Advocacy
The Arc believes that people with disabilities and their families are by far the best voices for change. Your personal stories are what truly make a difference. Our Governmental Affairs Team is here to teach you how to effectively advocate for yourself and the people you care about.
Since our founding in 1950, The Arc has been instrumental in the creation of virtually every program, service, right, and benefit now available to the hundreds of thousands of Texans with intellectual and other developmental disabilities.
Join us as we work to change attitudes and laws that impact persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities!
Advocacy In Action: Getting to the Heart of the Matter
Trainings:
Basic Systems Advocacy: This training provides an overview of individual and systems advocacy, as well as information about coalition building, issues and strategy development, working with the media, and working with legislators. It is typically 2-3 hours and prepares beginner advocates to participate in legislative advocacy.
Advanced Systems Advocacy: This training takes the basic-systems advocacy training course a step farther. In addition to providing an overview of the basic/beginner material, this curriculum provides the building blocks for establishing and maintaining an effective coalition. The curriculum will allow coalitions to work through the materials and scenarios with a trained facilitator (community organizer), so that the coalition determines issues, priorities, strategies, and timelines for attaining their goal of impacting public policy. This training typically takes two 3-5 hour sessions and a commitment to others in the coalition.
Advocacy Manual (English)
Advocacy Manual (Spainsh)
Attend a training: Contact Amy Mizcles to schedule an advocacy training in your area.