To advocate is to speak out or act on behalf of a person or a group of people to improve lives and to solve social and political problems.

Advocates solve problems. Some advocates work with individuals to resolve problems (case advocacy), like many lawyers and social workers. Other advocates work to improve our society (policy advocacy) and the world by working on problems like social justice and inequality. Advocates work on many issues towards world peace, for humane treatment of animals, to improve schools, neighborhoods and parks. YouthAction NYC advocates to make New York City a better place for children and families.

There are myriad ways advocates do their work. YouthAction NYC uses a process we call Fact-Based Advocacy. In order to learn more about an issue or problem, we gather facts by reading reports and articles and researching statistics. These facts help us determine solutions and present the problem in a clear and informed manner.

The Five Steps of Fact-Based Advocacy

Step 1: Do Your Homework and Research Get facts to back up your ideas. Research the issue, so you can talk about it clearly to anyone, including your friends and family, but also to elected officials, community leaders and the media. If you know what you are talking about, people will want to listen to and you will have a reputation for being well informed, intelligent and persuasive.

To gather information read reports, journals, and newspapers and use the library and Internet.

Step 2: Observe Go out and see for yourself what's going on. Observe and monitor the services and programs available to people affected by your issue. For instance, if your issue is homelessness, visit a homeless shelter. You should get permission before visiting an organization. This may involve writing a letter.

You may also wish to talk to people who are directly affected by the problem - get their opinions and stories. You can talk to them informally or you can design a standard survey or questionnaire and ask everyone the same questions.

Lastly, talk to leaders! It's important to know what service providers, community leaders and government officials are thinking and doing about the problem. For instance, if legislation has been proposed that will impact your issue, do you want to talk to elected officials about supporting that legislation?

Let's think about the homeless example again. To learn more about homelessness in New York City, you may choose to interview the director of a homeless shelter, talk to people staying in the shelter and talk to politicians and/or their staff about what the government is doing about homelessness.

Remember -It's important to protect people involved who may be willing to discuss problems and solutions with you. Keep them in confidence. Use the information but not their names.

Step 3: Public Opinion - Take the pulse You need to know what more than a few people think about the issue, not just people directly affected by the problem but the general public as well. In this way you get a general consensus about the problem and what recommendations and services the public may or may not support. Gathering public opinion may add support to your advocacy efforts and your recommendations for change.

It may also show you what people DON'T know about the issue, but should! As an advocate, you always need to be aware of the public's knowledge and work on educating people.

Some of the best ways to get public opinion are designing a survey or questionnaire or conducting a focus group.

You may ask the following people to participate:

1. The public - people who live in the City or a particular community you might be concerned about - anyone with an opinion!

2. People who are affected by the issue and use or need services or programs

Step 4: Prepare Constructive Solutions to the Problem After you have researched a problem, visited organizations that address the problem, gathered public opinion and talked to people familiar with the issue - you need to review and organize your findings in order to come up with recommendations and solutions.

Use facts and opinions to support your recommendation and to talk about your cause. Your recommendations should be supported by your combined findings (your research, observations and public opinion).

Step 5: Get the Word Out! The most critical piece of this process is communicating findings and recommendations for change to the public, public policy makers, elected officials and the media. In order to make change you must first educate others so they know about the problem, what you have learned and your proposed solutions or recommendations.

What are some common tools advocates use to educate?

1. Meetings with community leaders and elected officials: Set up meetings with elected officials to discuss the issue.

2. Postcard or letter writing campaign: Educate your friends, family, classmates, neighbors and community members about the issue so they can help and so they can write informative letters. Ask those you educate to send postcards and letters to their elected officials urging their support of necessary legislation, budget or policy initiatives.

3. Press conferences, media attention: Hold a press conference or write letters to editors and journalists drawing attention to the issue and asking them to cover the issue.

4. Use the Web: Use the web to research the problem and find organizations that are working to address the issue you are concerned with.

5. Use the Phone: Educate others about the issue and help them prepare a phone conversation with an elected official or staff in that official's office.

6. Demonstrations, picketing, rallies: Organize an event for your cause at a strategic location and get as many people as possible there to show support. For instance, go to City Hall or a place where elected officials work or find a location that signifies the cause for which you are advocating.

Remember, that when the public is well informed they can hold their elected officials accountable (meaning - elected officials work for you, if they are not doing their job well, this should be made known so that they are not voted into office again). When elected officials are well informed they are better able to make critical and difficult decisions.

For more information about working with the media, click here to download YA's Guide to New York City's Media. Or visit Youth Noise at www.youthnoise.org to learn more about advocacy and government.