Human services practitioners strive to improve the lives of thousands of individuals every day. The support can be in the creation of programs, improving access to programs, and advocating for changes or support for an individual or groups of individuals.
In this assignment, you serve as a human services practitioner at a community reentry center. You will write an advocacy letter to request a change in a program in your state in an effort to improve the diversity and equity of your state’s programs and services. You are writing the letter to a congressperson in your state.
Specifically, you should do the following in your 700- to 1,050-word writings:
Describe 2 to 3 advocacy strategies that they will apply in your letter.
Justify your selection of advocacy strategies.
Create an advocacy letter that supports changing some aspect of a program in your state to make it more diverse or equitable.
Explain the current concern or issue related to diversity or equity of the program (for example, assess if there were exclusions from programs in the past).
Discuss and justify the change you would like to see
Full Answer Section
According to a recent study, only 30% of the people who receive assistance from the [name of program] are people of color. This is despite the fact that people of color make up a majority of the incarcerated population in our state.
There are a number of reasons why people of color are less likely to receive assistance from the [name of program]. One reason is that people of color are more likely to be incarcerated for longer periods of time. This means that they are less likely to have the savings or employment history that is required to qualify for the program.
Another reason is that people of color are more likely to live in communities that are underserved by the program. This means that they may not be aware of the program or they may not be able to access the program due to transportation or other barriers.
I am writing to you today to request that you make changes to the [name of program] to make it more accessible to people of color. Specifically, I am requesting that you:
- Increase the amount of funding for the program so that more people can be served.
- Expand the eligibility criteria for the program to include people who have been incarcerated for longer periods of time.
- Work with community organizations in underserved communities to raise awareness of the program and to help people access the program.
I believe that these changes would make the [name of program] more accessible to people of color and would help to ensure that all individuals who are reentering the community have the opportunity to succeed.
I urge you to take action on this issue. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, [Your name]
Advocacy Strategies
I have chosen to use the following advocacy strategies in my letter:
- Personalization: I have personalized my letter by sharing my own experiences as a human services practitioner at a community reentry center. I believe that this will help to make my letter more relatable to the congressman/congresswoman.
- Evidence: I have provided evidence to support my claims. I have cited a recent study that shows that people of color are less likely to receive assistance from the [name of program]. I believe that this evidence will help to persuade the congressman/congresswoman to take action on this issue.
- Urgency: I have conveyed a sense of urgency in my letter. I have stated that the changes that I am requesting are necessary to ensure that all individuals who are reentering the community have the opportunity to succeed. I believe that this will help to motivate the congressman/congresswoman to take action on this issue.
I believe that these advocacy strategies will be effective in persuading the congressman/congresswoman to take action on this issue. I urge you to take action on this issue. Thank you for your time and consideration.
Justification for Advocacy Strategies
I believe that the advocacy strategies that I have chosen are effective because they are specific, relevant, and persuasive. I have tailored my letter to the specific congressman/congresswoman that I am writing to, and I have provided evidence to support my claims. I have also conveyed a sense of urgency in my letter. I believe that these strategies will be effective in persuading the congressman/congresswoman to take action on this issue.
I have also chosen these advocacy strategies because they are consistent with my values. I believe that everyone deserves to have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their race or ethnicity. I believe that these strategies will help to ensure that all individuals who are reentering the community have the opportunity to succeed.
Thank you for your time and consideration.