Learn Advocacy Skills!

[Nikki_YAC]

The fight against cancer takes many forms. It requires more than just scientific and medical advancement; at times we need to convince governments and other decision makers to act decisively to defeat cancer. Advocacy is all about translating small actions by individuals into big wins for communities. The Cancer Council NSW offer FREE advocacy training to help individuals achieve these small wins. Next training: Advocacy Training for Young Adults aged 18-40 DATE: 19 and 20 June 2009 LOCATION: Woolloomooloo (sydney) RSVP: please note applications close 22 May 2009 CONTACT: Marion Carroll on on marionc@nswcc.org.au, (02) 9334 1847 or Rory Alcock on rorya@nswcc.org.au, (02) 9334 1859 Past advocates have gone on to: Lobby health services to provide outreach chemotherapy services in rural NSW Lobby the Government for more financial assistance to patients needing to travel large distances for treatment Worked with local councils to make playgrounds smokefree. These are just some examples of the wins that can be achieved by passionate people. The training is open to anyone interested in advocating in the fight against cancer, if this is you then please consider applying!

[Sailor]

Hi There everyone Good on the Cancer Council NSW for running an advocacy skills program for YAC. Good initiative. People might like to know that NSW is not the only state to run advocacy training programs. The next one in Victoria is run in collaboration with the Cancer Council Victoria, CanNET Victoria and Cancer Voices Victoria in May at Kilmore. Kilmore is about an hours drive north of Melbourne. Details are: Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th May Kilmore Trackside Entertainment Centre Golden Reign Room East Street, Kilmore VIC 3764 Contact: Gaël Castillo 9635 5069 or Email - Gael.Castillo@cancervic.org.au There will be another training program on August 29th and 30th located in Carlton. Like NSW past graduates of these training programs have gone on to be active advocates for improvement in cancer services, influence local and statewide cancer services, serve as consumer representatives on a number of state and national policy bodies and be involved in the direction of cancer research.

[Nikki_YAC]

Hey thanks Sailor for adding this info in here for the Victorians. Great to see this training happening in other places. Has Victoria run one of these trainings specific for young people aged 18-40 years? if not do they plan to in the future? as it would be great to meet other young adult trained advocates and perhaps have us all linked up through a virtual network, like we will be doing here in NSW. Cheers, Nikki

[Sailor]

Hi Nikki Not at this stage. The Cancer Council Victoria runs programs for YAC's but at this stage not specific advocacy training. South Australia and Queensland also run advocacy training - I don't have the details but can get them if you think it worth while. Cheers Sailor

[Nikki_YAC]

Hi Sailor, Yes this forum topic would be a GREAT place to have QLD and SA list there advocacy training also. It would be nice to meet and great the other people who help organise the training across the various states and we could have a chat about stuff right here!! Is it possible for you to find out how many YACs attend your VIC trainings in the age range 18-40 years so we would be able to contact these YAC Advocates in the future to possibly link them up to our Online Network that should be operational in the second half of this year? Nikki

[Sailor]

Hi Nikki At present I don't think we collect age related information. I'll ask Qld and SA to put information on the site - they know about it. Regards Sailor I must go down to the seas again 
to the lonely sea and sky 
 And all I ask is a tall ship 
and a star to steer her by