Developing Advocacy Strategies

NASW focuses on social change through advocacy. This is evidenced in its Social Justice Briefs. In addition to an overview of critical social problems, the briefs include additional examples of policy analysis and various alternatives for social change that will broaden the context for your own investigation into the social problem you selected for your Social Change Project.

For this Discussion, you will review NASW’s social justice initiatives for social change by reviewing their Social Justice Briefs. This will also support you as you activate your advocacy in the form of a letter or email to a local or state representative for your Assignment this week.

• Read Chapter 11 of the Jansson text. 
• Review the Social Justice Briefs  resource from NASW found in the Learning Resources this week. 
• Select one Social Justice Brief that resonates with you based on your advocacy goals or recent investigation into a social problem.

• Jansson, B. S. (2018). Becoming an effective policy advocate: From policy practice to social justice  (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
  • Chapter 11, “Developing Political Strategy and Putting It into Action in the Policy-Enacting Task” (pp. 372–421) 
• Academic Language Therapy Association. (n.d.). Resources to empower your advocacyLinks to an external site.. https://www.altaread.org/about/advocacy/toolkit   
  Note: Select “Write Your Representative” to complete an interactive to guide your letter writing and to access a sample letter.
• American Civil Liberties Union. (n.d.). Writing your elected representativesLinks to an external site.. https://www.aclu.org/writing-your-elected-representatives
• Council on Social Work Education. (n.d.). Advocacy & policyLinks to an external site.. https://www.cswe.org/advocacy-policy/
• Lewis-Burke Associates, LLC. (2026). CSWE advocacy handbook: A resource guide for social workersLinks to an external site.. Council on Social Work Education. https://www.cswe.org/getmedia/dd69f21a-1f40-4602-829d-7779924e173e/CSWE_Advocacy_Handbook_2026.pdf
• National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Social justice briefsLinks to an external site..  https://www.socialworkers.org/Advocacy/Social-Justice/Social-Justice-Issue-Briefs 
• USAGov. (n.d.). Find and contact elected officialsLinks to an external site.. https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials
• Read Chapter 11 of the Jansson text. 
• Review the Social Justice Briefs  resource from NASW found in the Learning Resources this week. 
• Select one Social Justice Brief that resonates with you based on your advocacy goals or recent investigation into a social problem.
• Read Chapter 11 of the Jansson text. 
• Review the Social Justice Briefs  resource from NASW found in the Learning Resources this week. 
• Select one Social Justice Brief that resonates with you based on your advocacy goals or recent investigation into a social problem.

How to Write a Discussion on Developing Advocacy Strategies

Introduction

Begin by introducing advocacy as a core responsibility of the social work profession and an essential strategy for advancing social justice, influencing public policy, and improving the lives of vulnerable populations. Explain that the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) promotes policy advocacy through its Social Justice Briefs, which highlight pressing social issues and recommend evidence-based policy solutions. Discuss how Jansson’s policy advocacy framework emphasizes strategic planning, coalition building, communication, and political engagement to achieve meaningful policy change. Conclude the introduction by stating that the discussion will examine one NASW Social Justice Brief, analyze advocacy strategies that support policy change, and explain how these strategies can be applied to advance social justice goals.

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Section 1: Selected NASW Social Justice Brief

Identify the one NASW Social Justice Brief selected for the discussion.

Introduce the social issue addressed in the brief.

Discuss:

The significance of the issue.

Populations affected.

Current policy concerns.

Historical context.

Social justice implications.

Why the topic aligns with your advocacy interests or your Social Change Project.

Summarize the primary recommendations presented in the NASW Social Justice Brief.

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Section 2: Analysis of the Social Problem and Policy Issue

Analyze the selected social problem in greater depth.

Discuss:

Root causes.

Contributing social determinants.

Existing policies.

Policy gaps.

Impact on individuals.

Impact on families.

Impact on communities.

Economic implications.

Health implications.

Equity considerations.

Support your discussion with evidence from the NASW Social Justice Brief, the Jansson textbook, and additional scholarly sources where appropriate.

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Section 3: Advocacy Strategies for Social Change

Explain advocacy strategies that could be used to address the selected policy issue.

Discuss strategies such as:

Legislative advocacy.

Policy analysis.

Coalition building.

Community organizing.

Public education.

Grassroots advocacy.

Professional lobbying.

Media engagement.

Relationship building with policymakers.

Evidence-based communication.

Explain how each strategy contributes to influencing policy decisions and advancing social justice.

Relate these strategies to Jansson’s recommendations for effective policy advocacy.

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Section 4: Applying Jansson’s Policy Advocacy Framework

Explain how the concepts presented in Chapter 11 of Jansson can be applied to the selected advocacy issue.

Discuss:

Political strategy.

Stakeholder analysis.

Agenda setting.

Policy enactment.

Power mapping.

Timing.

Communication strategies.

Negotiation.

Collaboration.

Evaluation of advocacy efforts.

Explain how these concepts strengthen policy advocacy and improve the likelihood of achieving legislative change.

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Section 5: Personal Advocacy Plan

Reflect on how you would personally advocate for the selected issue.

Discuss:

Communicating with elected officials.

Writing advocacy letters or emails.

Participating in advocacy organizations.

Educating community members.

Collaborating with professional organizations.

Supporting legislative initiatives.

Building partnerships.

Using research to influence policy.

Explain how these advocacy activities align with professional social work values and ethical responsibilities.

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Conclusion

Summarize the importance of advocacy in promoting social justice and advancing effective public policy within the social work profession. Reinforce that the NASW Social Justice Briefs provide valuable guidance for understanding complex social problems and identifying evidence-based policy solutions. Conclude by emphasizing that strategic advocacy, informed by Jansson’s policy framework and professional ethical principles, enables social workers to influence legislation, strengthen communities, and improve outcomes for vulnerable populations through sustained civic engagement and collaborative leadership.

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References

Prepare a References page using APA 7th edition formatting unless your instructor specifies another citation style. Arrange all references in alphabetical order without numbering. Include the Jansson textbook, the selected NASW Social Justice Brief, the NASW Code of Ethics, Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) advocacy resources, and any additional peer-reviewed scholarly sources used to support the discussion. Ensure that all in-text citations correspond accurately to the reference list.

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