In need of a good New Year’s Resolution? Well you’re in luck! Over the next ten weekdays we’ll be giving you a different way each day that you can help the TS movement. We hope that these ideas move and inspire you to contribute to the cause. Let’s make 2012 a year for the record books.
Action #5: Advocate For People With TS
There are more ways to do this than perhaps anything else on the list. Advocacy is only limited by your imagination and dedication. Here are just a few that are either simple, highly effective, or both:
- Have a trained, volunteer in-service presenter come to your son or daughter’s school and teach the students and educators about TS.
- Do you work for a large company? Are the staff familiar with TS? Have an in-service presenter come into your workplace and educate the staff on TS. This is especially effective if you work in law enforcement or any institution that interacts with the public.
- Better yet, become a trained, volunteer in-service presenter.
- Word of mouth: some of the best advocacy can be done by being vocal about TS to all you come into contact with. Find the opportunity or create one. Don’t be shy!
- Order some Q&A pamphlets, keep them handy and give them out whenever the opportunity arises (see above). Alternatively, you can print out our 3-per-sheet Q&A flyers.
- Write a letter to the editor of your local paper telling them why TS awareness matters.
- Write a letter to your local MP or your regional senator.
- Do you or a family member have TS? Reach out to local media (radio, newspapers, and television stations) and try to interest them in your story.
- Get together with members of your local Chapter or Resource Unit and come up with a plan together.
- Join the nearest community trek in Trek for Tourette and march together with your TS community.
Have another great idea or some advice to share? Leave a comment!
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Advocacy is the lifeblood of Tourette Syndrome outreach, along with organizations such as yours and ours. One of the best recent ways we’ve sought advocacy is through our parents and teens blogs.
Launched in November, we’ve received nearly 10,000 hits already on our blogs, which have touched upon just about every topic imaginable related to TS and are written almost exclusively by parents and teens. Check them out by visiting:
http://www.njcts.org/tsparents
http://www.njcts.org/teens4ts
They are NOT just for parents and teens in New Jersey. We have had participants and readers from all over the world, including Canada. We welcome your feedback, readership and contributions!
Hi Jeff.
We’re big fans of the NJCTS. Great media coverage, especially with TS Awareness Day (on April 29th this year). Congrats on that!
Best,
Kenneth Butland
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada