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Governance

Best Practices & Advocacy

Advocacy with Élan

What is “advocacy”?

Advocacy is the art of persuasion. It’s the effort of promoting a particular choice or decision that you believe is right and justified. It involves:

providing information, and/or
changing attitudes and perception

Canadian Parents for French has a positive message to take to decision-makers: quality French-second-llanguage learning opportunities for all children. For CPF members, advocacy simply means applying structure and focus to what comes naturally.

What does CPF advocate for?

CPF has adopted five Position Statements which clearly articulate what the members of our organization believe and stand for. Whether you are seeking to improve some aspect of French-second-language learning in your area, responding to a proposal by others, or reacting to a decision that has already been made, you’ll find the basis for CPF advocacy within those statements.

What principles guide our advocacy?

CPF’s Values Statement says, “In Canadian Parents for French we value commitment to our mandate, the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, and the taking of initiative and responsibility so that we maintain credibility and effectiveness.”

We recognize the importance of evidence-based advocacy. As much as possible we present information and arguments that are based on reliable and verifiable evidence.

Canadian Parents for French does not engage in partisan political activities: directly or indirectly supporting or opposing a political party or candidate. (This does not preclude an individual member from involvement in partisan activities.)

What is the process?

It might only require planting a few “seeds” of ideas with the right people for them to move in the direction you want. It might take just one formal meeting or one brief to have your request accepted. But usually advocacy is a much more extended effort.

The process is not dot-to-dot, but looks more like a decision tree with many feedback loops. In other words, you begin, you assess how your first steps went and the feedback you received, you use that information to determine your next steps, and so on. For example, a preliminary meeting might lead directly to the presentation of a brief – or it might make you realize that you need to collect more information or take a different approach.

Advocacy takes patience. Sometimes it’s a matter of maintaining a credible presence for months or even years until a factor not under your control changes and the time is suddenly ripe for your request to be accepted.

Have you established your priorities?

The greatest pitfall you may face is trying to do too much, too quickly. You might be facing a number of French-second-language issues, and you might have interesting activities that you want to continue or to initiate. Resources (human as well as financial) are always more limited than ideas, so it’s essential to prioritize. Unless there is an urgent or pressing issue that must not be ignored, consider:

beginning with some ideas that can be undertaken easily and that will provide momentum, experience, and a sense of accomplishment
identifying those actions that will lead to fundamental, long-lasting improvement, rather than just dealing with some surface symptoms.

A few key things done well and consistently can have far more impact than many things done sporadically or poorly.

Do you have a team?

Your advocacy team

While one person can sometimes be a most effective advocate, establishing a team spreads the workload, brings additional perspective to the table, and ensures there is a back-up.

There are two ways to organize advocacy teams:

Establish an Advocacy Team of two or three core members which takes the lead on all chapter advocacy efforts. Other members who have a particular interest in specific topics are added to the team on an ad hoc basis.
Establish different teams to focus on different topics. For example, one small committee might be working to have more immersion subjects offered in grades 10-12 while another team seeks to strengthen the core French program at the elementary level.

As much as possible, advocacy team members should have a pleasant demeanor and persuasive communication skills.

Because she or he has the recognized status and authority to speak for CPF, your President should automatically be a member of the team(s). However, the President has a number of other responsibilities, so he or she may not take an active part in the day-to-day work of the team, but should always be kept apprised of plans and efforts.

The President is the chief spokesperson for CPF in your chapter jurisdiction, but that task may be delegated by the President from time to time as appropriate. The President should be aware at all times of any speeches, presentations, etc. undertaken on behalf of the chapter.

Enhance your team’s strength

The personalities, competencies and contacts of your members are a rich resource. Perhaps someone is an excellent speaker or writer, another has a social connection with a trustee. Tap into these resources to help with specific aspects of your advocacy efforts.

Keep all your members informed so they can “talk it up” within the community!

Is your request clear?

Decision-makers are very busy people. They have to deal with a huge amount of information and they receive many (and often conflicting) requests from a variety of sources. They don’t have time to figure out what you are really asking! Vague requests can easily be left unanswered, or (worse yet) they can be misinterpreted.

What is your desired outcome? What actions and commitments are you seeking? How can you articulate this in clear language?

Clearly-articulated requests will also make it easier to inform your members, engage allies and communicate with the media.

You also need to consider your bottom line. How flexible are you prepared to be? If your efforts are not achieving what you had hoped, to what extent are you willing to compromise?

Are you asking the right person?

One of the first and most essential steps in advocacy is to determine who has the authority to make the decision you want, under what conditions, and within what constraints.

Local education authorities

Most provincial governments delegate much of the authority for the governance of education to locally elected Boards of Education (also called Boards of Trustees or “school boards”). Within the limits of provincial legislation, policies, and regulations, school boards make, on behalf of their communities, decisions about the provision of education. They establish priorities for the district, develop policies, hire and evaluate the Superintendent (in some provinces called the Director of Education), and approve the budget.

While the role of the school board (trustees) is governance, the role of the Superintendent/Director of Education is management. As the chief executive officer of your district, the Superintendent/Director of Education advises the board and then implements the board’s decisions. Very simply put, the school board says “what” and “within what limits” and the Superintendent/Director of Education is responsible for “getting it done.” All other staff are responsible to the Superintendent/Director of Education (not to the Board).

In turn, some authority is delegated, within the limits of the school board’s policies and the Superintendent/Director of Education’s regulations, to school principals and to other staff members who have an impact on the provision of FSL programs: French Coordinators/Language Specialists, transportation department heads, public relations department heads, and so on.

It is difficult for trustees to have in-depth knowledge of every topic that comes before them, and they may place a great deal of trust in the recommendations made by staff. On the other hand, the trustees can exert influence over staff when a decision turns out to be particularly unpopular with constituents who will determine whether or not they are re-elected.

Does your request have to go to the Board of Trustees? Or does a staff member have the necessary authority?

Provincial education department

The School Act and the provincial budget (including that of the education department) are passed by the provincial legislature. The policies and regulations required to carry out the provisions of the Act as well as budgetary details are the responsibility of the education minister and his senior staff person, the Deputy Minister.

If the decision you want cannot be made locally because of some provincial limitation, it is important to discuss the issue with your CPF branch.

Other agencies

CPF seeks to influence the decisions of agencies other than the education system. We persuade libraries to enhance their French-language collections, recreation centers to offer French summer camps, universities to recognize certain student credentials or offer more French-language courses, and so on. In every case, it is essential to determine who actually is the decision-maker for what you are seeking.

National promotion of official languages

In Canada, responsibility for education rests with the provinces and territories. However, the Official Languages Act (Part VII) requires the federal government to:

“encourage and support the learning of English and French in Canada”
“foster an acceptance and appreciation of both English and French by members of the public”
“encourage and assist provincial governments to provide opportunities for everyone in Canada to learn both English and French”
“encourage and cooperate with the business community, labour organizations, voluntary organizations and other organizations or institutions to provide services in both English and French and to foster the recognition and use of those languages.”

It is under these provisions that the federal government provides grants to the provincial governments to support French-second-language learning and also provides grants to CPF. For information about the federal Official Languages in Education Program (OLEP) protocol agreement and its application within your province, contact your CPF branch or the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Have you found allies?

Very often CPF can extend its reach and expand its influence through the support of other organizations and individuals. And reaching out to other community-based groups can show politicians, education administrators and the media that CPF is not a narrow, special interest group.

Organizations

Any organization having a vested interest in education issues – whether direct or indirect – is a potential ally. School-based parent councils, local branches of teachers’ associations, and francophone associations or clubs come to mind. (If you feel any of these groups might be a “red flag” to those you wish to influence, consider asking them for behind-the-scenes support such as background information, contact lists, office space or telephone/photocopying use.)

Are school parent councils mandated in your province? If so, and depending on the legislation, your school board may be required to listen to them and respond in a timely fashion.

Strange bedfellows make for effective coalitions. A Chamber of Commerce or Board of Trade may see additional FSL resources as a way to attract new businesses or families to your community. Realtors and their associations understand the positive impact on property values. Similarly, ratepayer associations may see expanded FSL programs as a way to revitalize a neighborhood or stop a school closure.

Don’t forget about other CPF groups! A chapter in one part of a large school district should look to the other chapter(s) in the same district for agreement and support. CPF groups in other jurisdictions (especially those of a similar size or demographic) might be able to provide examples and share successful strategies.

Staff and administrators

Don’t overlook those who work for and with the decision-makers. They can become valuable allies and important sources of information if you tailor your message to take their concerns into account. They will also appreciate knowing in advance about your request, as the decision-makers will inevitably seek their advice.

Politicians

Board of Education trustees, municipal councilors, the members of provincial legislatures and federal Members of Parliament are all elected. The more you can gently and persuasively show that FSL is (or can be made to be) a vote-determining issue, the more likely you are to find a political ally.

Key contacts

Look also to other individuals in your community who have an interest in this topic. Perhaps the Mayor has a grandchild who is learning French, a media personality or business leader is a graduate of immersion. Ask them to speak on behalf of your cause, either privately or publicly.

How do you provide information?

Information is frequently not enough, but it’s always an essential ingredient in any advocacy effort.

Gather the information you need

This will include some or all of:

research results
statistics/demographics
your school board’s and education department’s relevant policies and regulations
costs/funding
examples or models (e.g., from other jurisdictions)
the extent of community support.

To find literature reviews, research papers, ministry policies, funding information, statistics, etc. which relate to your topic, simply follow the links at Position Statements.

Analyze the information

To what extent does it support your case? Does your request need to be altered? What further information do you need? How will you deal with conflicting or inadequate information?

For more see Using Research to Champion FSL.

Determine how and when to present the information

Who needs to receive the information? Obviously, the decision-maker(s) you’re targeting, but who else? Do your members and allies need it so they can actively support your efforts? Other key people?
How can you organize the information so that it’s comprehensive, understandable, yet succinct? Point form, charts and graphs, and appendices can help. Does it need to be “packaged” differently for different audiences?
What’s the best time to present the information? When does the decision have to be made? What else is coming up that might support or detract from your efforts?

What’s the best way to present the information? Briefs aren’t the only technique! Others include: meetings, displays, panel presentations, videos, speeches/lectures, workshops, conferences, the media, letter and/or phone campaigns, even school board elections. You might need to use more than one method.

Who’s the best person to present the information? Your President? Another well-respected, articulate member? An expert in the field? Someone well-known to the recipient?

How do you change attitudes and perceptions?

Very often, information isn’t enough. You can be shown proof that the family budget will accommodate a pet. You can be convinced that a dog is both a companion for a child and an opportunity to learn responsibility. But it might take more to persuade you to buy a puppy! Your own experiences (that dog bite when you were 5), the experiences of your acquaintances (the puppy accident stains on your friend’s good carpet), and the opinions of those you respect (your mother’s belief that pets just spread germs) all influence your decisions -- sometimes despite the preponderance of factual evidence!

Those same influences need to be harnessed to change attitudes and perceptions. And, since everyone’s experiences and spheres of influence are different, your strategies will need to be tailored to the individual(s) you hope to persuade.

Based on your analysis of the need (if any) to change attitudes or perceptions, you’ll want to consider:

How can you expose the individual to a positive experience with this particular aspect of French-second-language learning? (e.g., tours, simulations, skits, demonstrations, field trips)
How can you “package” the message in response to particular backgrounds, perceptions and/or areas of interest? (e.g., the educational implications, the financial implications, matters of equity)
Are there others in the community whom this person respects who can help to carry or reinforce your message? (e.g., business leaders, other politicians, students)
How can you present yours as the “safer” option to choose? (e.g., there is broad community support) (see, for example, the letter/phone campaign and school board elections)