Resources for Policy Advocacy

Professionals, voluntary sector leaders and citizens can play key roles in changing public policy to reduce injury rates. The following are a list of resources that may be helpful for people working for policy change within their community. The list includes web sites, books, and electronic documents ranging from very practical tools to academic discussions of advocacy. For more information about influencing public policy to reduce injury, contact Cathy Gladwin, ACICR Policy Analyst, at 780-492-9218 or cgladwin@ualberta.ca.

Advocacy Institute: http://advocacy.org
For over 20 years, the Advocacy Institute has helped social justice leaders in the U.S. and abroad work more effectively for change through training in advocacy skills, networking with other activists, and one-on-one coaching. We provide participants with tools and resources to:

Plan and implement successful advocacy campaigns
Manage and evaluate coalitions
Develop effective messaging for the media and key stakeholders
Build effective organizations
Ensure victories can be sustained in the long-run

To learn more about the Advocacy Institute's range of services and programs, and how we might collaborate with your organization, we invite you to read about our services, methodology, and results.

Be H.I.P.P: Have Influence on Public Policy Manual & The Community E-Learning Module
The “Be H.I.P.P: Have Influence on Public Policy” manual and supporting e-learning module was designed by YMCA Canada to help YMCA leaders and voluntary sector leaders to increase their understanding of the structure, processes, priorities and key players of local, provincial and federal governments in addition to providing tools for developing and influencing public policy strategy.

Below, the “Be H.I.P.P” manual is available for download in both English and French in PDF format.
English: http://www.ymca.ca/meida/59241/be_hipp_manual.pdf

E-Learning Module: http://www.ymca.ca/en/who-we-are/resources-and-reports/behipp.aspx

The supporting e-learning module: This 2-hour self-guided e-learning module, also called “BE H.I.P.P. - Have Influence on Public Policy,” will assist voluntary sector leaders and future voluntary sector leaders in increasing their knowledge and understanding of public policy. It can be found by going to this web sitehttp://www.ymca.ca/behipp/hipp.html .

Canadian Injury Prevention and Control Curriculum Participant Guide: www.canadianinjurycurriculum.ca

By the Canadian Collaborative Centres for Injury Prevention and Control, 2003
Lesson 10: Policy and Advocacy Techniques

The Canadian Injury Prevention Curriculum (CIPC) is a unique resource of over 300-pages of curriculum focused on injury prevention and control theory and practice. The CIPCC is exclusive in that it is the first curriculum of its kind focused on injury prevention and control theory, targeted to community-based practitioners. It is also a resource that is built on Canadian content and uses real Canadian examples to illustrate concepts.

The Canadian Injury Prevention Curriculum is a three day workshop that provides participants with the fundamentals of injury prevention theory and practice. The CIPC website includes information, resources and website links that support injury prevention practice for workshop facilitators, participants and injury related practitioner.

Lesson 10: Policy and Advocacy Techniques, presents the concepts and techniques that can be used to assist in making policy and/or legislative change. It includes information on advocacy, understanding the policy process, developing and advocacy strategy, and tools to mobilize the community.

Additional information on the curriculum and upcoming workshops is available on the CIPC website.

Capacity Building: Linking Community Experience to Public Policy: www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/canada/regions/atlantic/Publications/Capacity_building/index.html

By Dodd, Julie Devon and Boyd, Michelle Hebert, 2000
Population and Public Health Branch, Atlantic Regional Office, Health Canada

Capacity Building: Linking Community Experience to Public Policy is a resource designed to help people in both the public sector and the community understand how to include community experience in the policy-making process. It examines the current policy development process and looks at the opportunities and challenges facing both communities and systems as they attempt to create a more inclusive public policy process.

Charity Village: http://charityvillage.com/cv/main.asp
You are on Main Street at Charity Village®, Canada's supersite for the nonprofit sector --- 3,000 pages of news, jobs, information and resources for executives, staffers, donors, and volunteers. If philanthropy and volunteerism are part of your world, this is your place. Discover what's new today in the village, or visit our Welcome Centre for first-time visitors and the media. Type ‘advocacy’ in the search box to see resources regarding advocacy.

The Citizen's Guide to the Alberta Legislature, Seventh Edition© 2010: www.assembly.ab.ca/pub/gdbook/citizensguide.pdf
Where did builders find the marble for the Legislature Building? How is an American state legislature different from our provincial legislature? What happens during a typical legislative session? The answers to these and many other questions are in this helpful booklet. Its chapters cover a remarkable variety of Legislature-related topics. The booklet also contains review questions to help you remember the information.

The Community Tool Box: http://ctb.ku.edu/index.jsp

The goal of the Community Tool Box is to support your work in promoting community health and development. The Tool Box provides over 6,000 pages of practical skill-building information on over 250 different topics. Topic sections include step-by-step instruction, examples, check-lists, and related resources.

See Part I: Organizing for Advocacy in the Table of Contents.

The Lobbying and Advocacy Handbook for Nonprofit Organizations: Shaping Public Policy at the State and Local Level
By Avner, Marcia, 2002
Your "How-To" Guide to State and Local Lobbying
This guide is your complete road map to shaping public policy at the state and local level. It gives detailed, step-by-step instructions for developing an effective plan and putting it into action. With this handbook, you will:

Discover how lobbying can help fulfill your mission
Learn how to initiate, support, or defeat bills
Develop effective lobbying skills
Gather and mobilize support for your positions
Learn how to use the media effectively
Influence gov’t administrators to back your policy positions
Comply with state and federal regulations
Set up systems in your nonprofit to support lobbying

Adaptable to Your Unique Needs
This flexible book can be tailored to fit your situation. You have four different planning strategies to choose from—short-term, long-term, proactive, or reactive. Want to move quickly? Use the "planning shortcuts." Plus, a special "rapid response guide" helps you with emergencies.

Straightforward and Action Oriented
In addition to a clear framework for planning your policy work, author Marcia Avner shares with you the nitty gritty of effective lobbying based on her more than 30 years of experience. You'll find concrete information on:

Building relationships with public officials
What you need to know to make your case
How to testify at a committee hearing
How to find out how it works in your area
Mistakes to avoid, and much more!

Available for loan from the ACICR Library.

voice: voluntary organizations involved in collaborative engagement: http://www.project-voice.ca/English/Home.html
Welcome to Make Your VOICE Count! This site provides tools and resources designed to assist you in your ability to influence health policy. Use these tools to build relationships, identify opportunities, and find practical ways to influence health policy.
This site has been developed to increase the policy capacity of Voluntary Organizations Working in Health (VOWH), Health Canada, and the Public Health Agency of Canada.