Ten Reasons

1. Relationships between valued and devalued persons do not usually occur naturally.
2. All people are better off, physically, emotionally, spiritually if they have personal relationships in their lives.
3. Often people who are devalued need protection and advocacy, because some people are unable to protect or speak up for themselves.
4. The circumstances surrounding a devalued person offer challenges and frustrations. Relationships have a better chance of surviving if supported.
5. The citizen advocacy program is a central entity where learning is collected, disseminated and hopefully used to improve the local citizen advocacy effort.
6. The citizen advocacy office is the physical, public face of Citizen Advocacy. It is the focal point of this grassroots effort.
7. The citizen advocacy program ensures that consistent efforts are made to identify persons needing advocacy and to identify persons who would respond to the opportunity of helping another.
8. The citizen advocacy program ensures that consistent efforts to support, to orient and to educate advocates are made.
9. The citizen advocacy office is the bottom line of accountability to the Board of Directors, to funders and to the public.
10. The citizen advocacy program can be a source of inspiration, hope and energy for boards and community members, because it is aware of many stories of personal courage and compassion that can enrich us all.

From: The Citizen Advocacy Forum