"My Own Capacity."

Issues impacting young children and their families that fuel my passion is those living in poverty , cannot get health services and quality education.

Special skills that I have that will contribute to my advocacy efforts is my ongoing continued education in this field, resources that I have made in the community as well as collaborative partners who also advocate for the same issues. My communication and research skills will help in gaining resources for the families.

I have met and maintained relationships with City Clinics, Doctor and Nurses, Food banks, schools and stores willing to provide services to children and their families. I also use my colleagues as a resource to other services. My gift of being able to articulate what is needed, communicating in an effective manner, wiliness to work at different events, reach out to community leaders to inform them on the needs and my overall desire to make a difference and too be a part of the solution.

I hope to continue to grow in my knowledge of advocating, learning new and innovative ways to reach those most in need, build better skills on reaching legislature and planning events to get more support in this area to better use my current skills and to learn new ones .

 

                                                     “My Role as an Advocate”

My motivation to work with young children began when I entered the field of early childhood  approximately 20 years ago and saw how inexperienced teachers interacted with children they were responsible  for and how parents treated their children because they did not have good parenting skills and the knowledge of rearing and teaching young children.  It also brought back memories of my own life and how many things I did wrong as a parent because I too did not have the knowledge of early childhood development.

Whether it is a mico or  macro level , any effort that a person can make ,makes a a difference no matter even if they pass of flyers to an advocacy event or help to organize it, every thing helps and is needed to make a difference in the lives of others make it better.

 

I believe in order to be a community leader on early childhood issues one needs to stay abreast of what is happening in the field  from  being knowledgeable of state, local and federal laws and regulations as well as the needs of the community. Knowing how children learn and develop so that it can be articulated to the community so that when you advocate and ask for needed funding you will have a better chance of getting it if you know how to ask and answer questions.

I believe that the resources needed in order to be a state leader on early childhood issues  is for that individual to  be knowledgeable of early childhood development the regulations, laws and policies of child care and young  children and their needs in order to function and succeed for life are essential and be willing to  campaign to get other leaders on board for the cause.

 Tactics and strategies I have used to mobilize others is that I keep individual

s abreast of new issues on policies and news that come up from Minimum Standards, Head Start and other areas of education/child development I send emails, share I staff meeting’s as well as be available to rally for the cause of advocating and  when other see my passion they want to be involved as well.   

 

Advice I would give to someone who was interested in taking a leadership role in advocating for young children and their families  is to be passionate about the work, communicate ,listen to the issue and concerns, be willing to continue learning of new and innovative ideas to share with others and always keep what is best for the  child and family as the guiding force and understanding that one person can make a difference in the life of a child and their family. 

 

Personal Advocacy Reflection

My personal story of how I have been impacted by the advocacy of someone else is when a relative needed assistance when she had a child with special needs. She did not know where to turn since she was a young mother and we had not had anyone in our family who had a special needs child. It was a trying time as it was 20 years ago and people did not talk about certain things and children were called retarded back then. It was only when the child turned 4 years old that it was decided to send the child to a special school for 4 hours a day and during that time a teacher took special interest and gave my Aunt the needed support for her and her child.

My cousin is now a productive citizen who has a job and is doing well. That experience has stayed in my mind and heart and has made me want to do more for children and their family. I have made it a lifelong passion to help others especially those who have expressed to me that they don’t know what to do and where to get the needed assistance.

I am glad to be I the profession I am in to be able to be a resource to families and know I help to make a difference in the lives of others.

Hello

I am excited in starting this next class and more because I have one more to complete this journey. I look forward to working with the two of you this semester.

Debra