Get Involved – Habitat for Humanity Affiliate

Thank you for your interest in Act! Speak! Build! Week! Habitat’s Volunteer Mobilization department invites YOU to get involved in this week of student-led advocacy.

What can youth do in my community during Act! Speak! Build! Week?

-Raise awareness of poverty and poverty housing issues.
-Invite new volunteers to become involved in Habitat.
-Develop advocacy skills.
-Create media attention around Habitat’s mission.

How can my affiliate be involved?

-Encourage student groups you partner with to register, including campus chapters, Youth United groups and youth volunteers.
-Help students create messages to share with the community.
-Use your knowledge of the community to help determine the most effective advocacy efforts for your community.

How do I get started?

1. Review the Advocacy Toolkit. The Advocacy Toolkit provides tips for educational and political advocacy events, media relations, international poverty statistics, and facts about Habitat for Humanity International. Download the Advocacy Toolkit (.PDF).

2. Contact young people in your area. Introduce them to the Advocacy Toolkit. Encourage goal-setting and brainstorming sessions to outline what the group wants to accomplish and the actions that will help them be successful.

3. Offer guidance. Affiliates have access to a wealth of knowledge. If your affiliate does not already have a designated youth contact person, perhaps a longtime volunteer or board member would be interested in working with young people as they plan events. The event and the youth involved will greatly benefit from this assistance. Additionally, this guidance will help ensure that the event corresponds with the affiliate’s objectives.

4. Contact an Act! Speak! Build! Week coordinator. If at anytime you need assistance or additional resources or want to share your successes, contact the Act! Speak! Build! Week coordinator at actspeakbuild@habitat.org .

6. Register beginning in November 2008. Registered groups can receive resources, updates, recognition and free promotional materials. Fill out an online form when registration opens! Also, make sure any group that you are working with has completed the Act! Speak! Build! Week registration.

7. Encourage collaboration. If you have groups working on similar projects, encourage them to collaborate when appropriate.

8. Recognize. Applaud the efforts of young people, whether in your monthly newsletter, at a board meeting or through a story in the local paper (refer to "Media Involvement" for sample press releases).