Systemic Advocacy

What is Systemic Advocacy?

Systemic advocacy refers to advocacy that is required to bring about change(s) to an organization or system. Systemic advocacy focuses on representing the rights, interests and viewpoints of a group who are similarly affected by an issue(s) and seeks to identify potential solutions to the issue(s).

Systemic advocacy focuses on influencing practices, policies and legislation to benefit and enhance young people’s lives. Issues that are systemic:
 
The OCYA reports twice per year on the systemic issues identified for young people receiving services.
Click here for our systemic issue reports.
 

OCYA’s Systemic Advocacy Work

Examples of OCYA’s systemic advocacy work include engaging communities on issues affecting young people (e.g. youth suicide), encouraging and supporting the child advocacy efforts of other organizations, organizing opportunities for young people to speak to decision makers (e.g. at public forums), and educating the public (e.g. through public education sessions and media coverage) on the issues that matter to young people.

Our systemic advocacy work also includes the various reports we release and the interviews and discussions we have with stakeholders leading up to and in the preparation of these reports. Then afterwards, tracking the changes and reporting on the progress made on the recommendations we have made in the reports. Our reports include the Special Report on Youth Leaving Care, investigative reports concerning children who have sustained a serious injury or died, and semi-annual service reports.