OKLAHOMA CITY — The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is preparing to close applications for the third class of its Advocacy Boot Camp (ABC), a year-long leadership and policy training programme designed to equip participants with the skills needed to advocate more effectively for children and families across Oklahoma.
Registration for the latest class will close on Mon., June 1 at 5 p.m. CDT, as organisers seek to build on the momentum created by the programme’s first two cohorts.
The initiative, led by OICA, has become an increasingly prominent platform for community advocates, educators, nonprofit leaders and residents interested in strengthening public policy engagement around issues affecting children. The inaugural class completed the programme last year, while the second cohort is approaching graduation.
Joe Dorman, chief executive officer of OICA, said the programme was developed to help community leaders become more effective advocates and decision-makers at both local and state levels.
“Oklahoma’s children need for adults to be their collective voice when it comes to both advocating and leading,” he said. “Participants in both our ABC classes have improved their skills as advocates and become even more productive in their communities.”
The Advocacy Boot Camp revives and modernises a previous OICA initiative known as the “Kids Count Leadership Program,” which operated between 1995 and 2010. Reintroduced two years ago, the programme has since expanded its reach and curriculum to reflect current policy challenges and community needs.
Organisers say the programme focuses not only on advocacy techniques, but also on understanding the systems, institutions and resources available to improve outcomes for children throughout Oklahoma.
“The foundation of any community, any state, is caring people willing to learn and then put that knowledge to work,” Dorman said. “Advocacy’s primary purpose is to raise awareness, influence decision-makers, and bring about positive social, legal or systemic change – ABC provides participants with the tools to be even more effective in that effort.”
The eight-session course combines classroom instruction, leadership development and practical policy discussions. Participants are expected to gain a deeper understanding of issues affecting children, including education, health, welfare and broader community support systems.
According to Licia Walters, programme director at OICA, the curriculum has been specifically designed to give participants actionable knowledge that can be applied in their communities and organisations.
“This will be the primary goal of the ABC,” she said. “Knowledge is power in advocacy, and ABC is designed to make sure participants have the knowledge they need to make a difference.”
Sessions will be hosted across several locations in Oklahoma, including Stillwater, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Lawton, Tahlequah and Ada, allowing participants to engage with both urban and rural communities throughout the state. The organisers said the final session will overlap with the incoming Class IV, helping to create continuity between graduating participants and new recruits entering the programme.
OICA believes the programme is helping to develop a future generation of civic and policy leaders who can influence decision-making processes at community and state level.
“Our first two classes are proving to be the next generation of policy leaders for our state,” Dorman said. “Trained advocates are a renewing natural resource that have the skills to lead organizations in communities across the state, working at the grassroots level to make Oklahoma a better place for its youngest residents, and possibly even run for an elective office.”
The programme requires a $50 application fee, which is credited toward the total $500 registration cost for accepted applicants. Organisers noted that the multi-day sessions include meals for participants throughout the programme schedule.
As the application deadline approaches, OICA officials are encouraging interested applicants to submit their materials promptly due to limited availability within the programme.
The organisation says demand for advocacy training continues to rise as communities across Oklahoma place greater emphasis on child welfare, educational support and civic engagement. Through the Advocacy Boot Camp, OICA aims to provide participants with practical leadership tools while strengthening statewide networks focused on improving outcomes for children and families.
With applications closing shortly, the programme’s third class is expected to continue building on the advocacy network established by previous participants while reinforcing OICA’s broader mission of encouraging informed and active community leadership.
