Assignment: Community Advocacy Project-Advocacy Plan

Well-conceived advocacy efforts can provide the opportunity for true social change. Advocates must think strategically about who to contact, who the stakeholders are regarding their particular issue, how to involve the media, and how to influence people who can pave the way to change. Most importantly, advocates must ensure that they work together with the members of their communities. In doing this, advocates can increase their opportunities for a successful advocacy campaign.

You explored potential health policies and how to establish them in order to improve the public health issue in your community. This week, you create a public health advocacy plan including policy details, media advocacy ideas, and a Letter to the Editor or Ministry of Health advocating your cause for social change.

To prepare for this section of the Course Project:

• Review the Avery et al., Dorfman et al., and Galer-Unti et al. articles. Reflect on the process of creating a public health advocacy plan.

• View the media "Advocacy in Creating Public Health Policy."

• Think about the details of your advocacy plan.

• Consider the policy change you will request. Reflect on how the policy can bring change to your community, why it is appropriate for your particular community, and why your community might adopt the change.

• Think about the use of media advocacy within the plan.

• Decide whether you will voice your cause in a letter to the editor of a publication or an elected official in your community. Think about a persuasive argument for the passage of your public health policy supported with statistics and information that is unique to your community.

The Project (2-3 pages)

To complete this section of your Course Project, address the following:

• Describe your public health advocacy plan.

• Describe the policy change you are requesting, including details such as how the policy might bring change to your community. Explain why the policy change is appropriate for your particular community and why your community might adopt the change.

• Explain how you might implement media advocacy strategies within your plan.

• Write a letter to the editor or an elected official in your community advocating your cause. Be sure to write a persuasive argument for the passage of your public health policy supported with statistics and information that are unique to your community. Refer to the guidelines provided in the "Writing Letters to the Editor" and "Writing Letters to Elected Officials" articles.

Support your Project with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to

Support your Project with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list for all resources, including those in the Learning Resources for this course.

Avery, B., & Bashir, S. (2003). The road to advocacy-Searching for the rainbow. American Journal of Public Health, 93(8), 1207-1210.

Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Freeman, B., Chapman, S., &Storey, P. (2008). Banning smoking in cars carrying children: An analytical history of a public health advocacy campaign. Australian and New Zealand Journal Of Public Health, 32(1), 60-65.

Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Galer-Unti, R. A., Tappe, M. K., &Lachenmayr, S. (2004). Advocacy 101: Getting started in health education advocacy. Health Promotion Practice, 5(3), 280-288.

Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

The Community Tool Box. (2012). Writing letters to the editor.

The Community Tool Box. (2012). Writing letters to elected officials.

Dorfman, L., Sorenson, S., & Wallack, L. (2009). Working upstream: Skills for social change.

Indiana Campaign for Smokefree Air. (2012).

One International. (2012).

Required Media

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Advocacy in creating public health policy. Baltimore, MD: Author.

"Advocacy in Creating Public Health Policy" Transcript

Optional Resources

American Public Health Association. (2012). Advocacy and policy.

The Community Tool Box. (2012).