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Advocacy is a pillar of early childhood education and Head Start staff instinctively advocate for their students, in their workplaces, and in their communities.

This course is designed to support learning how to engage parents and staff in advocacy efforts within their communities and utilize digital tools and social media to enhance advocacy campaigns.

Course Information:

• Start Date: On-Demand
• Course Level: Beginner
• Requirements/Prerequisites: None
• Target Audience: Leadership and Management, Parents and Families, Program Operations
• Course Meeting Times: None
• Completion Timeline/Duration: One Month

Topics:

• Why You Should Advocate for Head Start
• How to Become an Advocate
• How to Tell Your Story
• How to Get Involved as a Head Start Advocate
• How to Engage Your Head Start Community in Advocacy

Learning Objectives:

• Advocate effectively for Head Start programs at various government levels. 
• Develop and communicate compelling stories about Head Start’s impact. 
• Build and sustain relationships with elected officials and community leaders. 
• Engage parents and staff in advocacy efforts within their communities and utilize digital tools and social media to enhance advocacy campaigns.

Head Start Alignment

This course supports programs in meeting the 1301.3 Policy council and policy committee requirement of the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and section 642 of the Head Start Act, in which programs must offer “any (other) activity designed to help such parents become full partners in the education of their children.”

Course Author

Zuly Vazquez

Zuly Vazquez is the Senior Manager of Online Professional Development at the National Head Start Association (NHSA), where she leads leadership courses and both the 5-star review CDA program for Head Start and early childhood educators —a multiple-time Apex Award winner by Training Magazine—and the groundbreaking CDA Pathway to Purpose for High School students. As an innovative educator and professional development expert, she is transforming entry paths into early childhood education. Drawing from her experience as a classroom teacher, trainer, curriculum developer, to Head Start leadership, her expertise in bilingual instruction and curriculum design ensures all programs maintain rigorous, high-quality professional standards while offering flexible online delivery. Through her comprehensive approach to professional development, she strengthens the early childhood workforce pipeline by supporting current educators and creating pathways for high school students to discover their calling while building a more diverse, qualified, and passionate generation of educators committed to shaping the future of our youngest learners.