Module 2:

 Engaging with Your Community

As an advocate your goal is to help make a difference in your community by educating, inspiring, and guiding others to believe in your cause.  By involving your community, you can create a network of people who can help share your efforts and recruit others to join as well as bring more awareness to the issue you are advocating for.

But what makes up a community? Who in the community can help?

Advocacy is about doing something to support, recommend, or implement actions linked to an idea or cause that you care about. Also, advocacy has different forms of implementation.

You can also think of a community as:

- A group of people who live in the same
  place like your city.

- A group of people who have a certain
  characteristic in common such as
  your age.

- A group of people who share common
  attitudes, interests, and goals like a
  recycling club whose members are
  dedicated to reducing trash
  and other waste.

Here are a few examples of other community groups you can talk to and recruit from:

Now that we have covered what makes a community and the kinds of people you can connect and work with, the next step is knowing how to communicate your passion and goals about your advocacy work. The next lesson will cover an important step in how to communicate with your community.

Stories are a powerful tool for advocates as they put a face to a cause and humanize the work being done. People naturally think in stories, so sharing your “why” or purpose can help create an emotional connection for others. Those who are emotionally invested in an issue are more likely to dedicate their time and will make your issue a top priority.

A well-crafted story also helps your audience remember you and can serve as an effective form of persuasion when working on policy like passing a city ordinance that prevents smoking and vaping inside restaurants and other businesses. Advocating for a tobacco-free life should involve presenting facts and current laws to motivate action, but sharing your story will help you connect with individuals on a more personal level.

When telling your story, it's important to clearly communicate your purpose and how you would like that person to get involved. Use the tips below to craft your story.

Here is a good example of a Say What! Teen Ambassador utilizing her "Why" story to communicate to the audience why she is invested in advocating for tobacco prevention within her community.

Engaging with your community can be as easy as sharing information about a concern you have with others while at a park or it can be as complex as hosting a rally or march. Below is a list of activities you can do to help bring awareness to your cause. Some activities can be completed by yourself while other activities will require the help of others as well as time to plan out important details.

Activities You Can Do:

• Presentations

  Giving a speech or talk to a school club, city hall, or community group.

• Individual
  Meetings

  Setting a time to speak to a teacher, principal, or an elected official.

• Signatures
  for Support

  Collecting signatures or letters from groups or individuals supporting your  advocacy work.

• Working
  with Media

  Sharing information regarding advocacy work/events through social media or your local news channels.