Public Policy
One of the ways an individual is able to influence public policy is by joining an interest group. An interest group may be tightly or loosely organized, but it should always maintain the goal of influencing public policy. Consider which issues are important to you. It may be a national issue that is discussed on the nightly news, or an issue in your community that you discuss with your peers. Select an issue that is personally important and find an interest group that works to influence public policy on the issue. Your assignment is to gather information about the interest group you select.
The first step is to locate the interest group's mission statement. A mission statement is one sentence that clearly explains the purpose of a group or organization. Typically, an organization will include that information on an "About Us" webpage. Some examples of mission statements include:
- The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
- The ASPCA provides effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States.
- AARP’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for all as we age, leading positive social change, and delivering value to members through information, advocacy and service.
After locating the mission statement, you should provide an explanation of the ideology of your group and the importance of its work in five to seven sentences. Additionally, you should list five ways that your interest group brings attention to the issue that it finds important. Use the Interest Group Template to record the information you gather. You will need to use resources outside of this course to complete this assignment, so please submit a Works Cited document. If you need assistance, visit the Developmental Module for information on citing resources.
Once you have completed your template and Works Cited document, please submit your work to the dropbox.