Social workers must be aware of different approaches to advocacy practices to build successful networks of professionals who can work together to bring about social change.

Before reaching out to local leaders, social workers should be able to identify the strategies that they intend to use in their advocacy efforts. Clear communication and inclusion of diverse perspectives are critical to effective advocacy practice. Social workers can extend influence beyond their agencies by forming coalitions and networking with other advocates to address social problems. To get stakeholders on board with a vision for coming together to advocate for an issue, social workers must be prepared with ideas on why to form a coalition and who should be involved. Additionally, social workers should know how to organize meetings with potential advocates and how to reach out to individuals in the community to encourage them to participate and maintain involvement. For this summative assessment, you will develop a plan to bring together a community coalition of advocates that includes an outreach letter to potential participants and an agenda for your first meeting.

Select a social problem related to human rights and a social, racial, economic, or environmental justice issue facing the family in the case study scenario from Week 1 or an issue that is relevant to the population in your local area. Research advocacy programs and trends in social movements related to this issue.

Select a type of social work agency as an example context for this assessment as if you were a social worker representing the agency. The agency has asked you to form a community coalition to advocate for change related to the selected social problem. You may choose a fictitious agency in a social work setting that is relevant to the case study or a real-life agency in your area that advocates for the selected issue.

Assessment Deliverable
Complete parts 1 and 2 below to create a plan that describes advocacy practices for developing a community coalition as if you were a social worker at a local agency who is building a professional network of leaders to affect change for a selected social problem.

Part 1: Advocacy Practice Plan
Write a plan in 525 to 700 words to share with agency leaders that includes the following sections:

Need for Community Coalition
Propose a name for your coalition and briefly describe the social problem that the coalition will address. Summarize your ideas on the mission, vision, and purpose of the community coalition.
Describe how a coalition could be beneficial to advocate for the chosen social problem. Give at least 2 examples of actions that the coalition might take to advocate for the social issue.
Coalition Stakeholders
Name at least 3 agencies that you would invite to partner with your agency to support the coalition. You may use examples of real agencies in your area or in the geographic area described in the case study. Describe each agency and what they might contribute and explain why you would invite them to the coalition.
List the titles or positions of at least 5 community leaders whom you would invite to the coalition, such as the citys mayor, chief of police, leaders of related organizations or coalitions, or other community stakeholders. Consider inviting an inclusive mix of individuals who have credibility in the community and influence over large numbers of people. Explain why you would invite each leader to the coalition and what they might contribute.
Coalition Advocacy Strategy
Explain your strategy for bringing the group together to advocate for the issue. Explain how each stakeholder can use their strengths to practice advocacy to change the social problem. Describe your approach to building and maintaining relationships between coalition members.
Part 2: Outreach Letter and Meeting Agenda
Write an outreach letter in 350 to 525 words that could be sent to founding agencies and individuals to invite them to join the coalition. Include the following in your letter:

Give the name of your coalition and describe the social problem it will address.
Explain your reasons for forming the coalition and for inviting them. Describe 3 to 5 goals of the coalition that are clear and measurable to achieve.
Summarize the items you will include in the agenda for the coalitions first meeting.
Use a business letter format to organize your letter with a greeting, body, closing salutation, and typed signature. The heading of your letter should include the name and address of the example agency you are representing. Do not include addresses for agencies or individuals invited to the coalition; you should be able to use this letter with all stakeholders.

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