Tools for Advocates

Are you planning to advocate for kids during the General Assembly? It’s time to get ready now! Here are some tools and suggestions to mobilize and make a difference in our community.

2021 Session Talking Points: 

Early Childhood Education 

Foster Care and Adoption 

Family Economic Security 

Healthcare Access 

Mental Health 

Youtube Breakdowns: 

Early Childhood Education 

Foster Care and Adoption 

Family Economic Security 

Healthcare Access 

Mental Health 

Campaign for a Trauma-Informed VA: Racial Truth & Reconciliation VA

Other Tools: 

2021 Social Media Toolkit: Advocate digitally using this social media toolkit. We do the hard work to make it even easier for you to advocate on social platforms. Use our videos, graphics, pre-drafted posts, and information to share across platforms.

Advocacy 101- Webinar: View our 30 minute webinar recording of Voices’ Advocacy 101 presentation. This is a great way to learn more about the legislative process in Virginia and tips for how to advocate.

Digital Advocacy Training: Advocacy is an organized process of influencing people or institutions in order to achieve a stated positive change. Digital advocacy is the use of digital technology to contact, inform, and mobilize a group of concerned people around an issue or cause. The purpose of digital advocacy is to galvanize supporters to take action. Learn practical tools and tips through this brief 1 1/2 hour training ranging from social media engagement with elected officials, email campaigns, hashtags, leveraging media influencers, storytelling, online digital tools, and more!

Justice Advocacy Training: Systemic equity is a complex combination of interrelated elements consciously designed to create, support and sustain social justice. It reinforces and replicates equitable ideas, power, resources, strategies, conditions, habits and outcomes. Justice is the systematic fair treatment of people of all races that results in equitable opportunities and outcomes for everyone so that all people can achieve their full potential in life, regardless of race, ethnicity or the community in which they live. This training will examine the social justice impacts on the legislative process and provide tips for advocates to influence lawmakers priorities. It will cover topics ranging from voter suppression, advocacy strategies, and sharing stories.

Legislative Advocacy Guide: This comprehensive guide describes advocacy through the Virginia legislative process and gives specific instructions on how to communicate with elected officials. Request hard copies here.

Watch livestream or view recordings of House and Senate committee meetings.

Who’s My Legislator? Click here, then type in your address to find your Virginia representatives.

Speak: a website used to facilitate public participation in House of Delegate meetings.

Virginia General Assembly FAQs & Legislative Essentials

Check out the Virginia Public Access Project for information on candidates and legislative news.