Ten Reasons
- Relationships between valued and devalued persons do not usually occur naturally.
- All people are better off, physically, emotionally, spiritually if they have personal relationships in their lives.
- Often people who are devalued need protection and advocacy, because some people are unable to protect or speak up for themselves.
- The circumstances surrounding a devalued person offer challenges and frustrations. Relationships have a better chance of surviving if supported.
- The citizen advocacy program is a central entity where learning is collected, disseminated and hopefully used to improve the local citizen advocacy effort.
- The citizen advocacy office is the physical, public face of Citizen Advocacy. It is the focal point of this grassroots effort.
- 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.
- The citizen advocacy program ensures that consistent efforts to support, to orient and to educate advocates are made.
- The citizen advocacy office is the bottom line of accountability to the Board of Directors, to funders and to the public.
- 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