Discussion: Presenting Proposals

Being forewarned is being forearmed.As a policy professional, you should know how to diagnose an audience, develop a persuasive strategy, have a “tactics tool bag” for dealing with difficult or expert audiences, and develop nonconfrontational communication methods with audiences when necessary. In short, you need to know how tonavigate the power of decision makers toskillfully defendor reject policies as they relate to your advocacy goals.

Forthis Discussion, youwillpost a video in which youartfully and succinctlypresent yourSocial Advocacy Proposal from Week 6.

To Prepare:

• Review Chapter 9 ofthe Janssontext. Focus on“Combative Persuasion in Step 5 and Step 6.”


• Develop a list ofstrategies you can use to persuade others who might not share the same concerns about your issues or your policy proposals.


• Develop a list of talking points fordefending yourSocial Advocacy Proposal. Consider the following areas of your proposal:
  
  
  • Identification of the problem
  
  
  • Overview of existing policy
  
  
  • History of existing policy
  
  
  • Policy impacts on populations
  
  
  • Plan for social advocacy, or goals for change
  
  
  
  


• Consider the audience for your Social Advocacy Proposal.
  
  
  • Through whichgroup or legislative process did the original policyreceive approval?
  
  
  • How has the group or process changed since the original policy was approved?
  
  
  
  


• Watch the video in the Required Media this week. Use this video to inform your own strategies for presenting to your audience.

By Day 7

Record and post a 3- to 5-minuteKaltura videoin which you communicate the needs of vulnerable populations to policymakers who may not share your views about theneed for services.Include:

• 
  Hook:Introduce yourself using professional disclosure. How do anypersonal factsabout you or your audiencerelate to the policy and impact?This can help grab youraudience’sattention.


• 
  Describe theProblem:Present the problem andissues with the current policy that attempts to address the problem.Explain the impact on specific populations. You might even recount a specific storyof someone adversely impacted by theproblem, andexplain how the policy as it exists does not help them.


• 
  Call toAction:Inspire your audience to support your goals for change.Why should they care?

Then, in writing, address the following:

• Which strategies did you use to communicate the problemand needs of the population to your audience?


• Why did you select the specific strategies over others?Was your selection informedby the details of your audience? Explain.


• How did you use the following formatto present your goals for change?
  
  
  • Hook
  
  
  • Describe the Problem
  
  
  • Call to Action