Why should you trust the information on this web page?

How you can advocate for an issue important to you
credits and disclaimer

You are one person, an individual, not a nonprofit or charity, but you care about an issue -- child abuse, the importance of the arts in the lives of children, dogs and cats in the local animal shelter, trash in the environment, childhood obesity, senior abuse, home gardening, organic farming, bicycle commuting -- and you want to educate people about it, to make a difference, to raise awareness, and maybe even to raise money.

But you are just one person and you don't have much money, or any money, or an entire organization behind you, to donate to the cause or to educate others about it.

How can you be an advocate for an issue that's important to you, when it's just you that wants to do this?

  • Start educating yourself about the issue you feel strongly about. Find organizations that are addressing the issue and visit their web sites, and read those web sites THOROUGHLY. Subscribe to their email newsletters, if they have such, and read them. If they have public events focused on learning about their work (rather than fundraising events), attend them. Your goal is to become knowledgeable about the issue so that you don't unintentionally spread misinformation. For instance, even though you might care deeply about people who are homeless, you may not fully understand why people are homeless, the different ways people experience homeless, that people living in hotels or in campers they park on city streets or parking lots are considered homeless, etc.

  • If an organization that is addressing a cause you care about involves volunteers, then sign up to volunteer and participate in some activities. If you aren't sure if they involve volunteers, because their web site wasn't clear about that, write them and tell them how you would like to help them as a volunteer and say what you could do.

  • Never say or imply to anyone, in any social media post, in any email or in any conversation, that you are somehow an official representative of any organization, even if you are volunteering with the organization. You are a concerned individual, but you are NOT a representative of any organization.

  • Invite your friends to volunteer with you, or to go with you to an event by the organization. By taking others with you, you are helping to educate others about the issue. 

  • Occasionally use your status update on FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram and any other online social networking site you use to talk about what these organizations are doing, what they are concerned about, misinformation they are trying to counter, etc. It can be this simple:
    Our local animal shelter is looking for volunteers this Saturday to help at such-and-such event. If you are interested, call xxx-xxxx.

    So-and-so organization is working in Haiti. Have a look at their web site and read about their program to employ local people in rebuilding their own houses, hospitals and schools.

    Did you know that you can save money by growing your own victory garden, just like your grandparents? Visit the so-and-so web site for free information on how to do this.

    Did you know that most teenagers being trafficked for sex were not abducted - they were lured into the life by someone they cared about or admired, or that they thought cared about them? Here's more information...

  • Turn your birthday party into a fundraiser for your cause. Invite friends to your house or to a restaurant, and ask in your invitation that, in lieu of gifts, people make donations to a nonprofit organization addressing the cause you support.

  • Host a party, cookout or reception at your home, invite your friends (and encourage them to invite their friends), and show a SHORT film or documentary relating to the cause you want to educate your friends about. In your invitation, note clearly that this is a fundraiser for a particular organization and that you will be asking for donations; do NOT wait until the party, cookout or reception to tell invitees that you have invited them there in order to ask for donations.

  • Walk the talk when it comes to the cause you believe in. If you want to advocate for people to commute to work by bicycle, for instance, you need to be commuting by bicycle. If you want people to use less electrical energy, you need to use less electrical energy and show your friends what you are doing. If you want people to use less plastic, you need to be using much less yourself (not just getting rid of straws).

  • With permission from an organization addressing the cause you support, have a garage sale to raise money for the organization. Ask friends, relatives, neighbors and others to donate items for your sale. Have large signs at the garage sale that say you are raising money for a particular organization. Make it clear to those who buy items that they will not receive any tax deduction for purchasing any item, nor for making any donations directly to you. Write down the amount of every sale and what the person bought.

  • Work a series of jobs in the informal sector (walk dogs, pet sit, provide child care/baby sit, do yard work for neighbors and friends, etc.) and save some or all of the money you make for your cause. Make it clear to those who buy items that they will not receive any tax deduction for employing your services, nor for making any donations directly to you.

  • Sell items on eBay. Ask friends, relatives, neighbors and others to donate items for your sale. Take the money that you raise and donate it to the organization.
Don't be self-righteous. For instance, if you are advocating for people to use less plastic, don't chastise someone for using a plastic straw - maybe they have a commitment to buying clothes with only natural fibers and, therefore, they are putting FAR less plastics into the water system than you are when you do laundry. If you don't eat meat, don't preach about it at shared meals with friends who are eating meat - if their choices bother you, give up shared meals (you can certainly say why). By all means, tell someone who tells a racist joke that you don't think the joke is funny, or tell a friend that you cannot accompany them to a circus because you don't believe in wildlife being being forced to perform or live in those conditions. Make your point, then either walk away, literally or figuratively, once your viewpoint has been heard. If someone wants to discuss or debate, great, but listen to them as much as you want them to listen to you if you are going to engage in a discussion or debate.

If you represent a nonprofit, charity, school program or other initiative and want to know how to market your initiative - how to raise awareness, get attendance to an event, fundraise, recruit volunteers, etc., see this free set of resources on how to promote your cause, including how to use social media, build relations with local press, etc.
Also see
   The Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook available for purchase as a paperback & an ebook
This book is for both organizations new to virtual volunteering, as well as for organizations already involving online volunteers who want to improve or expand their programs. The last chapter of the book is especially for online volunteers themselves.

 

 
 
 
 


  Quick Links 

 Home page for those that want to help
 
 Home page for this entire web site, coyotebroad.com / coyotecommunications.com
 
 my consulting services  &  my workshops & presentations
 
 my credentials & expertise
 
 My research projects
 
 My book: The Last Virtual Volunteering Guidebook

 contact me   or   see my schedule
 
 Jayne's Amazon Wishlist
 

Follow me on social media:

like me on
                Facebook      follow me on
                Twitter     Mastodon logo     follow me on Reddit     follow me on
                LinkedIn      view my
                  YouTube videos


Disclaimer
Any activity incurs risk. This web site may, unintentionally, have incorrect information in it.
The author assumes no responsibility for the use of information contained within this web page or to which this page links.
No guarantee of accuracy or suitability is made by the poster/distributor.
This material is provided as is, with no expressed or implied warranty.

See my web site's privacy policy.

Credits & Copyright
© 2010-2023 by Jayne Cravens, all rights reserved. No part of this material can be reproduced in print or in electronic form without express written permission by Jayne Cravens.

Please contact me for permission to reprint, present or distribute these materials.