Now that you have an idea of what you want to ask for, who you need to advocate to, and how you will tell them your story, it is time to start communicating with government.
How will you communicate? Consider these questions:
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How urgent is the issue? If the issue is very time-sensitive, you may want to send a letter or email with all the details and ask for a quick response, rather than trying to schedule a meeting, which may take time.
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Do the problem and solution you are proposing require a lot of explanation? If this is an opportunity to educate the government decision-maker about an issue they might not know much about, then meeting with them is a good idea.
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Are you looking to build a relationship with the government decision-maker? If you are looking for a relatively straightforward answer to a question, then a letter or email might work fine. On the other hand, if this is a complicated issue and you are looking for their ongoing involvement, then a meeting will probably be best.
Request a meeting
If you decide that a meeting is needed, send a request by email to the government decision-maker’s office. Be sure to include:
- A brief description of who you are.
- An explanation of why you would like to meet with them.
- If you live in their constituency (e.g., their riding or ward), make sure to mention this fact. Elected officials prioritize meetings with their own constituents.
If they refer you to one of their staff members, that is ok! Elected officials are very busy so they have staff specifically to help constituents like you. These staff are often very knowledgeable. Their job is to advise the elected official, so sharing your ideas with them can have a big impact.
Prepare for the meeting
Once your meeting is booked, it’s time to prepare. Here are some steps to prepare for your meeting:
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Think about your goals for the meeting. What do you want to leave the meeting with? Do you want commitment to take a specific action? Maybe they could write a supportive letter about your issue. They can give you information to help you understand more about the issue. Or maybe you want them to refer you to someone else who can help. Try to get clear about what your desired outcome is.
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Communicate any accessibility needs. If you have accessibility needs, let their office know what you need to participate in the meeting – whether this is a physically accessible space, virtual accessibility features, bringing a support person, accessing interpretation or communication support, or something else.
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Prepare a rough agenda for yourself. You will likely only have 15-30 minutes, so you need to use the time well. Make sure you plan to leave some time for the government official to speak, as you want to hear what they have to say.
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Make some speaking notes. These notes do not need to be detailed, but it’s good to plan out the main points that you want to make. It is normal to get a bit nervous in a meeting, so having some guiding talking points will help you stick to your plan.
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Do your research. Your personal story is an important source of expertise. But you want to make sure you know a bit more about your issue in case they ask you questions about how this issue is impacting others. (Think back to the last section, and the importance of community, urgency, and government priorities.) You should also check to see if the person you are meeting with has spoken publicly about this issue before. You can recognize or thank them in the meeting for any actions they have taken that have been helpful.
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Practice with a friend. If you want to make sure you are super confident and prepared going into the meeting, consider practicing your talking points with a friend and get their feedback on what you share.
