Contra Costa County
Healthy Neighborhoods Project
Advocacy Training
Keller House
November 15, 2003

CHOOSE AN ADVOCACY ISSUE:
* That improves lines of communication
* Gives sense of power
* Alters relationship of power
* Is worthwhile
* Is widely felt
* Is winnable
* Is understandable
* Has clear target or goal
* With clear time frame
* Is non-divisive
* That builds leadership

MONUMENT CORRIDOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY GOAL
* Safety around school
* Safer community
* Quality of life - safe and proud and physically healthy
* Goals have several objectives under main goal
* Goal is where feel safe and secure in getting to destination
* Community where residents feel safe and secure and proud to live, work, play and raise a family

MONUMENT CORRIDOR PEDESTRIAN SAFETY GOAL
* "A community where residents feel safe and secure: proud to live, work, play and raise their families."

EXAMPLE OBJECTIVE
* Highway Patrol coming out and providing training in helmet use and pedestrian safety.

OUR MANY OBJECTIVES:
* Red curb for no parking that blocks sight line at intersection of Detroit and Sunshine
* Traffic light at Laguna and Detroit long term, and crossing guard short term
* Detroit and Sunshine has crossing guard, is where people cross to get to Meadow Homes Park
* Speeding on Detroit
* Main Objective: safe pedestrian crossings on all of Detroit


DEFINITIONS
Goal: something we agree on (like mission statement)
Objective: process taken to meet goal
Activities: steps taken to achieve objective

ACTIVITY FOR MAIN OBJECTIVE
* Main big thing: (5) Planning meeting with residents, school district, police department, school/parent groups, City staff, businesses
* (3) Each NAT comes up with own questions to City officials
* (2A) Draft letter around safety on Detroit, (2B) send to residents of Detroit and to the school to invite to planning meeting
* Visual aids for meetings - maps showing where accidents happen, pictures taken by children (see tires of SUV)
* (1) sub-committee made of NAT leaders, residents of Detroit, partnership members, (City officials, stake holders)
* (4) preparation of residents for public speaking (in own language) to City officials
* (1A) Research accident statistics


GETTING ADVOCACY ISSUE OUT
* use media correctly
* to use media coverage when it will be most effective
* media options
* press conferences
* letters to editors
* announcements and bulletin boards

Need to target who and timing.
Good relationship with reporter, write article and send.

IDENTIFY KEY STAKEHOLDERS 
Within community, and have meetings
e.g.: NAT'S networks with City and Housing Task Force 
Assignments: who will take lard role in each activity
Timeline:

OUR ASSIGNMENTS
* Lead NAT: "Grupo de Union y Familia" [Meadow Homes NAT] (Carmen and Evelyn)
* Co-Lead: Concord Park Neigh. Assoc. (Dave and Pat)
* Other assignments are to sub-committee
* Martha Potts to help with letter

TIMELINE
* November next year, celebrate one or two accomplishments
* (5) Planning Meeting by end of Feb 2004 (Don't take too long)
* (1) Sub-committee meet by Dec 15 and again 2nd week of Jan
* (2A) Draft letter by Dec 19
* (2B) Do outreach:
o day of event
o 3 days prior
o 2 weeks prior
o 1 month prior
o to City staff when you know they know [ASAP]
Outreach: letter, flier, and phone calls to residents
* (3) NAT questions by 3rd week of Feb
* (4) Preparation for public speaking for all of Feb

WHAT TYPE OF MEDIA HAS BEEN USED?
* Newspapers
* Newsletter
* Fliers and canvassing
* Word of mouth
* Churches
* Schools, PTA
* haven't been used: Spanish newspapers

RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES
* recruitment can happen anywhere
* identify residents that are able, willing and ready
* attend community events as a participant
* lend support to community issues even if it may not be on your agenda
* keep relationships sustained by providing consistent information on work you do, and the issues
* identify residential talents, leadership skills and interests, and offer tasks based on the above
* celebrate residents that participate, i.e. certificates of appreciation, gifts, appreciation banquets, dinner. Important: let them know they are valued! (is what politicians do)

OUR RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES THAT WORK
* example: bull horn to announce meeting (cultural cue)
* put in language people will accept
* have hook (issue) for those you're trying to recruit
* door to door
* go where people gather
* be at the place that generates the issue
* raffles

ANYTHING ELSE THAT WORKS
* choosing the issue
* the steps to developing the plan
* concrete planning around the timeline
* examples of work in other communities relating to real issues
* good packet