Mike Clark Germantown Systemic Change Initiative Executive Director Tom Dwyer Northeast Region SVdP VOP Coordinator Jack Murphy Southeast Voice of the Poor Representative National VOP Chair ID: 744099
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Advocacy 101Being a Voice of the Poor
Mike
Clark
Germantown
Systemic Change Initiative, Executive Director
Tom
Dwyer
Northeast
Region SVdP VOP Coordinator
Jack Murphy
Southeast Voice of the Poor Representative
National VOP ChairSlide2
Voice of the Poor PrayerLord of all people,During your time on earth you identified with the poor and instructed us to care for one another, for our neighbor and especially for the least of our brothers and sisters.Be with us as we advocate for the poor.
Help us to persevere in joy and love on their behalf.
Add your voice to ours as we speak out for those who are not heard in our communities.
Guide us as we work, comfortable in the knowledge that we are doing your will for this day and time and place, and that you will take care of tomorrow.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, his Blessed Mother, our patron St. Vincent and our founder Blessed Frederic. Amen
Ruth
Zemek
, Phoenix CouncilSlide3
Workshop ObjectivesReview SVdP AdvocacyShare examples of effective local advocacySmall group activity to plan local next steps.
Attendees
will leave the session understanding the Society's position on the topic, and have access to contacts and resources to plan local advocacy efforts.Slide4
AgendaIntroduction & Review VOP Mission-JackAdvocacy at the Grassroots Level-TomAdvocacy at the Community Level-MikeSmall Group Discussion-Taking this to my conferenceWrap-up-JackSlide5
Voice of the Poor Mission StatementIn the spirit of Christian love and justice, the Voice of the Poor Committee upholds Catholic values by researchingvalidating
documenting
advocating and
promulgating
issues
related to the condition of the poor and disenfranchised
for
the purpose of helping Vincentians to live their faith by acting
knowledgeably
and credibly as a unified body speaking with one voice for the purpose of building up the Kingdom of God.Slide6
Roles of the Voice of the Poor Slide7
Vincentian Civil Discourse“Let us learn, first of all, to defend our belief without hating our adversaries, to appreciate those who do not think as we do, to recognize that there are Christians in every camp, and that God can be served now as always! Let us complain less of our times and more of ourselves. Let us not be discouraged, let us be better.” Blessed Frederic(Baunard
,
Correspondence
, p.304)Slide8
How Vincentians & Catholics have been advocatesVincent & Louise lobbied to change unjust systems changed conditions for galley slaves
housing of the army
stop the civil war
treatment of children
Elizabeth Seton established schools for poor children in Maryland
Catholic Hospitals-
600 hospitals and 1,400
other
health facilities in all 50 states
Catholic Charities
Vincent found himself in positions of influence not for power but as a way of influencing for the goodSlide9
Empowerment MentoringCollaborationAdvocacy
Cornerstones for the
Society’s
Systemic Change Effort Slide10
Foundations the Society’s Systemic Change Effort
10Slide11
Advocacy at the Grass Roots Level SVDP Conferences, Districts and CouncilsSlide12
Where Does Our Work as Vincentians Lead?Awareness of a Need
“Traditional” Vincentian Charity
(Direct Aid)
“Not So Traditional” Social Justice
(Advocacy)Slide13
How Do We Engage Our Fellow Vincentians in Advocacy?
1) Rally Around Familiar and Vivid Images. . .
Traditional Vincentian Response to Heed the Cry of the Poor
Pope Francis’s Model and Message
Jesus
a
s the Ultimate Community OrganizerSlide14
How Do We Engage Our Fellow Vincentians in Advocacy?
2) Emphasize Catholic Social Teaching
24 Documents from 1891 to “Present”
1891 – The Condition of Labor
1931 – Reconstruction of the Social Order
1961 – Christianity and Social Progress
1963 to 2009 – 21 More Documents
Joy of the Gospel (2014) – Pope Francis
Chap. Four – The Social Dimension of EvangelizationSlide15
Faithful Citizenship: A
Catholic Call to Political
Responsibility (2003)
Strangers No Longer: Together on the Journey of Hope (2003)
A Call to Action
(1971)
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the
Church (2004)
Economic Justice for All (1986)
Catholic Social Teaching Titles
The Church in the Modern World
(1965)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church,
Second Edition (1992)Slide16
What are the Obstacles to Advocacy Engagement?
Tradition! “Vincentians Don’t Do Politics”
Building Consensus on Advocacy Projects and Positions
Lack of Time from Vincentian Volunteers
Slide17
Tradition: “Vincentians Don’t Do Politics”
Education, Education, Education…
Rule 7.2 of Society of St. Vincent de Paul
“Where injustice, inequality, poverty or exclusion are due to unjust economic, political, or social structures or to inadequate or unjust legislation,
the Society should speak out clearly against the situation, always with charity, with the aim of contributing to and demanding improvements
.”
US Conference of Catholic Bishops
“Responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation.”
Pope Francis
“Politics, though often denigrated, remains a lofty vocation and one of the highest forms of charity inasmuch as it seeks the common good.”Slide18
Building Consensus on Advocacy Projects and Positions?
Start Small with Education
Local Issues Identified by Vincentians’ Lived Experiences
SVdP Position Papers and Capwiz Action Alerts
US Conference of Catholic Bishops Public Policy Pronouncements and Resources
Newsletters from Catholic Social Justice Groups
Slide19
Lack of Time from Vincentian Volunteers
Voice of the Poor Representative in Each Conference
Voice of the Poor Committees
District-based Committees are Likely Best
Slide20
An Advocacy Model for the Voice of the Poor Work
Advocacy and Awareness Info
Advocacy and Awareness InfoSlide21
Does Social Justice Advocacy Make Us Act Differently as Vincentians?YES!
At Personal Level – On Home Visits and for Other Direct Aid
Look for Causes, Barriers for the Problems Being Encountered
Identify Follow-up Systemic Change Opportunities
At Conference Level
Devote an Agenda Section to Voice of the Poor
Matters
Engage in Social Justice and Advocacy Activities
At District and Central Council LevelsPromote Systemic Change ThinkingSeek Broad Systemic Change OpportunitiesSlide22
Advocacy at the Community LevelGermantown Systemic Change Initiative (GSCI) Slide23
Germantown Snapshot21,000 Living in Poverty 7,500 UnemployedReading/Math Proficiency < 40%Highest Level of Housing Distress (CDFI Indicator)Slide24
Systemic Change
Job
Money
Education
Food
HealthSlide25
Potential for Systemic Change in Germantown Slide26
Collective Impact Model
Common Agenda
Shared Measurement
Mutually Reinforcing Activities
Continuous Communication
Backbone SupportSlide27
Preconditions for Collective ImpactSlide28Slide29Slide30
GSCI Impact Model Slide31
GSCI aims to… Improve education, health, housing, and employment outcomes for the poor of Germantown Move 2,000 people past the experience of poverty by 2020Build meaningful collaboration across sectors (non-profit, business, government, resident)Slide32
Lessons for Advocacy Creating a pro-poor agenda Engaging politicians in collective impact “All politics is local”Proving impact is a powerful tool in advocacy Slide33
Small Group Activity10 Min systemic investigation exerciseEach home visitor should think about the last couple of people they’ve visitedWhat did they ask us for? What was their stated need?What is the direct cause of the need?What are the underlying causes or contributors to that need?
Do we think these root causes impact (or will impact) other clients?
Is there anything we can do about those root causes?
Are there other organizations in our area that work on these root causes?Slide34
Voice of the Poor Regional Reps
Northeast Region
Tom
Dwyer
tdwyerma@comcast.net
Mideast Region
Warren Wright
joannwarrenwright@yahoo.com
East Region
Lynne Betts
svdplbetts@yahoo.com Lois JacksonLjgigi1936@aol.comNorth Central Region Mary Ann Reinhardtrhino139@sbcglobal.netMidwest Region Joseph J. Komadinajkomadina@hotmail.com
South Central Region
Frank
Kiolbassa
fskiol96@aol.com
National Chair & Southeast Region
Jack Murphy
Jack.murphy@att.net
West Region
Giulio
Grecchi
ggrecchi@aol.com
Michael Stratton,
michaelstrattonsvdp
.
vop@gmail.com
Spiritual Advisor
Rev. Louis
Arceneaux
, C.M.
a.66528@yahoo.comSlide35
1. A Just Wage for Employees of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, April 2001 2. Affordable Housing for the Poor, February 2002 3. Health Care for the Poor, Feb. 2004
4. Immigration, Sept. 2004
5. Fair Wages, Sept. 2005
6. Restorative Justice, Sept. 2006
7. Predatory Lending, April 2007
8. Homelessness, Aug. 2007 9. Hunger, Sept. 2008 10. Education, Apr. 2010 11. Human Trafficking, Sept. 201035http://www.SVDPusa.org/Resources/VoiceofthePoor.aspx
Current Position Papers of The Society of St. Vincent de PaulSlide36
Society of St. Vincent de Paul VOICE OF THE POOR
For further information on Voice of the Poor, see pages on the National SVdP website:
http://www.svdpusa.org/Resources/VoiceofthePoor.aspx
Or
http://www.svdpusa.org/members/ProgramsandTools/
VoiceofthePoor.aspx
For further information on Catholic participation in public life, see page on the USCCB website:
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/faithful-citizenship/forming-consciences-for-faithful-citizenship-document.cfm For further information on Collective Impact, see The Collective Impact Forum: http://collectiveimpactforum.org/what-collective-impact
36Slide37
Prayer for Systemic ChangeWe praise and thank you, O God, Creator of the Universe. You have made all things good and have given us the earth to cultivate. Grant that we may always use created things gratefully, and share them generously with those in need. Give us creativity in helping the poor meet their basic human needs. Open our minds and hearts so that we might stand at their side and assist them to change whatever unjust structures keep them poor. Enable us to be brothers and sisters to them, friends who walk with them in their struggle for fundamental human rights. We ask this through Christ our Lord.
(from the Letter of Superior General on theme of annual Vincentian Day of Prayer 2008)