Engaging new people in the work for peace and justice is essential if we want to grow our power and be more successful in our quest for positive change. Here are three examples of outreach activities you can plan to invite others into the work from our Advocacy Teams staff.

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Tabling

A great way to meet new people who may be interested in your advocacy is to set up a table with information about your Advocacy Team at conferences, religious gatherings, county or state fairs, festivals, or other community events. Your enthusiasm and personal stories are your best tools for success, but you can also request a packet of tabling materials from FCNL. The Southwest Washington Advocacy Team tabled at the Vancouver Peace and Justice Fair in 2022!

Share a Meal

Building relationships with others is the best way to grow your team. Hosting a meal and inviting team members to extend invitations to others who they think would be interested in your work is a great way to invite others to join your advocacy.

Over food and conversation or a more formal presentation, you can ask others about their passions and share what motivates you to work for peace and justice. The Advocacy Teams in Independence, MO, held a Peace and Pizza event where they shared a meal and information about their advocacy for peace. Several participants later joined the team!

Movie Screening

There are some things that words cannot communicate. Showing a film is a powerful way to introduce the issue campaign to a broader audience. Seeing firsthand the impact of a policy or the need for a more just foreign policy can motivate others to get involved. Make time for discussion after the film and allow plenty of time for relationship-building as you invite others into your work. The Advocacy Team in Providence, RI, held a virtual showing of the film Hunger Ward in 2022 as they lobbied to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen.

Tips for Success

  • Brainstorm your contacts. Before any outreach event, think of a list of people you could invite. Reach out to them individually.
  • Invite people to join your advocacy actions. Always invite people first to join you in advocacy, not your business meetings. Plan your outreach event a week or two before a lobby visit or letter-writing event.
  • Tell your story. Personal stories are the most effective way to communicate the value of your team’s work.
  • Make it personal. One-on-one conversations are the most effective form of outreach.

Report Back

If you are an Advocacy Team member and hold an outreach event, we would love to hear about it! Fill out a Community Event form with a brief description of the event and any pictures or videos you have.