5. prevailing attitudes toward the advocacy issue;
  6. how the issue is covered in the media; and
  7. existing research on the advocacy issue.
Research Note: Literature emphasizes the importance of developing substantive expertise in the advocacy issue area. For example, if an organization has a clear understanding of the problem in question, it may be better equipped to develop workable solutions. Further, if personnel are viewed as experts on the advocacy topic, they may be called upon by the media or others to provide information about the issue.

SOC 3.02

 

The assessment identifies other key players in the issue area, including:

  1. officials who have the power to make decisions about the advocacy issue;
  2. other organizations and groups that have a vested interest in the advocacy issue, including both allies and opposition; and
  3. existing constituencies, if applicable.

SOC 3.03

 

The organization assesses its own capacity to address the advocacy issue by considering:

  1. available organizational resources, including both human and financial resources;
  2. the organization’s successes and failures in past advocacy efforts;
  3. prevailing attitudes toward the organization; and
  4. how organizational stakeholders, including staff, the governing body or advisory group, clients, and funders, will respond when the organization pursues the advocacy issue.
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PURPOSE: Social Advocacy works to promote positive change and eliminate social, economic, and environmental injustice in social institutions, systems, legislation, and practices that affect individuals, families, groups, and communities.
 
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