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Advocacy
A Premier Voice For Girls
By Susan Goldberg
LEADER magazine welcomes this new department to keep you updated on advocacy efforts, and included in the forum of ideas in your magazine. Your ideas are important and we'll ask for them. The column is contributed by the Girl Scouts of the USA Public Policy and Advocacy Office located in Washington, D.C., which was established in 1952 to work with White House officials, members of Congress, and federal department representatives, to influence public policy, to educate lawmakers about issues important to girls and Girl Scouting, and to increase the Movement's visibility as a premier voice for girls.
When Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts in 1912, she may not have foreseen the world as it is today, but her intention was clear that Girl Scouts be an organization for the benefit of all girls throughout the world. From the beginning, Girl Scouts has been a leader in providing girls with the resources, mentorship and opportunities to help them meet the challenges of the moment. Advocacy always has been a priority of the Girl Scout organization, finding ways to be a strong and positive influence and voice for girls in communities, government policies, and even in the implementation of laws that impact girls and Girl Scouting.
Today, girls face unprecedented complex challenges. More than ever, they need Girl Scouts to be a premier voice for girls, by advocating for their best interests in our communities, in state legislatures and in our nation's capital. As an international Movement, Girl Scouts has unparalleled knowledge about what girls need to thrive in today's world, and we are poised to engage in advocacy more strenuously than ever before.
Laurie Westley, Senior Vice President, GSUSA Public Policy and Advocacy, presented Key Principles of Advocacy in Girl Scouting and Voice for Girls Platform, which were approved by the Girl Scout National Board of Directors in June 2005.
Key Principles of Advocacy in Girl Scouting:
- Girl Scouts will move forward with advocacy to the “fullest extent,” with unity as a Movement and in measured steps.
- Advocacy will be viewed within a broad external relations perspective. Advocacy is more than just influencing legislation, it is being a leading voice for girls.
- We will speak with a unified voice with a consistent public policy agenda at the federal, state and local levels.
- The participation and input of girls is essential to our success in public policy and advocacy.
- Creating a strong grassroots movement will help ensure success in advocacy. In fact, strong partnerships among Girl Scout councils, GSUSA and other Girl Scout stakeholders in advocacy is the best way for the Movement to effectively advocate for girls and Girl Scouting.
- Advocacy will become recognized as the responsibility of GSUSA and councils.
These Key Principles are supported by a first-of-its-kind policy process and a Voice for Girls Platform that articulates our core values and beliefs, and demonstrates our mission that all girls develop courage, confidence, and character, and make the world a better place. This platform was carefully crafted by Girl Scouts of the USA in partnership with Girl Scout councils, and is an integral part of the future work of our Movement. The process is a step-by-step structure for choosing and acting on public policy issues.
To implement this process, we are developing an inclusive action plan that engages volunteers, girls, staff and parents, in helping to identify the public policy issues that are most important to girls. With the help of Girl Scout councils nationwide, GSUSA will seek input from volunteers and girls about issues throughout 2006, which will inform how we shape a unified public policy agenda to be launched in 2007.
An integral part of our efforts will be to engage girls in the advocacy process so that they learn firsthand the power of advocating, are themselves empowered to take a stand on issues they care about most, and develop the skills and experience to be advocates for life.
As you can see, our vision for advocacy is more than just influencing legislation. Advocacy will help us initiate a powerful national dialogue with girls. Just imagine what a Movement like Girl Scouts can accomplish for girls as we begin a re-envisioned journey in advocacy.
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