It’s a new year, and Amy O’Leary, Strategies for Children’s executive director, is thinking about what’s next for early childhood advocacy in Massachusetts.
“For so long we were making the case, with a little bit of a chip on our shoulder, about early education and how other pieces like health and nutrition fit in. More people understand this now, so we’ve moved from case-making to thinking about advocacy, solutions, and implementation. We’re asking how we can maintain the beauty of supporting children and families, while also creating a stronger system that makes sense for children, families and providers.”
The answer, O’Leary says, is connections.
“At Strategies, we’re engaged in a strategic planning process, reframing our work and how we talk about it. We’re more than an advocacy and policy organization focused on the state budget or legislation. Now, we are thinking more intentionally about convening and community — about connecting people to people, connecting people to policy, and connecting people to power.”
“Through The 9:30 Call, The Advocacy Network for Early Childhood, The Early Childhood Agenda, and our Eye on Early Childhood blog, we are elevating voices across the early childhood continuum, creating opportunities to learn and practice advocacy, and providing powerful platforms for making local, state, and national connections. We can measure progress and hold ourselves and policy makers accountable as we work together to strengthen systems for children and families in the Commonwealth.”
An essential aspect of these connections and efforts, O’Leary says, is “Don’t duplicate, amplify. We don’t always have to start a new coalition or project. We can work in partnership with people and organizations who are already addressing problems.”
“Relationships are essential, and they can take so many forms. We need to think about collaborating with funders, legislators, folks at the state agencies and at the local level.”
This year, the team at Strategies is focused on growing and deepening connections to different partner organizations. Key ingredients, O’Leary says, are inclusiveness and belonging.
“We don’t talk about it enough, but what we believe is that these connections, even casual conversations, spark creative solutions,” O’Leary says. She has seen a chance brainstorming meeting led to a funding opportunity. “We have seen so many examples of when people who are closest to the work have the chance to connect with people who are making decisions, and the result is better problem solving and better solutions.”
“For 2025, we have the philosophical base of making these powerful connections. We’re working on the practical expression of how to do this, thinking about how our work can move more effectively in this direction.”
“We will continue to tell stories about the people who see children and families every day and about the people who are working in many different ways, in front of and behind the scenes, to improve the systems and structures in Massachusetts.
“Join us!”