this is for Catherine Owens

CHILD ADVOCACY LETTER

For this assignment, you must choose a very specific (i.e. narrow) child advocacy issue that is important to you and write a 1 to 2 page letter that you believe will influence your chosen target. This is a practical assignment; you will send your letter to your target, either by postal mail or as an attachment to an email.

The following steps are suggested for thinking through this assignment:

1. Think about your subject(s), and a specific problem facing them; don’t forget that this is a child advocacy class and that your focus must be on a child advocacy issue;

2. Consider ONE practical step that you believe would prove effective in working towards resolving this problem.

a. Describe this action precisely;

b. Explain how and why it will help resolve the problem you have described;

c. Consider the arguments against your suggestion and try to forestall them.

d. Don’t forget that this is a very short letter. Do not attempt to solve all of the world’s problems

3. Determine who your target is. In other words, who has the power to put into action the step that you are recommending? If your target is an organization, determine to which individual you will actually send the letter;

4. Carefully consider the tone of your letter.

a. You do not want to insult or alienate your target,

b. Nor should you assume they are ignorant or unintelligent.

c. However, if you have strong feelings about your topic, you want to find a way to express them that is not alienating.

d. Your want your target to respond positively to your idea

e. What tactics and arguments will this particular target respond to?

Be sure that your letter is in proper business letter format. (see example on Canvas under Learning Units) Your first page should include a heading with the date and all identifying information for you and your target (including your target’s title). Your letter should be single spaced, double-spaced between each paragraph. Ideally, your letter will be no more than one page. You may want to reference research or other sources, but your letter should not include citations

Once your letter has been graded, you may rewrite it in order to make it more effective and receive a higher grade. Generally, people who do rewrites shortly after receiving my comments tend to get higher grades than those who delay for long periods of time.

Your letter will be graded based on the following criteria:

1. Advocacy issues:

   1. Accurate advocacy triangle including appropriate target

   2. Appropriate tone

   3. Specific, Concrete suggestion for action

2. Writing and Structure

3. Analysis of the problem and your proposed solution

   1. Anticipate and respond to objections.

Students who do not do as well as they had hoped on this assignment generally have run into more or more of the following issues:

1. The topic is too large. (e.g. the importance of good nutrition rather than specific concerns about the school lunches at your local elementary school. The problem of gun violence, rather than the need for a stronger police presence at a specific park)

2. The financial reality is glossed over. Especially if you are dealing with schools, if you suggest spending money on a program, that means some other program will have to be cut. Simply saying that your suggestion is important is not an adequate analysis.

3. The letter is not reviewed and edited. While a first draft may contain lots of good ideas, it is generally not carefully written or organized (both in terms of the letter as a whole and your individual paragraphs). It is also hard to get your tone right without thoughtful revision.

Please feel free to post any questions you may have about this assignment on our logistical discussion board.