Join us for FOUR Statewide Virtual Policy Institutes! 

The NC Collaborative for Children, Youth, and Families and Prevent Child Abuse NC are excited to share with you that registration for the 2021 Policy Institutes is open!

Over 600 people participated in the four regional institutes we held in September and October of 2020. This year, we’re bringing the institutes back virtually and instead of a regional format, we are offering a series of four institutes – each focused on a different level of advocacy. Our speakers and presenters will be talking about coalition building and how to advocate effectively on local, state, and federal levels of government.

Each institute is 2.5 hours long and will include an opening keynote speaker, an advocacy 201 presentation, a youth or parent voice keynote, and a panel discussion with elected officials, stakeholders, and leaders in advocacy. We’ll share the names of the speakers and panelists soon.

Read more about each institute below and register for one or all four! Each one will have different content and all of them are free.

Local policy decisions can have major impacts in people’s day-to-day lives. In this institute, we will focus on what decisions are made at the local level, how local governments function, and the tools and skills used by advocates to advance policies that support children, youth, and families on the local level. The goal of this institute is to educate and build skills for local level advocates and grassroots champions in the local policy processes. Participants will hear from a variety of speakers and panelists to learn about the important advocacy work that can happen on the local level.

State lawmakers are members of local communities and are elected to represent their communities on the state level. State agencies also create their own administrative policies that impact the lives of people in the state. State legislative bodies often have less restrictions than the federal body, due to which they are often more productive in terms of bills passed. Momentum for issues on the state level can also drive national policy conversations. The goal of this institute is to explore effective strategies for advocating on the state level for policies that impact families, youth, and children. Participants will hear from a variety of speakers and panelists to learn about the important advocacy work that can happen at the state level.

Advocacy on the federal level can influence national policy decisions that have implications for all other levels of government. While the federal policymaking process can be complex, advocacy at this level is essential, as decisions at the national level reach everyone and thereby can be key to achieving equitable outcomes. The goal of this institute is to explore effective strategies for advocating on the federal level for policies that impact families, youth, and children. Participants will hear from a variety of speakers and panelists to learn about the important advocacy work that can happen at the federal level.