Assignment 2: Policy Advocacy Project

In this multi-part project, you will advocate for the policy outcome you support in your Policy Position Paper or for a current policy issue that you select by designing, implementing, and reporting on an effort to bring about the desired policy change. You may do the actual advocacy component of this assignment individually or in groups - so, you may work together to advance a shared policy position - but each student is to complete each component of the project individually except for the poster presentation which should reflect the overall advocacy effort. This project has the following components:

a. Advocacy plan (8%). Using the model provided, develop a plan/ logic model showing how you will bring about your policy change goal. Note that your actual advocacy effort will probably only relate to one part of this overall plan - it is unlikely that you can accomplish your overall policy change goal during the short amount of time you have available. So, this plan should clarify how the actions you do take this semester will contribute to a broader change process.

b. Policy brief (8%). This brief statement (1 page, double-spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins) should make a clear, concise and persuasive case for your position on the nature of "the problem" (what you feel isn't working or still needs to be addressed in the current policy context), and the desired solution (what should be done to make things work better or to address the problem). This brief targets either lay people or legislators - it is not an academic paper! Specific instructions will be provided separately.

c. Elevator speech (8%). You will give a 1-minute speech advocating for your policy position, which you will write and read aloud to the class. You should choose the target audience you feel will be most appropriate given your advocacy plan (e.g., a legislator or legislative committee; a community group; a lay person who you want to persuade to take action).