Maine Youth Action Network


NEWS TO USE
from the Maine Youth Action Network
November 2006
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Topic of the Month: Advocacy
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Often people picture being an advocate (or activist) as standing on the street corner picketing with signs. We at MYAN believe it is so much more than that. In fact you are probably an advocate already and you don’t even know it. Have you ever stood up for something you believed in? Written a letter, given an opinion and backed it up with your thoughts, or made choices about where you will and will not shop based on beliefs you hold?

Advocacy means different things to different people and takes a variety of forms. To advocate, according to Webster’s Dictionary, means “to defend or support a cause or proposal.” In other words, to stand up and speak out. Advocating can be done at home, in your schools, at the State House or around the globe. You can advocate by sharing your voice, utilizing your resources, through where you shop and what you buy, voting, writing, making art...so many ways. Most importantly advocacy can be done by YOU. MYAN believes that youth advocating in partnership with adults will help to change the world. Take some time to explore what you believe and what advocacy looks like in your world. Learn tips, tools and discover resources for learning more.

Quote of the Month
"From the pain came the dream. From the dream came the vision. From the vision came the people. From the people came the power. From the power came the change.”

~Peter Gabriel, Fourteen Black Paintings, from the Us album
Being an Advocate
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with CONFIDENCE, COMMUNICATION, and COMMITMENT
by MYAN Youth Staff Jeff Poulin


When you walk into a meeting, whether informal and with your peers on the couch, or very formal with a few bigwigs in a boardroom, what is the most important thing that you should have? A notebook? A folder? Well, those are important, but what has always worked for me is CONFIDENCE. If you carry yourself, speak, and generally have a sense of confidence, it will get you so much further when working with all different types of people. However, you need to keep yourself balanced between being confidant and putting others on the defense. If you keep that balance and add in a dash of friendliness and a general desire for being there, then you have the recipe for successful relationships.

Your next step is to keep the ball rolling through COMMUNICATION, both verbal and non-verbal. Some things to keep an eye out for are crossed arms (they show disinterest), use of humor (it can be offensive to some), and language choice (especially in e-mails and phone calls). All of these things provide an opportunity for miscommunication, giving the wrong impression and possibly undoing any work for your cause that has already been done.

If you have the confidence and have opened the lines of communication, your next step is to find the COMMITMENT. When fighting for a cause, whether it is in your home, your school, or your government you will probably be faced with some adversity. At that point, your job is to keep fighting! Just because one person didn’t agree with you, that doesn’t mean you should give up on something you believe in. Although it can be difficult, if you give up than others probably will too. Keep pushing and don’t let anything stop you!

Now that you have the CONFIDENCE, the COMMUNICATION, and the COMMITMENT, you are set up for successfully advocacy. As Mark Twain said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

For more inspiring stories of youth taking action visit

Skill Builder
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Tips for Testifying to a Legislative Committee/Commission

Testifying before a committee or any governmental body can be a daunting experience, but it is also a significant way for citizens to impact the legislative process.

  • The first step in preparing testimony is to do your research. Know your topic and your position well, backing up your ideas with facts, not merely your opinion. Poorly presented and argued testimony can do more harm to your cause than not testifying at all.
  • Prepare a clear, concise written statement, typed if possible. Find out how many people are on the committee and make enough copies so that each person can have one. This will give them a chance to read over your proposal again after the meeting is over.
  • You can show charts and other statistical and graphic information if it helps explain and illustrate your clearly stated position.
  • When you testify, identify who you are, which school you attend, and the issue or idea that you wish to address.
  • Keep your testimony short and to the point, limiting your testimony to no more than five minutes. Rambling, disorganized speaking that strays off of your proposal can quickly bore or offend your listeners. Find your best arguments and highlight them.
  • Don't get overly angry or hostile in presenting your testimony. This can quickly turn off people even before they have heard your position. Abraham Lincoln said it best, "If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend."
  • Commission members may ask questions, so know your proposal or topic well enough to be able to answer questions. On the other hand, if you don't know the answer, don't make something up. Tell the questioner that you will try to find the answer and get back to them at a later date.

Adapted from tips written by the Michigan House Civic Commission.

Network Highlight
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Igniting Maine Against Tobacco
by TJ Williams, Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT),
Mountain Valley High School

At MYAN's 2006 Stop! Quit! Resist! Anti-Tobacco Summit, a group of people from my school saw a presentation about an organization called Ignite from Ignite's Dartmouth chapter. Since that summit, our small group that was interested has applied for a registered chapter of our own. Our school is glad to say that we are now connected with a very effective organization to increase our fight against tobacco in Maine.

Ignite was founded by Katherine Klem, who wonderedwhy youth did not have a nationwide movement thatwould allow them to fight the tobacco industry with one voice. Klem was also named the 2002 Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids' Advocate of the Year. Ignite is a group that works at local and national levels to change tobacco policy, pressure politicians to reject campaign contributions from tobacco companies and their interests, inform voters of tobacco issues in key elections, and coordinate national political efforts.

Check out Ignite's website at: http://www.ignitegeneration.org/

Tobacco Advocacy In the News
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2006 was an important election year for Anti-Tobacco advocates! Here's an article from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids that talks about the success of Election Day 2006!

As reported on the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Website, "Voters across America on Tuesday dealt decisive defeats to the tobacco industry and approved an unprecedented six statewide ballot initiatives to require smoke-free workplaces, increase tobacco taxes and fund tobacco prevention programs. In approving these initiatives, voters rejected multi-million dollar campaigns by the tobacco industry to deceive them and sent a loud and clear message to elected officials at all levels: Reject the special interests of the tobacco industry and protect the public interest by supporting proven measures to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke."
MYAN Announcements
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  • The annual Peer Leadership Conference will be on November 30th & December 1st at the Sheraton South Portland Hotel. Read and Pass Around the Offical Press Release Here!

  • Training & Project Coordinator Position Available At Maine Youth Action Network Click Here to Check Out the Position Available!

  • Having trouble getting through to MYAN's website from your school or workplace? Due to the wide range of topics MYAN covers on our website, your computer network's filter may block www.myan.org. Please ask your network administrator to add www.myan.org to a safe list so that you can access the wide range of tips, tools, resources & information MYAN makes available! You can also help to make sure MYAN's email communications get through to you by adding MYAN to your address book (Maine Youth Action Network ). Thank you!

  • Save the date for the third annual Stop! Quit! Resist! Summit
    on April 26th & 27th at the Augusta Civic Center.
    • Want to be part of a fun group of young people helping to plan this year’s event? MYAN is recruiting NOW for the Summit Youth Planning Team (YPT)! Contact Beth at 874-0060 ext. 201 or byvonne@propeople.org for more info.
    • Can’t wait another minute to sign up for the Summit? MYAN is now accepting early registrations for the Summit. Groups may register up to 12 youth (grades 7-12) and 2 advisors for the SQR Summit. Please register at least one advisor perContact Beth at 874-0060 ext. 201 or byvonne@propeople.org to sign up.
Calendar of Events
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Want to get the word out about events in your community? Please email Molly O’Connell at moconnell@propeople.org to let us know about what’s going on near you! Events will be published on the MYAN website & in the MYAN News to Use.

December 6
Substance Abuse and the Workplace Training. 8:00am—4:00pm at the Bangor Career Center, 45 Oak Street Free—lunch is provided.

December 6
Youth Suicide Prevention A Training of Trainers 8:45am—1:00 pm at The Black Bear Inn, Orono, ME. $30

December 8
Substance Abuse and the Workplace Training 8:00am—4:00pm at the USM Abromson Center, Bedford St., University of Southern Maine, Portland

December 12th
Strategic Leadership: Developing the Skills to Meet 9am -3pm, Ellsworth Member $80/Nonmember $160

January 4
We Can Do It Better Together: Nonprofit Strategic Partnerships 9:00 am – Noon at the Westbrook Housing Authority, Westbrook. Member $50/Nonmember $100

Ongoing Activities at the Parkside Neighborhood Center, Portland
  • Computer Resource Lab
  • Night-Light Youth Program (for 1st-8th graders)
  • Kripalu Yoga in Spanish and English
    Instructor Maria Sanchez Cron. Sundays 10-11 am.
  • Mosaic of Hope Project
    Everyone is welcome to participate in building the mosaic!
    Work meetings Mondays 5:30-8 pm at Immanuel Baptist Church, 156 High Street. A collaboration between SPIRAL Arts and PROP’s Youth Resiliency Project. Please RSVP with Zoë to get involved.
  • Parkside Neighborhood Association meets on the second Thursday of every month, 6-8 pm.

For more information on activities at the Parkside Neighborhood Center, contact Center Director Zoe Miller at 874-1023 or zsm@propeople.org.


CALL FOR ACTION PLANNING STORIES!
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We're interested in what you are doing in your community. Tell us your success stories, challenges and accomplishments and we will highlight them in our newsletter!

Inspire others throughout the state and share your story of how you are making positive change in Maine. To submit YOUR story, contact Derek!

Next month's topic will be Action Planning. In order to create positive change in your community people need to understand why things should change. You can create an action plan for your cause and make sure things are getting done! Track your ideas, what needs to be done and who needs to hear it.

We are looking for your stories. Share your successes or challenges with advocating for change. If your story is published in News to Use, you will receive a $10 stipend!

Deadline for submissions: Monday, December 12th!

JOIN THE NETWORK!
The Maine Youth Action Network is expanding its network of individuals and groups around Maine who are making a difference! This will result in MYAN having an improved capacity to support you and to connect YOU to the ideas and experiences of other groups doing similar work and to new resources & tools.

Whether you’re a long-time MYAN member or program that wants to get involved, we need you to fill out our survey.

Fill out the survey TODAY and pass it on to others who will benefit!

And The Award Goes To...
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Congratulations to Amelia Butman, a senior at Greenville High School in Greenville, Maine, who recently received the 2006 Maryann Hartman's Young Social Justice Award! This award recognizes distinguished Maine women and their accomplishments in politics, business, education, the arts and community service. The work of the women selected provides inspiration to others and demonstrates the levels of attainment now possible for women. Maryann Hartman was a professor in Speech Communication at UMO who passed away in 1980 at the young age of 53 from cancer. The award honors the spirit, achievement and zest for life that she epitomized.

Amelia Butman co founded the MOOSE Group (Mentors Offering Anti Smoking Education), which advocates for healthy eating and physical activity as alternative choices to smoking. She was a representative for the state of Maine at a National Summit held in Washington, D.C. In 2004 she also started Maine's first chapter of Becca's Closet, a national nonprofit organization that distributes prom gowns to young women who can't afford them. This has evolved to add wedding attire for the bride and her party, along with tuxedos for young men. In addition, she has met with girls in middle schools throughout Piscataquis County to talk about peer pressure, bullying and discrimination.

Amelia's future plans include attending UMO in the fall majoring in music education and elementary education. She intends to further her education by achieving a master's degree in secondary education for math and music. She plans on teaching in the state of Maine and continuing her philanthropy in advocating in combating smoking and community service.

Disclaimer: Please note providing information from other organizations does not constitute endorsement of their publications, nor is the Maine Youth Action Network, Department of Health and Human Services, the Muskie Institute or the People’s Regional Opportunity Program responsible for the content or materials highlighted from other organizations in our e-newsletter or information posted on any of these organizations' web sites.

 

 

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