Submit a message to your political representative(s). Address the following in your message:
- Use the appropriate structure for the delivery format (letter or email).
- Introduce yourself and your intent or request.
- Describe the social problem and impacts of the policy in question.
- Use facts, stories, or other details to appeal to the representative(s) and connect the policy work to their district or state.
- Provide a call to action—inspire your representative(s) to rise to this occasion.
Page 2:
Submit a 1-page reflection of your process for writing a message to your political representative(s). Address the following in your short reflection:
- Describe the experience of sending the message—either via letter or email—to your representative(s). How did it feel to formally advocate on behalf of a policy to alleviate a social problem you have thoroughly reviewed?
- Did you write a letter or an email? Explain your reasoning.
- Describe how you constructed the letter. Use the Council on Social Work Education and American Psychological Association resources from the Learning Resources this week to support your choices.
- Explain how you used your advocacy skills in your communication.
- What are your next steps as an advocate?
Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC. (2017).Advocacy Handbook: A resource guide for social workers Council on Social Work Education. https://www.cswe.org/Advocacy-Policy/CSWEAdvocacyHandbook_Oct2017
American Psychological Association. (2017). How to write a letter or email: Stand out among the hundreds of letters and emails that flood the mailboxes of congresspeople each day
Full Answer Section
I urge you to rise to this occasion and support [Policy proposal]. By doing so, you can make a real difference in the lives of many people in our community.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, [Your name]
1-page reflection
Experience of sending the message
I felt a sense of empowerment and responsibility when I sent my message to my representative. I knew that I was advocating for a cause that I believed in, and I was hopeful that my message would make a difference. I chose to write an email because I felt that it was the most efficient way to reach my representative.
Construction of the letter
I used the Council on Social Work Education and American Psychological Association resources to help me construct my letter. I was particularly mindful of the following principles:
- Clarity: I made sure that my message was clear and concise. I avoided using jargon and technical language.
- Accuracy: I carefully fact-checked my message to ensure that all of the information was accurate.
- Respect: I maintained a respectful tone throughout my message. I avoided using any personal attacks or inflammatory language.
- Personalization: I personalized my message by including a story about the impact of the social problem on a specific population group in my representative's district.
Advocacy skills
I used my advocacy skills in my communication by:
- Identifying a specific problem: I clearly identified the social problem that I was concerned about.
- Proposing a solution: I proposed a specific policy solution to the problem.
- Providing evidence: I provided facts, statistics, and stories to support my claims.
- Making a call to action: I clearly stated what I wanted my representative to do.
Next steps as an advocate
I plan to continue advocating for the cause of [Social problem]. I will do this by:
- Staying informed: I will continue to stay informed about the latest developments on the issue.
- Contacting my representative: I will continue to contact my representative to express my support for [Policy proposal].
- Organizing others: I will work to organize others in my community to advocate for [Policy proposal].
I believe that everyone has a right to live a healthy and fulfilling life. I am committed to doing my part to address the social problem of [Social problem]. I hope that my message will inspire others to do the same.
Sample Answer
Email
Dear Representative [Representative's name],
I am writing to you today as a constituent of [Your district] to express my deep concern about the social problem of [Social problem].
[Social problem] is a serious issue that is having a devastating impact on our community. [Describe the social problem and its impacts in more detail.]
I am particularly concerned about the impact of [Social problem] on [Specific population group in your representative's district or state]. [Provide a story or other details to illustrate the impact of the problem on this population group.]
I believe that the government has a responsibility to address the problem of [Social problem]. I urge you to support [Policy proposal]. This policy proposal would [Describe the policy proposal and its benefits in more detail.]