Advocacy Skills

Awareness & Understanding

Advocacy means speaking up for a cause or a group of people who need a stronger voice. It happens everywhere — in school hallways, city council chambers, online petitions, and state legislatures. Start by exploring what advocacy looks like in Utah. Visit the Utah Legislature website (le.utah.gov) to see bills that are being debated right now. Watch a short YouTube video: search "how to advocate for a cause" on the TED-Ed channel. Think about an issue in your community — maybe air quality along the Wasatch Front, access to parks, or school resources — that you care about. You're ready for the next step when you can name one local issue and explain why it matters to real people.

Research & Investigation

Good advocates do their homework before they speak. Research the issue you care about: look for data, real stories, and existing efforts. Try Google Scholar for studies, or visit nonprofit websites already working on your issue. For Utah-specific data, check the Utah Foundation (utahfoundation.org) or the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. Learn who makes decisions about your issue — is it the Salt Lake City Council, the Utah State Legislature, a school board, or a federal agency? Understanding who has the power to change things is essential. You're ready for the next step when you can identify the key decision-makers and two or three facts that support your position.

Planning & Preparation

Now build your advocacy message. A strong message is short, specific, and personal — it answers "so what?" for your audience. Practice the "three-point format": state your ask, give your strongest evidence, and share a real story or personal connection. Write a one-page fact sheet about your issue using a free tool like Canva (canva.com). Draft a short script for a phone call or email to a decision-maker. The organization Advocacy for Youth (advocatesforyouth.org) has free templates you can adapt. Practice your message out loud until it feels natural and confident. You're ready for the next step when you have a written message and have rehearsed it at least twice.

Taking Action

Time to make contact. Send your email or make your phone call to a real decision-maker — a city council member, state representative, school board member, or organization leader. You can find Utah legislator contact info at le.utah.gov/contacts. Attend a public meeting: Salt Lake City holds public comment sessions at city council meetings (slc.gov/council) where anyone can speak for two minutes. If in-person feels intimidating, start with an email and work up to a phone call. Document what you did: screenshot the email you sent, or note the date and name of who you called. You're ready for the next step when you've made at least one direct contact with a decision-maker and recorded what you said and what happened.

Leadership & Expansion

Real advocacy builds a movement. Now help others get involved. Recruit at least two friends or classmates to care about your issue and take one action — signing a petition, attending a meeting, or writing their own message. Tools like Change.org let you launch a free petition in minutes. You can also connect with local organizations: the ACLU of Utah, Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, or the Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) welcome youth volunteers. If you started at the school level, consider escalating to a city or county-level conversation. You're ready for the next step when you've helped at least two other people take a concrete action on the cause you've been working on.

Impact & Reflection

Look back at the full six weeks. What did your advocacy accomplish — or at least start? Write a one-to-two page reflection that tracks your journey: the issue you chose, the research you did, the message you crafted, the action you took, and what you'd do differently. Think about what advocacy means for democracy: every policy that protects clean air, funds schools, or protects rights started with someone speaking up. Consider sharing your story with the Utah State Office of Education's civics resources or submitting it to your school newspaper. You're ready for the next step when you can articulate one concrete change — however small — your advocacy contributed to or set in motion.