Advocacy

Working to get Alberta Students a Good Deal

Context to Advocacy

  • Who remembers the difference between a lobbyist and an advocate?
  • Role of the Government Relations and Advocacy Director
    • Advice
    • Training
    • Research
    • Issues forecasting
    • Government Relations

People

  • You are people, and politicians and bureaucrats are also people
  • People remember how you make them feel
  • First impressions MATTER

Relationships

  • Working relationships are based on mutual interest
  • They rely on mutual trust
  • The purpose of “the Meeting” is to establish BOTH

Preparing for “The Meeting”

Part 1

  • Knowing your subject:
    • Their Background and platform, the constituency they represent, and what issues they care about
    • Knowing what they look like and what their names and titles are

Part 2

  • Think big and have a big plan
  • Represent issues that affect ALL students
  • Know what you bring to the table

Part 3

  • Practical steps to a successful meeting:
    • Dress professionally
    • Be early
    • Bring your documents, and bring documents to share
    • Bring business cards
    • Eat and sleep beforehand

Conduct During “The Meeting”

  • Being Professional
  • Being open-minded
  • Being ethical

“The Meeting”

  • Educate them
  • Interest them
  • Engage them
  • Plan WITH them
  • Follow-up WITH them
  • Move forward WITH them

Working Relationships

  • The point of a working relationship is that it is ongoing
  • “The Meeting” is only the first step- if it goes well, it will be the first of many!
  • Staying in touch, following up, and following through

After “The Meeting”

  • The point of a working relationship is that it is ongoing
  • “The Meeting” is only the first step- if it goes well, it will be the first of many!
  • Staying in touch, following up, and following through

Evaluation

  • Did you explain your perspective accurately?
  • Did you illicit interest?
  • Did you follow up the individual meeting?
  • Do you have a plan to move forward?

Reporting

  • Create a report of your meeting immediately after having it
  • Answer the questions mentioned in “After The Meeting” in as much detail as you can
  • The report isn’t just for other people – it’s for YOU. People forget stuff all the time and nobody likes that

The Goal

The goal is to create a long-term and mutually beneficial working relationship – something your successors can inherit and that you can be proud of.

So You Had an Uncomfortable Meeting

  • This is not the end of the world, it is a learning opportunity
  • Follow the same reporting procedure, so that you don’t make the same mistakes a second time

How ASEC Can Help

  • We can give you materials to study
  • We can give you media (being in front of a camera) training
  • We can give you interview (being in front of a person) training

Feel Ready?

  • It’s okay if you don’t. You have all kinds of resources available to you
  • ASEC is here to help train you, prepare you, and help you manage your advocacy initiatives.

So What Now?

If you want a copy of this information;

If you want to get in contact with AlbertaStudents.ca;

AND/OR you want to arrange a meeting for media training or interview training;

 

Email me at Advocacy@AlbertaStudents.ca