Do you see an early childhood policy challenge in your community and want to be part of a legislative solution?

Are you planning to attend Early Childhood Day at the Legislature?

Do you want to engage in the legislative processes that result in laws and budgets that affect Vermont kids and families?

Alliance training sessions are designed for any parent, professional, and employer interested in strengthening their advocacy techniques and communication skills in order to ensure their voice is heard on issues impacting Vermont’s young children, families, and early childhood professionals.

Training Topics

Review Legislative Processes

Understand the legislative process that creates Vermont’s public policies, and the advocacy efforts that support the programs and services of the early childhood system. Explore the role of legislators, administrators, and advocates in improving them. Review the mechanics of how a bill becomes a law and how the state budget is crafted. 

Discuss Early Childhood Issues 

Discuss early childhood issues that affect families, providers, and early childhood businesses. Identify who is involved, learn where policy proposals are headed for the 2019 Legislative Session, and how to engage in campaigns and coalitions.

Strengthen Advocacy Skills

Review techniques for strengthening relationships with legislators and communication approaches in order to better advocate for policies impacting children, families and early childhood professionals. Identify your legislators and the committees of jurisdiction over early childhood issues and ways for you to effectively influence policymaking for children and families.

Craft a Compelling Story

What do you have to say about an issue that is important to you? How can you say it to policymakers in a way that influences their decisions that impact kids and families? Discuss different roles that early childhood advocates can play in the advocacy process. Develop an “elevator speech” for talking to community members, administrators, and/or legislators about an issue. Combine issue talking points, data, and personal stories to build a case for public investment in a program and service. 

Be Prepared for Federal Budget Advocacy

Learn how the federal budget is written and approved and how to more deeply engage with Vermont’s Congressional delegation as they consider spending plans. This session provides attendees with a chance to:

• Learn how the federal budget is written and approved
• Demystify the jargon used to describe the process
• Go beyond relying on “click-and-send” emails for your advocacy
• Learn how to more deeply engage Vermont’s Congressional delegation
• Develop your own advocacy plan for in-state advocacy

Design Your Organization’s Advocacy Strategic Plan

Does your organization’s mission include policy change? Is your leadership or Board exploring the most effective way to dedicate capacity and resources to advocacy efforts? Conversations with Alliance staff can support your thinking about ways your organization can add value to campaigns, carve out time for staff to participate, and join collaborations.

LET’S GET STARTED!

Trainings are available to any group of five or more and can be tailored to the interests of the audience and time available (from 45 minutes to 2+ hours). Sessions can be designed for conferences, meetings, and other events that are already scheduled. Professional development credit from Northern Lights Career and Development Center at CCV is available for longer formats.

To discuss ideas, contact Matt Levin, Executive Director at matt@vecaa.org.