Overcoming Barriers to Advocacy

“I just don’t know enough about it.”

“What I have to say won’t really matter.”

“I just don’t have the time right now.”

“I’ve never done it. I don’t know what to say.”

Sound familiar? These are some of the most common responses when folks are asked to participate in advocacy campaigns. Successful advocacy organizations have quite a lift ahead of them to get those same folks over these barriers.

Nationally, political campaigns, issue campaigns, advocacy support and the like are billion dollar industries. The fluidity and complexity of our political process here in the states compounds the problem. It’s more than just election cycles. The onerous nature of the legislative process alone reinforces the need to spend so much talent and treasure on engagement.

So, from where I’m sitting, we’re left with two major questions: 1) How do we, as individuals, overcome the barriers to participation? And, 2) What are the effective strategies our organizations can pursue to help potential advocates overcome those barriers?

Let’s begin at the beginning and make sure we’re talking about the same barriers. From my view they are the following:

1. Time Commitment – How they perceive the burden of participation will impact their lives.
2. Self-Perception & Doubt – Questioning their own abilities to participate effectively.
3. Diminished understanding of their inherent value – Belief that their contributions won’t ultimately matter.
4. Perceived lack of knowledge – A belief they can’t or won’t be considered as an expert on an issue.

Over the past several weeks, I laid out some basic principles for storytelling and how you can reduce advocacy to a more natural style of communication. By avoiding jargon, process talk and data you’re empowering your advocates to focus on what they know best: their own stories.

But looking ahead, it’s critical that we work to better aid our would-be advocates in overcoming these very basic, early barriers to entry.

Over the next several weeks, we’re going to do just that. I’m going to share some tools that have worked for me along the way. And I’m asking some other folks to join the conversation as well.

My hope is that you’ll also share your own thoughts on these barriers. I hope you’ll drop a comment on this post, message me on social media or email me at luke@partofthepossible.com with your own questions and concerns.

Until we address these first order problems, it will be incredibly difficult to advance our prospective advocates up the ladder of advocacy and participation. I hope you’ll find value for your own organization as we go through this little series!

In the meantime, start thinking about this question: what prevents me from taking action on issues that affect my life or career?