A practical understanding of how change happens, and how to take part in it.
Travel Unity’s Advocacy Leadership Program gives participants a practical understanding of how change happens and how they can take part in it.
Participants work on a real issue they care about. They identify what they want to change, who can make that change, who else can influence it, how to make their case, and what action they can take.
The program is one way Travel Unity builds other people’s capacity to advocate. Read about Travel Unity’s advocacy work.
The program follows one advocacy issue from problem to action.
Step 1
Identify something that should change and understand who is affected by it.
Step 2
Move from a broad concern to a specific change that a person, organization, institution, or government body could make.
Step 3
Identify where the decision happens, who has authority, who influences them, and whose voices should be part of the process.
Step 4
Use stories, perspectives, and evidence to communicate the issue, adapt the message for different audiences, and choose an appropriate way to reach them.
Step 5
Hear from people working across different parts of the advocacy ecosystem and learn how they approach change in their own work.
Step 6
Take real advocacy action, learn from the response, and present what happened and what should come next.
Lobbying can be one form of advocacy, but it is not the only one.
The program focuses on identifying the route that actually fits the change someone is trying to make.
Advocacy looks different depending on where someone sits.
Participants may hear from people working in government, tourism organizations, businesses, nonprofits, government affairs, community engagement, accessibility, research, communications, and other areas connected to how decisions are made.
These conversations are intended to show how advocacy works in practice:
The first pilot of the Advocacy Leadership Program will be a Youth Cohort in 2027.
Participants will move one advocacy issue through the full program over approximately three months.
Participants who complete the program and their advocacy work will earn the designation of Travel Unity Youth Advocate.
The Youth Cohort is intended for high school students who are interested in understanding how decisions are made and working on an issue they care about.
Participants do not need prior advocacy experience.
More information about eligibility, dates, and applications will be shared as the 2027 pilot is finalized.
Let us know if you would like to receive information when applications and additional program details are available.
Travel Unity will use the information you provide to contact you about the Advocacy Leadership Program.
Travel Unity is also speaking with practitioners and organizations interested in sharing their experience, supporting participants, or contributing to future advocacy programming.
