Administrators

As an administrator, you are key to the success of advocacy efforts in your state and local area. Without your support, advocacy efforts can fail. Your leadership and support is essential to buy-in.

Instructors and staff need to hear from you about what is allowable, both in advocating for adult literacy on their own and with adult learners. They want to know that you support them and why their voices matter.

Issues You Face

What is my role in advocacy?

An essential advocacy guide for any program administrator is Stand Up and Be Counted, the Pennsylvania Association for Adult and Continuing Education (PAACE) grassroots advocacy manual. In it you will find practical advice from advocates on the role of program administrators in advocacy. In brief:

• Be the local resource person for your legislator on adult literacy issues in your community. Share local program data with legislators. Fold in state and national data where available. Position yourself as an ongoing resource for them.

• Support others in advocacy. Help staff, volunteers, and adult learners dedicate time for it. Help them understand the alerts; model how to call a Congressional office and follow up.

• Create and grow effective grassroots networks. Grassroots need local leaders to organize a local network of advocates. If you cannot do this, find someone who can spearhead the effort.

• Involve others to share advocacy responsibilities. Build advocacy leadership among staff and volunteers. Distribute responsibility and integrate advocacy into daily routines.

• Invite legislators to visit the program. Dedicate time for teachers and adult learners to prepare, including practicing what they may say and do. See an example from Dorcas Place on Building Relationships with Elected Officials Through Program Visits.

• Volunteer with your professional association or literacy coalition to be more involved in advocacy.

What is allowable in advocacy?

See What You Can Legally Do to learn the differences between educating, advocating, and lobbying and what this means for you. See Overcoming Barriers for answers to difficult questions.

How can I support my instructors when they feel like their participation may not matter?

Instructor participation does matter! Instructors have a unique perspective because they see the impact of literacy with individuals and communities; legislators want to hear from them. Legislators also want to hear from adult learners—about their successes and struggles with adult literacy and how the program makes a difference in their lives.

See Teachers and Tutors for instructor resources on advocacy; see Adult Learners for student resources. See Contacting Legislators to share tips for calling, writing, or visiting with legislators.

How can I engage civic, business, and labor leaders in advocating for adult literacy?

See Creating Responsive Networks for tips on creating and mobilizing effective grassroots networks.

How important is my legislator?

Your legislator is very important, but not all legislators are equal. Some legislators are members of key committees that make decisions about adult education and literacy. Advocate and lobby your legislator for your cause. You never know where he or she may end up! But if your legislator is on a key committee, your participation is especially critical.

To learn what the key committees are and which legislators are members, see Targeting Legislators.

How can we target our time effectively?

See Using Your Time Wisely for tips.

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