Step 09

Develop Skills

Decide on the skills and knowledge students in the group need to complete the project and teach them explicitly (e.g. Interview skills, letter writing, etc.). Remember that one of the goals of the Action Learning Group Project is for students to feel equipped and motivated to do another project...

This section deals explicitly with developing telephone skills, lobbying, letter writing, and some fund-raising ideas.

Remember: a personal touch is often more effective. Get students face to face with a person if possible.

Skill Building Activities

Adapted from: LSF – Engaging Students in Sustainable Action Projects and These resources and activities were compiled by MJ Barrett and drawn from William F. Hammond Ph.D. Florida Gulf Coast University, and Lee District School System, Lee County Florida. See also “Action in Schools” (1997). Green Teacher ,50.

ACTIVITY How to Run A Meeting

Key Concepts:

• The importance of having a structure to run a meeting.
• The different roles in running a meeting – someone to facilitate and lead the process, someone to take notes, someone to keep time.
• The importance of setting an agenda and taking minutes.
• How to negotiate there own structures.

Suggestions

• Begin by getting each student to describe how their club meetings are currently run. Does the Teacher manage the meeting or do students run it?
• Discuss whether it is important for teachers to run the meetings or for students to run the meetings. Perhaps discuss pros and cons of both.
• Brainstorm ideas of what can make meetings more effective and then brainstorm what kind of structure you would need to have in place.
• Do a mock club meeting. Pick a few things that might be discussed during a meeting. Write up an agenda and role play out the meeting with a facilitator or leader, a minute taker, and a time keeper.
• Have a discussion about the best ways to keep a record of meetings and why this is important (holds people accountable for what they sign up for, creates a record that can be referred to for future reference.)
• How might thee minutes be shared? (use wikis, websites, paper copies?)

ACTIVITY Developing Telephone Skills

Purpose:

• To identify and develop skills while preparing for, and making, phone calls

• To practice making phone calls to build confidence

Materials:

• Copies of telephone tips and scenarios (below)

• Old telephone receiver(s) – optional

Procedure:

1. Read through the “Phone Tips” below.

2. Model a simulation (see simulations at end of lesson) using the steps below and then assign students groups of 3 to have them practice the different roles: one person telephoning, one person receiving the call, and one observer. Callers should sit back-to-back; observer should write notes.

3. Take a few minutes for each person to prepare statements, questions and potential responses.

4. After everyone has had a chance to try all three roles, in small groups, students should identify strong and weak points, areas of confusion or misunderstandings, and ways to improve.

5. As a large group, discuss the most common strengths, weaknesses, possibilities for improvement.

Phone Tips:

Before Calling

• Know why you are calling

• Know why you were calling this particular person or office

• Know about the person being called: level of knowledge, opinion on subject at hand, past concerns, past statements, etc.

• Do your homework; Explore the organization’s website if they have one, so that you are not asking questions that are answered on the website

• Know what you need

• Make notes about what you want to ask

• Make notes about what you want to say

• Have a paper and pencil ready to take notes; start with the date, time, name of person called, and phone number used

• Prepare yourself to answer questions

• Gather and organize whatever information you may need to help you answer questions

• Know how far you can go in making commitments and promises

• For your first few calls, prepare a tape recorder to tape your end of the conversation for future reference

Starting the Call

• Identify yourself by first and last name

• Briefly identify your association: A member of the ______ class at _______school

• Quickly state your needs:

o I would like to speak with __________

o I would like to speak with someone about _____________

o I would like some information about _____________

Prepare For Roadblocks

• “Could you suggest a time I might call back?”

• “Could you suggest someone else who might be able to help me?”

• The never-ending computer phone menu

• Be ready to leave a clear message, should you be directed to a voice mailbox

Ending the Call

• Wrap up by repeating and summarizing any commitments either of you have made

• Be sure to say ‘thanks’

• If you don’t reach the person you need to speak to leave a message,

o Please tell ___________that I called about ______________

o “Please leave a message that I called, and that I will call again.” or

• Find out when you should call back.

After Calling

• Edit, revise and expand your notes

• Review and critique your tape recording

• Initiate your next action steps

• Honour any commitments made

• Call back if necessary

Sample Simulations

• Simulation 1: Call the city/town bylaw officer to see if there are any regulations around idling vehicles.

• Simulation 2: Call the Conservation Authority to set up a meeting to discuss your proposed wetland rehabilitation project.

• Simulation 3: Call the police department to discuss ideas for working together to reduce littering and vandalism in a local ravine.

• Simulation 4: Call the water treatment plant to discuss your findings based on water quality tests you completed. (The tests suggest there is a high level of organic matter coming from the water treatment plant).

ACTIVITY Lobbying

Purpose:

• To introduce the concept of lobbying and to practice basic lobbying skills

Materials:

• Lobbying simulations (attached)

Background Information:

Though the term may evoke a sense of heading into risky territory, yet we are all lobbyists every day. Teachers lobby their principal or department head for support to take on a new project; students lobby their parents for extended curfews, a new phone line, or permission to host a party, etc.

Lobbying can be a very sophisticated form of communication fundamental to how things get done in a democratic system of governance. Lobbying gets its name from the fact that this form of communication often takes place in the halls of provincial or federal government buildings.

Lobbying can have three main purposes:

1. Making a connection: In “introductory lobbying,” a team of students meets with a public official just to introduce themselves and seek out any ideas or advice that the public official may have on projects students might be interested in engaging in.

2. Seeking advice: This follow-up lobbying session is about “building a relationship and conducting reconnaissance” with an elected or public official. Students are interested in informing the official and seeking advice on a project they are considering. It is also a time to find out who the official thinks might be able to provide expertise to help the students with their work.

3. Seeking commitment and support: This request usually occurs on a return visit after the groundwork has been thoroughly completed.

Guidelines for Action:

A lobbying team is made up of three team members, each with a specific responsibility.

Lobbyist Role 1: The Recorder

This person’s responsibility is to plan the lobbying session with the other two team members and then to observe and record all that occurs during the lobbying session. This person usually leads the lobbying debriefing session with the rest of the team members, right after the lobbying session.

Lobbyist Role 2: The Listener-Support Speaker

This person’s responsibility is to co-plan the lobbying session and then to carefully listen to everything each person says during the lobbying session. This person should be ready to assist the primary speaker noting key points that they may have missed or to add additional information if it seems helpful to the session. They must fully know the objectives for the lobbying session and be sure the primary speaker covers them all. He or she must participate in the debriefing session right after the lobbying session is completed.

Lobbyist Role 3: The Primary Speaker or Presenter

This person’s responsibility is to co-plan the lobbying session and then be prepared to be the primary communicator for the lobbying team during the lobbying session. The presenter is also responsible for participating in the lobbying debriefing session right after the lobbying session is completed.

The sequence for lobbying action:

• Do your homework and planning.

• Make arrangements/appointments for the lobbying session.

• Make an effective entrance/introductions and setting the stage.

• Communicate your purpose and plan.

• Clarify understand and commitments.

• Summarize the key points of understanding and action follow-ups.

• Say thank you and remind of follow-ups or commitments to be acted upon.

• Conduct debriefing session with triad lobbying team to verify what each person observed and to review commitments and follow-up promises.

• Make thank you note and follow-up with any pertinent information or affirmations of commitments.

• File a written summary and note cards of your lobbying team’s experience.

Simulations:

Prepare enough lobbyist simulation cards so that each group has an opportunity to present their lobbying task before a “mock” town councilor or other elected official in a realistic simulation. The whole group will then critique each lobbying team for their effectiveness in accomplishing their assigned task. A variation is to ask the recorder/observer to publicly debrief the lobby team or even let the lobbying triad team publicly debrief in front of the remainder of the class and then get class feedback.

Town Councilor Strategies

• distract the lobbyists from their task by asking about their families, interests, talking about current events etc.

• avoid making any commitment of any kind. Reassure them that they have a good idea, but…

• allow yourself to be interrupted by a phone call or other visitor

• be late

• claim poverty, overwork, other demands

• claim you have no power

Sample Lobbying Simulations

• Simulation 1: You are to seek the School Board Chair Dr. Fastfood’s support to establish a composting program for all school lunchrooms.

• Simulation 2: You are to meet with your school principal Mrs. Iam Green to move your interest in establishing a natural systems community habitat plan on about one quarter of your school grounds closer to reality.

• Simulation 3: You are to meet with the town council chair Mr. Buildumbig to seek the support of the council to create a greenway and stream restoration program on a highly impacted town drainage ditch/ stream. The ditch used to be a very productive stream until it was changed into a flood and drainage ditch.

• Simulation 4: You are to meet with town councilor Lone Tonnes who is a well known community leader and socialite. Your task is to convince the councilor that the community needs to establish a food bank and community re-use centre that would support people bringing in goods that are still functional that other people could come and pick up for their use.

• Simulation 5: You are to meet with school superintendent Dr. JJ. Growum to establish a school system community plan for creating a young naturalists mentoring program. The program would match high school students and retirees working with young primary students to help them develop a ‘sense of place’ with the natural systems in your community.

• Simulation 6: County Councilor Bigalot has repeatedly directed county park staff not to spend money on implementing the Fall River Valley Wild Spaces Plan and Recreation Trail System. Get him to support the protection and development of passive recreation facilities in the Fall River Valley.

• Simulation 8: You are to meet with town Councilor Sisalow to inform him of the need for a nature reserve along the Credit River near the Village of Inglewood – very close to where an aggregate company wants to expand its gravel pits. You need to inform him of your project and gain his support.

• Simulation 9: You are to meet with Councilor Walsell to find out what her opinion of your Nature Reserve is and what she would recommend you do to achieve your goal.

• Simulation 10: County Councilor Jacobs is said to oppose the Nature Reserve concept. Try to change his position.

• Simulation 11: County Councilor Tightmoney has been overheard saying that the Nature Reserve is a waste of taxpayer’s money. Check it out with him and persuade him to a support your idea.

ACTIVITY Letter Writing

Materials:

• Municipal, Provincial and House of Commons web sites for local councilor, MPP and MP addresses

• Paper, envelopes, stamps or email access

Procedure:

1. Read through the “letter writing tips” below.

2. Identify the most appropriate person/people to write your letter to.

3. Make sure you have done your research.

4. Write the letter, using proper business letter format.

5. Have it reviewed and proofread by peers and your teacher.

6. Mail the letter.

Letter Writing Tips:

• A good letter requires background research to identify to whom you need to write, and to be able to present an informed opinion. Be sure to use appropriate business letter format and consider including 3 paragraphs:

• Paragraph 1: The introductory paragraph identifies you, your relationship to the recipient (e.g. concerned student, child of taxpayers in the riding etc.) and identifies the purpose of the letter.

• Paragraph 2: The body paragraph clearly states your position on the issue and explains your rationale for taking that position. This is where you include some of your supporting evidence and explain how it backs up your position as well as explaining how the issue affects you.

• Paragraph 3: The concluding paragraph identifies what you are requesting and asks for a reply.

• Consider the following advice for writing a letter to your MP, adapted from the Canadian Psychological association’s website: http://www.cpa.ca/documents/advocacy_p5.htm

• Be direct. State the subject of your letter clearly, keep it brief and address only one issue in each letter.

• Be accurate. Beware of false or misleading information. Always double-check if you are not sure.

• Be informative. State your own views, support them with your expert knowledge, and cite the bill number (Bill C-###) of relevant legislation, if appropriate. Your personally written letter is more highly regarded than pre-printed materials or postcards.

• Be courteous. Never threaten your MP. Keep in mind that there may be other issues where your organization will lobby this MP. A cordial relationship keeps the door open.

• Be constructive. Rely on the facts and avoid emotional arguments, threats of political influence, or demands.

• Personalize your message. Cite examples from your own experience to support your position. Give personal examples of how the issue will impact your community.

• Be political. Explain the hometown or school relevance of this issue. Use your institution’s stationery, if authorized.

• Be discriminating. Write only on the issues that are very important to you and avoid the risk of diluting your effectiveness.

• Be inquiring. Ask for the MP’s view on the subject and how she or he intends to vote on relevant legislation. Expect a reply, even if it’s only a form letter.

• Be available. Offer additional information if needed and make sure your MP knows how to reach you.

• Be appreciative. Remember to say "thanks" when it is deserved. Follow the issue after you write and send a letter of thanks if your MP votes your way.

• REMEMBER, no postage is required to mail a letter to your MP in Canada. Furthermore, since a fax gets more attention, faster, send it also by fax.

Follow-up to Your Letter:

• MPs’ offices receive hundreds of pieces of mail every day, which means it can take a week or more to research the issue properly and to answer your letter. If you don’t hear from them after three or four weeks, however, follow up with a phone call, or with another letter that references the first one.

• If the reply you receive asks specific questions about the issue, make sure you respond with the answers.

• If your representative votes or takes a public stand that reflects your position, send a thank-you. It’s just as important to let your representatives know you support a position as it is to let them know you oppose one.

• If you are lobbying as part of a larger movement, make sure you send copies of all your correspondence with elected officials to the (local organizing committee). This allows groups to track grassroots communications and determine where they might need to get more people involved.

ACTIVITY Fund-raising ideas

Ideas and suggestions for discussion:

Establish why students might want to organize fund-raising. What is the money to be used for? Is money required for this project or can in-kind support be utilised?

Either as a big group or smaller groups discuss the following:

• brainstorm small scale fundraisers they can so at the school level (ex. Bake sales)
• brainstorm large scale fundraisers (ex. Silent auction)
• write down as many as many fundraiser ideas as possible

Have a discussion about seeking external funding

• Grants: Briefly outline what grants are, how they are accessed and how they are acquitted. Grants usually have an application deadline and require a lot of details about the project.
• Community Donations: How to write a letter asking for donations (see above activity and below specific ideas). Talk about the difference between in-kind donations and monetary donations.

Specific ideas for these letters:

1. When asking for donations from a company the first step is to ensure that the letter is going to the right person. Get the name of the individual in charge of making decisions about whether or not a contribution or donation can be given.
2. Start the letter by emphasizing the good work that your non-profit has done and how this work is benefiting the person(s) or the organization's community in which you are asking to provide a contribution or donation.
3. Discuss what the non-profit will accomplish if a donation is received and who will the donation benefit.
4. Make mention that the giving is tax deductible and if possible acknowledge how the giving is associated with the organization's mission or corporate giving values.
5. Provide the contact information and your name or the person's name who the organization or person can direct questions to if they have further inquiries. Let the organization know that any amount in which the organization wishes to contribute will be acceptable.
6. Thank the individual or company in advance for considering making the contribution.