Advocating for Policy Reform or Legislation

Be an good advocate for change

To be a good advocate for change, you need to:

• Know who you need to talk to, like legislators, government officials, editorial boards.
• Develop and send a strong message to lots of people.
• Think about what you have already done and what you still need to do often.

You can stay up-to-date by watching for our action alerts and weekly updates about bills in congress. You can also get information about upcoming state laws, committee hearings, and your legislators by visiting the Illinois General Assembly website.

Write a good message for the people who need to hear it

Before you advocate for change, make sure you are ready.

• Who is important?  Find out what people, groups, and organizations make disability policies, rules and laws.
• Be very clear about what is wrong.  What is the problem? Why is it bad? Who is hurting? 
• Be very clear about what you want done.  How do you want the problem fixed? What needs to happen. Think about how different people can help.
• Know your facts.  Be ready to talk about the problem and give reasons why it is important to people with disabilities.
• Make hand outs. Write down the problem, what needs to happen to fix it, and who can help. Write it all down on a short (one page) fact sheet that you can hand out.

Get out there: be active and be seen

Go to events where you can tell the people or groups who make the policies, rules, and laws about the problem and how it can be fixed.

• Be seen.  Go to meetings and public hearings, including legislative hearings and rallies. Join a committee, board, or task force. Volunteer.  Going to these things will help you meet new people.
• Be heard.  Make phone calls. Write letters or emails. Hand out fact sheets or fliers. Talk to organize and community leaders. Talk to elected officials.
• Find partners.  Ask people who agree with you to work with you toward your goal.

You can download our sample letter and tips for talking to legislators to help you with your advocacy:

• Tips for calling a legislator
• Sample letter to a legislator

Be patient but don’t give up

Remember that changing policies, rules, and laws takes time.

Keep at it, even if it means repeating your actions. Be patient, but keep working. Change can be slow, but it needs movement. 

Check on how it’s going.  If you are not being heard or your methods aren’t getting results, think about what you have been doing. What’s working and what’s not?  What haven’t you tried?  What could you do differently?

It may take a few tries before you find methods that work for you.