YOUNGER PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCATES NEED A VOICE THAT CAN BE HEARD

As the older generation of public policy advocates is retiring, there is a growing number of younger people (35 and younger ) from the new generation who are shaping the future of public policy advocacy. Indeed, they are dictating the new rules of the public policy advocacy industry. More needs to be done to embrace this group of professionals.  They are the entry level to mid-level professionals who are tomorrow’s leaders and there is a need to offer them the programming, mentoring, networking, and frankly, a voice that can be heard.  We need to work with them on programming that is essential for their career development, but that is also affordable.

Today, largely in part of advances in technology, the Internet, and social media, younger public policy advocates no longer have to spend the long hours indoors. Rather, they use  social media sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to foster and develop virtual relationships with politicians and the politician’s staffers. As such, it allows them to change how public policy advocacy is conducted and how it influences political outcomes of legislation.

Social media has become an essential tool for public policy advocacy efforts. Public policy advocates no longer have to meet face-to-face with politicians and other advocacy groups to influence and sway their opinions. They can post updates to Facebook and Twitter, grow their network of connections through LinkedIn, and more. Thanks to the Internet and social media, young public policy advocates are able to multitask and accomplish more in less time than in the past, while also relying upon others to re-post and share content.

Another major shift for younger public policy advocates concerns the steps they take when they want to become a public policy advocate. More and more younger public policy advocates are establishing careers in relevant private sector positions, to develop various skills vital to being persuasive public policy advocates. While they are working in the private sector, they start participating in public policy advocacy internships and other such programs to gain further experience. It is during this time they start to foster and build relationships with other public policy advocates and politicians. Once they have completed their internship, they continue expanding their network of relationships.

Public policy advocates today do much more than communicate with politicians the issues and causes of their clients. They must be able to not only be persuasive, but also analyze the impacts of legislature, and the impacts it will have for their clients.

AALEP is dedicated to encourage exchanges and to promote solidarity and mutual respect between young public policy advocates from all European countries, to defend the interests of young public policy advocates and to examine issues of interest to them, to participate actively in the development of the public policy advocacy profession and in the harmonization of its professional rules and to contribute to the full and effective implementation, in all circumstances and in all places, of the right of all public policy advocates to practice freely their profession.

With this as a preamble, AALEP has established a Young Public Policy Advocates (YPPA) Committee with a clear focus on young colleagues and their specific aims and interests, serving as an ‘entrance door’ for young public policy advocates. The major goal of this initiative is to create a win-win situation in which young colleagues can enhance their skills and networks thanks to AALEP’s programmes and other projects, while at the same time getting fresh ideas and a vivid contact to the next generation of public policy advocates.  

Younger Public Policy Advocates are invited to join AALEP at greatly reduced member fees:

• Less than 26 years old : € 100/year
• 26-30 years old : € 150
• Over 30 years old : € 250

Benefits

• Get in touch with your peers, share information and resources.
• Get to know professionals from all over Europe and receive valuable input for your own practice.
• Network: meet at eye level with present and future leading public policy advocates based on personal acquaintance.
• Professional development: focus on key success factors for young public policy advocates.
• Add prestige to your personal and firm branding. Add AALEP logo to your profile and