TAKE ACTION on your PLEDGE to Make Kids and Families a Priority in 2020
While policy work in 2020 tends to be eclipsed by the elections, work is still being done by our members of Congress and elected officials in the state House and Senate. Debates will be happening prioritizing investments in the next state and federal budget cycles, and other issues that policymakers are prioritizing will make it into committees as well. Constituents need to help them with their prioritization by continuing to act on our pledge to make kids and families a priority, by taking and making opportunities to get to know elected officials, informing them experience and work and helping them learn from the children and families whom they represent. State budget and other discussions have been more contentious than ever, and policymakers need to not lose track of children and families in the process.
Now is a great time to:
Take and Make opportunities to get to know elected officials and raise my voice.
Find out who your elected officials are and how to get in touch with them.
Pay attention to where they will be through their coffee hours, town halls and other opportunities that they are hosting through the summer months. You can find out about most of these things by looking at their websites or social media posts, and by signing up for their email bulletins.
Be a Resource to my elected officials, informing them with my experience and work.
Make sure your elected officials are on your mailing list for bulletins, fundraisers or community events that you attend, or might be attended by the people you serve.
Commit to communicating with your elected officials at least twice over the summer, by phone, email, social media or in person. Share with them what you are doing, any barriers to or recommendations for better outcomes for children, youth and families in your community.
Help My Elected Officials Learn from the children and families whom they represent.
If you serve children, youth or families during the summer, invite your elected officials to visit your program and see what’s going on. This doesn’t have to be a complicated thing, simply ask them to spend an hour or so at your program, join you on a home visit if appropriate or come to a program picnic or other event.
Commit to bringing a young person or caregiver to any opportunities that you create.
There are more than 2 million children in Michigan, nearly 22 percent of the population – and they rely on the rest of us to make policy decisions that impact their futures. But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a voice at the table. We continue our pledge to make it as easy as possible for you to raise your voices with elected officials this summer and beyond. Utilize our resources to help with your summer messaging and activities:
Sharing Important and Timely Research and policy analysis related to children and family policy issues.
Take a look at our Budget Basics and Issues for Michigan’s Children to see what we’ve been working on.
Use recommendations from our Playbook to support your work.
Alerting People at specific points in time when their voice can have the most impact on issues that matter to kids.
NOW is one of those times – when constituents have the most access to their policymakers. Over the next two months, elected officials are making opportunities to talk with community members and looking for more of those opportunities. Let’s give them some!
Creating Opportunities with partners for young people, parents, and service providers to raise their voices directly with policymakers.
We will keep you posted on where staff will be this summer and how we are engaging policymakers ourselves during this time.
Providing Guidance and technical assistance to make sure your advocacy is backed by strategy.
Let us know if you want help thinking about how to spend your time this summer raising your voice and voices around you.
If you haven’t, Take the Pledge Already!
Whether you have 5 minutes, 30 minutes, or more time during the week, you already have what it takes to make your voice heard and call for real change for children, youth, and families. Join us and take the pledge to make children and family issue a priority for state and federal leaders!
With kids in mind, I pledge to:
Take and Make opportunities to get to know elected officials and raise my voice throughout the year and when big decisions for kids and families are being made
Be a Resource to my elected officials, informing them with my experience and work
Help My Elected Officials Learn from the children and families whom they represent
