Advocating for Expanding learning
It's the job of policy makers to represent you – the constituents who voted them into office. Therefore your opinion on issues is extremely important to them.
Expanding Afterschool & Summer Experiences
Sharing your voice and the experience of youth in your program is a vital part of building program sustainability and being able to gather the necessary support to keep opportunities going. If you are looking for ways to reach out to your local decision makers, feel free to reach out.
This May, OregonASK compiled a brief survey shared with recipients of last year’s Oregon Community Summer Grantees to understand and collect data about the impact we would see if there was no funding to support summer 2023 programming in Oregon. You can see the Summary HERE on our Summer Without Fun(ding).
OregonASK has also worked alongside agency and advocate partners to create a brief overview on Summer 2023 Needs to ensure our most underserved and historically marginalized communities have the support they need to help youth and families thrive.
You may also be interested in the April update OregonASK sent on Summer Funding that includes resources and guidance to take action in support of summer funding for Summer 2023.
Please reference this Future of Afterschool and Summer Vision document for additional information and these Expanding Access Talking Points that reference national and state data that can be shared with community members and decision makers.
Advocacy Toolkit
This toolkit will provide you with resources and even step-by-step processes for connecting with your elected officials and advocating effectively for your program. Elected officials represent the voice of the community especially when they make policy decisions that affect afterschool and summer learning.
Likewise, after school programs provide valuable resources and connections to parents, youth, schools and the communities they serve. Afterschool providers can become strong advocates for expanding and sustaining the many services their programs provide children, families and the community. Visit our Advocacy Toolkit to find out more about advocating for expanded learning opportunities.
Connecting to Regional or Local Partners
One of the most important parts of advocacy is building partnership and understanding opportunities for connecting locally. Currently, Integrated Guidance efforts being done by districts and regional education service district includes community engagement and strategic planning that supports the most underserved populations.
You can find the full list of region contacts and Oregon Department of Education liaisons found HERE.
Policy Change
OregonASK has been actively supporting policy change at several levels since our inception in 2005. One of the greatest ways that we continue to support policy change is by helping equip you as advocates to share critical information with key decision makers. Find out more about ways you can be active and important information you can use to share in your community.