Open Discussion Forum

​Hello Early Childhood Tribe!

As a newbie in advocacy, I am working at state and local levels to increase awareness of early childhood care and education and to increase active membership and participation at the state AEYC level and within affiliate chapters.

Please (really begging!) share some example's of what you have done to increase membership, get the word out about your organization to the general public, engage with families to learn about their needs, resources used to support advocacy work, successful events, legislative contact methods and so on...

Lastly, I will be conducting an Advocacy workshop at the South Dakota Early Childhood and Education convention and would appreciate any tips that would be helpful in forming this presentation with a goal of creating a SDAEYC advocacy committee. Please send any files or  information to my inbox or post.

Much thanks!

Fran


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Fran Apland
Rapid City SD
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One thing we did in our local area that gathered a variety of folks over time was to host monthly "Wine Down Wednesdays" at local spots.  Educators would network while winding down with wine.  These events were very popular.  Often, organizers would have an activity planned for the group such as creating vision boards, de-stressing with adult coloring books, etc.

------------------------------
Sherrie Rose Mayle
Director/Teacher
Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
Campbell, CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-21-2019 10:04 AM
From: Fran Apland
Subject: Advocacy at State and Local Level

​Hello Early Childhood Tribe!

As a newbie in advocacy, I am working at state and local levels to increase awareness of early childhood care and education and to increase active membership and participation at the state AEYC level and within affiliate chapters.

Please (really begging!) share some example's of what you have done to increase membership, get the word out about your organization to the general public, engage with families to learn about their needs, resources used to support advocacy work, successful events, legislative contact methods and so on...

Lastly, I will be conducting an Advocacy workshop at the South Dakota Early Childhood and Education convention and would appreciate any tips that would be helpful in forming this presentation with a goal of creating a SDAEYC advocacy committee. Please send any files or  information to sfapland@yahoo.com or post.

Much thanks!

Fran


------------------------------
Fran Apland
Rapid City SD
------------------------------

I love Sherrie's suggestion.

------------------------------
Naisha Feliciano-Moragon
Job Coach / Teacher Instructor
Godman Guild Association
Columbus OH
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-22-2019 09:16 AM
From: Sherrie Mayle
Subject: Advocacy at State and Local Level

One thing we did in our local area that gathered a variety of folks over time was to host monthly "Wine Down Wednesdays" at local spots.  Educators would network while winding down with wine.  These events were very popular.  Often, organizers would have an activity planned for the group such as creating vision boards, de-stressing with adult coloring books, etc.

------------------------------
Sherrie Rose Mayle
Director/Teacher
Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
Campbell, CA

Original Message:
Sent: 03-21-2019 10:04 AM
From: Fran Apland
Subject: Advocacy at State and Local Level

​Hello Early Childhood Tribe!

As a newbie in advocacy, I am working at state and local levels to increase awareness of early childhood care and education and to increase active membership and participation at the state AEYC level and within affiliate chapters.

Please (really begging!) share some example's of what you have done to increase membership, get the word out about your organization to the general public, engage with families to learn about their needs, resources used to support advocacy work, successful events, legislative contact methods and so on...

Lastly, I will be conducting an Advocacy workshop at the South Dakota Early Childhood and Education convention and would appreciate any tips that would be helpful in forming this presentation with a goal of creating a SDAEYC advocacy committee. Please send any files or  information to sfapland@yahoo.com or post.

Much thanks!

Fran


------------------------------
Fran Apland
Rapid City SD
------------------------------

Good afternoon,

I just like to mention that participated in the 2019 Public Policy Forum in Washington D.C from February 24 to 26. I got the opportunity to visit a few legislators in Capital Hill which was an amazing experience to walk inside those buildings and visit their offices. I got to speak on behalf of families and children who need high-quality childcare and about a workforce that is highly underfunded.

Now, our state leader would like us to continue with our policy agenda by making local visits.  I think this is a great idea in order for legislators to see infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms, and the type of funding that it takes to run a high-quality child-care center.

I hear you about increasing membership. We are a small group in Los Angeles, CA- the SCC CAAEYC Policy Committee which actually just started in 2019, so I would also love to hear ideas about how to increase membership and be more effective. Good luck!

------------------------------
Juana Armenta
preschool
voala
Granada Hills CA
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-22-2019 11:33 AM
From: Naisha Feliciano-Moragon
Subject: Advocacy at State and Local Level

I love Sherrie's suggestion.

------------------------------
Naisha Feliciano-Moragon
Job Coach / Teacher Instructor
Godman Guild Association
Columbus OH

Original Message:
Sent: 03-22-2019 09:16 AM
From: Sherrie Mayle
Subject: Advocacy at State and Local Level

One thing we did in our local area that gathered a variety of folks over time was to host monthly "Wine Down Wednesdays" at local spots.  Educators would network while winding down with wine.  These events were very popular.  Often, organizers would have an activity planned for the group such as creating vision boards, de-stressing with adult coloring books, etc.

------------------------------
Sherrie Rose Mayle
Director/Teacher
Campbell Parents' Participation Preschool
Campbell, CA

Original Message:
Sent: 03-21-2019 10:04 AM
From: Fran Apland
Subject: Advocacy at State and Local Level

​Hello Early Childhood Tribe!

As a newbie in advocacy, I am working at state and local levels to increase awareness of early childhood care and education and to increase active membership and participation at the state AEYC level and within affiliate chapters.

Please (really begging!) share some example's of what you have done to increase membership, get the word out about your organization to the general public, engage with families to learn about their needs, resources used to support advocacy work, successful events, legislative contact methods and so on...

Lastly, I will be conducting an Advocacy workshop at the South Dakota Early Childhood and Education convention and would appreciate any tips that would be helpful in forming this presentation with a goal of creating a SDAEYC advocacy committee. Please send any files or  information to sfapland@yahoo.com or post.

Much thanks!

Fran


------------------------------
Fran Apland
Rapid City SD
------------------------------

If you're interested in advocacy, I'd recommend checking out the newly launched https://www.movementforchildcare.org/ which has resources like sample op-ed language and social media content, a place to share your story, and more. And for state/local specific numbers that could be helpful in advocacy, check out childcaredeserts.org , CAP's early learning state fact sheets: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/early-childhood/reports/2018/09/13/457747/early-learning-united-states-2018/, and the State of Babies yearbook: https://stateofbabies.org/  Hope this is helpful and best of luck!

------------------------------
Steven Jessen-Howard
Research Assistant
Center for American Progress
Washington DC
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-21-2019 10:04 AM
From: Fran Apland
Subject: Advocacy at State and Local Level

​Hello Early Childhood Tribe!

As a newbie in advocacy, I am working at state and local levels to increase awareness of early childhood care and education and to increase active membership and participation at the state AEYC level and within affiliate chapters.

Please (really begging!) share some example's of what you have done to increase membership, get the word out about your organization to the general public, engage with families to learn about their needs, resources used to support advocacy work, successful events, legislative contact methods and so on...

Lastly, I will be conducting an Advocacy workshop at the South Dakota Early Childhood and Education convention and would appreciate any tips that would be helpful in forming this presentation with a goal of creating a SDAEYC advocacy committee. Please send any files or  information to my inbox or post.

Much thanks!

Fran


------------------------------
Fran Apland
Rapid City SD
------------------------------

HI,
I have worked with advocates in a rural state for many years. You have received some good ideas. Let me suggest you and a core group of trusted peers discuss what is an issue or issues (no more than 3) that you feel are relevant to most early childhood professionals and parents of young children in South Dakota. It is much easier to gather a group if they have  shared goal. I would also suggest you take advantage of national groups for data. Trustworthy groups to research are CLASP, Federal agencies such as Head Start, National Women's Law Center, Center for American Progress, Children's Defense Fund, Bipartisan Policy Center, Zero to Three and many more.  

Since you live in a rural state, I am aware of the problems you may have with in-person meetings,so you want to use Skype or Zoom for meetings as well as an e-mail list serve. As your state prepares for local and state elections, you might want to submit questionnaires to candidates to get their views on issues important to the membership and publish them for all to read.  I hope this has been helpful.

Cathy Grace, MS

------------------------------
Cathy Grace
UM
Tupelo MS
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-21-2019 10:04 AM
From: Fran Apland
Subject: Advocacy at State and Local Level

​Hello Early Childhood Tribe!

As a newbie in advocacy, I am working at state and local levels to increase awareness of early childhood care and education and to increase active membership and participation at the state AEYC level and within affiliate chapters.

Please (really begging!) share some example's of what you have done to increase membership, get the word out about your organization to the general public, engage with families to learn about their needs, resources used to support advocacy work, successful events, legislative contact methods and so on...

Lastly, I will be conducting an Advocacy workshop at the South Dakota Early Childhood and Education convention and would appreciate any tips that would be helpful in forming this presentation with a goal of creating a SDAEYC advocacy committee. Please send any files or  information to my inbox or post.

Much thanks!

Fran


------------------------------
Fran Apland
Rapid City SD
------------------------------