Child Advocacy Primer

Summary

This guide reviews 10 key child advocacy skills, such as setting an agenda, leveraging communication tools, and creating a coalition. At nearly every turn, readers will learn important questions to ask, examples of successful strategies and resources for learning more. The end goal? Help child advocates — rookies to veterans — sharpen their skills toolbox in pursuit of better outcomes for children.          

Table of Contents

• Table of Contents
• Foreword: What is Child Advocacy?
• Introduction: The Purpose of This Manual
• Chapter 1: Setting an Advocacy Agenda
• Chapter 2: Communications
• Chapter 3: Working In Advocacy Coalitions
• Chapter 4: Community Engagement
• Chapter 5: Legislative Advocacy
• Chapter 6: Electoral Advocacy
• Chapter 7: Administrative Advocacy
• Chapter 8: Legal Advocacy
• Chapter 9: Monitoring Program
• Chapter 10: Evaluation of Your Organization’s Work
• Additional Resources
• Voices’ Mission and Services
• Voices for America’s Children Staff List

Key Takeaway

Individuals who want to be child advocates receive little or no formal training

Child advocates enter the profession from all walks of life, bringing a wide range of knowledge and experiences to the job. Many of these individuals lack skills that are essential for child advocacy work, and they have too few opportunities to sharpen their talent tool kit as their careers evolve. One way to address this skills deficit? This guide.