The Purpose Of Advocacy

What is advocacy? Macro-level social workers work with large groups of people, communities, cities and large institutions to affect social change. To properly address large-scale problems affecting the community, social workers must understand the principles and purpose of advocating for others.
The Purpose of Advocacy People often face challenges and feel as though they are unable to resolve them on their own. Therefore, advocacy is an important part of the social service profession. Individuals may face difficult issues relating to unemployment, housing, sexual orientation, or physical and mental health. As a result, many social service agencies have advocates available to assist them in these areas and more. The purpose of

Also, elected officials may be short on time; therefore, it is vital for advocates to utilize the time they have with officials wisely. In addition, elected officials will want to know who stands for and against the issue being fought for. As a result, advocates must be prepared to answer this inquiry, anticipate opposition, and be prepared to offer a rebuttal to opposing views (Burghardt, 2011). Advocates must also utilize all resources available to them such as media, to expand advocacy efforts. While advocating may be uncomfortable at times, it is important to keep in mind that elected officials work for the public. As a result, they must not be intimidated by officials and hold them accountable for any statements or agreements made. Lastly, advocates must follow-up, be courteous, and thank the officials for any actions taken (Community Tool Box,

To make social changes relating to these issues, a change of policies and regulations must occur. However, the necessary changes that are needed to affect social change are not only the responsibility of elected officials. It is necessary for advocates to utilize a strategic approach by maintaining effective communication with members of the public. Educating the public about social issues is an effective way to shine a light on social injustices while also gaining supporters of issues (Thackeray & Hunter, 2010). Furthermore, additional supporters help advocacy efforts and promote social development by bringing awareness to a wider range of people. This affects social change because community involvement typically means media, petitions, social media, letters, emails, and other strategies are utilized to engage the public and bring more awareness to the issues (Shier & Handy,