Neighborhood Partnerships is pleased to announce that applications are now available for the fourth round of our Advocates College. The first three Advocates Colleges were huge successes, and have had immediate benefits for participants.
Sybil Hebb, lobbyist for the Oregon Law Center and graduate of the first Advocate’s College, has this to say:
” The Advocates College has been invaluable in enhancing and honing my advocacy skills. The exercises and the critique by dedicated and passionate allies sharpened my thinking and broadened my understanding. I’ve used the skills during the 2013 Legislative session to build and maintain bi-partisan support for foreclosure reform and essential services.”
Round Four of the Advocate’s College will:
- Support established leaders and communications professionals who are working to create an Oregon which offers its diversity of residents opportunities to thrive, pathways out of poverty and disenfranchisement and adequately supported public systems and structures as shared tools for these goals.
- Train and support an emerging cadre of leaders and communicators as they work on issues and in cross-issue coalitions to develop messages and materials that resonate and move an advocacy agenda. We will select participants who have a clear issue focus and advocacy or campaign plan, a commitment to strategic communications, and a recognition that building public support for governmental action and resources is an underlying priority. We will continue to prioritize individuals who are doing grass roots organizing or voter engagement.
- Improve communications across issue silos. We want to build our ability to advance a broadly shared view of what it takes to build a state and communities where opportunity is real, asset building is a priority and citizens are engaged in creating the future. We hope to support one another’s efforts to address critical needs, and together address the underlying resource and public will challenges that hamper all of our success.
Dates:
Sessions will be held in Portland. Dates and times are:
- Tuesday October 8, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Tuesday , November 5, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Tuesday, December 3, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 4, 2013 9 a.m. to Noon OR
Thursday, December 5, 2013, 9 a.m. to Noon - Tuesday, January 7, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Patrick Bresette of Public Works will once again join us as trainer, with Janet Byrd and Alison McIntosh of Neighborhood Partnerships. We will be joined by invited local and national experts.
Selection Criteria:
Download the full description of the Advocates College here. The application is now available, and is due at Neighborhood Partnerships by September 16, 2013. Our application is designed to help us select the cohort most able to put these skills into use, and to tailor our sessions to support their progress.
Questions about the Advocates College, the application process or anything else? Email Janet or read more here.