Teams Work:
Tips for Building an Effective Advocacy Team
Advocating for policies and practices that result in the best outcomes for students is part of our
responsibility as school psychologists. There are three main types of advocacy: individual advocacy on
behalf of specific students, professional advocacy to improve practice at the building and district levels,
and legislative advocacy at the local, state and national levels to influence policy and legislation that
shape practice. All are important and require effective teamwork and collaboration across various
stakeholders.
Developing an advocacy team with the intentional purpose of advancing shared goals can make a big
difference, particularly with regard to professional and legislative advocacy. Individual school
psychologists can create teams at the local (building/district) level or work with their state association to
build a team at the state level. Below are some tips to help you build an effective advocacy team.
1. Identify likely members of the team. Focus on colleagues who are passionate about creating
change in your school/district/state or have a vested interest in advocacy and who share similar
goals and concerns with you. Think broadly about the roles of people you might tap. Don’t
forget to reach out to graduate interns and early career professionals who often lend terrific
energy and creativity to advocacy efforts. Be sure to consider the following:
a. Can they devote the time necessary to be an effective team member?
b. Is there someone who has specific skills you need (e.g. writing)?
c. Do you have a diverse representation on your team (e.g. administrators, allied
professionals)?
d. Are your members knowledgeable about the issue at hand and/or are they willing to
learn?
2. Define roles for each team member. Each team member brings something unique to the table.
Identify the areas of strength in each of your members so that you can work effectively and
efficiently. Team roles will vary based on the specific issue you are working on; however, each
team should have:
a. Chair. This person is responsible for organizing meetings, setting the agenda, and
ensuring that all activities and timelines are being met. This person may also act as the
“voice” for your team and relevant meetings.
b. Data Collector. Effective advocacy requires data. This person is responsible for
gathering any research relevant to your goal.
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c. Relationship builder. As your team works towards implementing an advocacy action
plan, it will be important that you engage with other interested groups and stakeholders
(e.g. the PTA, relevant community agencies, officials with whom you have a
personal/working relationship). This person has primary (although not sole)
responsibility for identifying and reaching out to these stakeholders in hopes that you
can form positive working relationships with them.
d. Communicator. Ideally one member of the team is a good writer and/or presenter. They
have the ability to translate ideas and information into succinct and relevant language
appropriate to the audience. This could include developing brief PowerPoint
presentations, factsheets, handouts or articles for a variety of outlets.
e. Opportunist. This person is responsible for identifying relevant opportunities for your
team to share your goals. This could include PTA meetings, staff meetings, school board
meetings, town halls, public hearings, etc.
3. Set a goal and define your objectives. What is something that you would like to accomplish or
change? This goal could be specific to a single school (e.g. asking for more dedicated time to
provide counseling services to students) or a systemic change like moving towards a multi-tiered
system of behavioral and academic support for students. Be sure to align your goals with
building/district priorities.
4. Assess the situation to develop a plan:
a. Where is your district currently with regard to your goals? you
b. What are the potential opportunities? (e.g., new policies/programs, student need,
administrator’s agenda that relate to your goals)
c. What are the obstacles to implementation? (e.g., time, misperceptions, competing
agendas, complex issue)
d. What is the time frame?
e. What are the available resources?
5. Identify and mobilize relevant stakeholders. Find out who is concerned about and/or will be
most affected by your issue and get them on board. At times, it may be appropriate to include a
member of one of your key stakeholder groups as a member of the core advocacy team. When
identifying the relevant stakeholders, consider engaging the following groups:
a. Parents
b. Teachers
c. Other school employed mental health professionals
d. Administrators
e. Community leaders
f. Students (if appropriate)
6. Develop a plan. Create 2 or 3 concrete and realistic short-term goals that will help you work
towards achieving your long-term goal. For each goal consider the following:
a. What activities are needed to meet this goal?
b. What is a realistic timeline?
c. Which team member is responsible for each activity?
d. What resources do you need?
e. What allied stakeholders or groups could help you?
f. What are the anticipated outcomes?
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7. Set meeting dates and timelines for goals. Effective teamwork involves planning and dedicated
time to meet face to face. As a group, choose a regular meeting time (weekly, bi-weekly,
monthly) and set concrete dates in which tasks should be completed. Send out reminder emails
in advance of the meeting. Make sure you stick to these deadlines!
8. Communicate. To be effective, every member of the team must feel as if their voice is being
heard and respected. This includes practical communications such as mode/method (e.g. being
responsive to email), being clear on what has been discussed, decided, and next steps, and
being open to differing perspectives. Although there may be disagreements among your
members, it will be important that you have a process for all ideas to be considered. Keep your
focus on the end goal, and choose the path that will most likely help you reach that goal.
9. Consult NASP resources. Advocacy comes easier to some than others. NASP has a wealth of
resources to help your team craft your message and design an advocacy action plan. Below are
just a few of the resources available to you:
a. Communication Planning, Message Development and Implementation
http://www.nasponline.org/communications/commplanning.aspx
b. NASP Advocacy Roadmap: Preserving and Promoting School Psychological Services
http://www.nasponline.org/advocacy/psychservicesroadmap.aspx
c. What Makes a School Psychologist a School Psychologist?
http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/mocq364commmatters.aspx
This handout is part of a series developed in conjunction with NASP’s 2013 School Psychology Awareness
Week theme, “We’re All In! Teams Work,” designed to help school psychologists support improved team
skills in students and staff. For additional information tip sheets, visit the NASP website
(www.nasponline.org/communications/spaw/2013).
Written by Kelly Vaillancourt, NASP Director of Government Relations.
©2013, National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East-West Highway, Suite 402,
Bethesda, MD 20895, www.nasponline.org
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