(2017, February) | Useful to Parent Centers and other groups that work with advocates and self-advocates to become involved in political advocacy.
From the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network (ASAH), this series of plain language toolkits focus on the basics of civic engagement. Civic engagement means actively participating in our democracy. The entire toolkit series is available at:
http://autisticadvocacy.org/policy/toolkits/civic/
About the Toolkits
The first toolkit is They Work For Us: A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Getting Through to your Elected Officials. This toolkit is about who our elected officials are, and what strategies self-advocates can use to get our voices heard by the people we elect to represent us. The toolkit covers: who our elected officials are; how to contact your elected officials; strategies, scripts, and templates to help you effectively communicate with your elected officials; and how to use social media for political advocacy.
Some parts of the toolkit are available as short stand-alone fact sheets. Click the links below to download the toolkit and fact sheets as PDF files. The PDFs are screenreader-accessible.
They Work For Us: A Self-Advocate’s Guide to Getting Through to your Elected Officials
https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/They-Work-For-Us-A-Self-Advocates-Guide-to-Getting-Through-to-your-Elected-Officials.pdf
Fact Sheet: How to Call Your Elected Officials
https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/fact-sheet-how-to-call-your-elected-officials.pdf
Fact Sheet: In-Person Meetings with Elected Officials
https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/fact-sheet-meeting-with-elected-officials.pdf
Fact Sheet: Sending Elected Officials Emails, Letters, and Faxes
https://autisticadvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/fact-sheet-emails-letters-faxes.pdf
The Easy Read Edition is split into parts. Each part has its own glossary, and there is also a separate glossary with all of the terms from every section. The parts are: