MSAC Advocacy Leadership Institute -
Direct Support for Providers

The MSAC Advocacy Leadership Institute-ALI- recruits and supports a leadership cadre of out-of-school providers. The goal of this "Advocacy Corps" will be to develop a grassroots network of out-of-school time providers around the state that can actively advocate for quality after-school programs and services both in their own community and on statewide issues in collaboration with other networks.

MSAC's Public Policy and Advocacy Work:

• Identify and recruit an MSAC Advocacy Corps - Engage school-age practitioners from around the state that have an expressed interest in and commitment to learning how to actively advocate for public policies that positively impact before and after-school programming in their communities and across Massachusetts.
• Provide Training and Support through the Advocacy Leadership Institute - Develop and provide trainings and technical assistance to help build advocacy skills and expertise among practitioners; identify strategies and supports to help the Advocacy Corps implement their new skills at the local level through grassroots advocacy efforts and provide opportunities to connect with existing statewide OST advocacy.
• Communicating with and Mobilizing Grassroots Stakeholders - Communicate broadly with OST practitioners in the Advocacy Corps and others around the state on current policy, budget and legislative issues and assist them in using their knowledge and expertise to actively advocate for positive OST public policy.
  

We are especially grateful to the Hyams Foundation for their critical support for this project and of MSAC's advocacy and organizing work over the past several years.

We hope to begin a new ALI Program in the Fall of 2005!

If you would like more information as it becomes available please call Judy Renehan Rouse at 617-326-1401 or email to jrouse@mass-sac.org.