Social Media Takes NARFE Advocacy to the Next Level

NARFE GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY

LEARN MORE about how you can take action to protect your earned pay and benefits by reviewing NARFE Grassroots materials at www.narfe.org/advocacy.

Grassroots advocacy is among the best strategies that constituents, as well as the organizations representing their concerns, can use to influence policymaking. But to be effective, advocacy must evolve to reflect trends in constituentlawmaker communication and incorporate technologies designed to make advocacy more efficient and effective. One of these trends is happening on social media. For the past 10 years, lawmakers have been quickly adapting to social media platforms and now practically prefer to engage with constituents there.

Studies by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and PEW Research Center show that all members of Congress use social media for general communication and use it almost exclusively to engage with constituents, mainly via Facebook and Twitter. It has become ubiquitous because of its cost-effectiveness, immediacy and ability to reach a wider audience when compared with phone calls, emails and other more traditional ways of interacting. Most notable is lawmakers’ ability to develop a legislative agenda by gauging constituent sentiments and opinions based on trending topics and discussions on these platforms. Additionally, in a survey of congressional staff conducted by CRS, more than half of respondents agreed that social media enabled more meaningful interactions, more accountability, and greater transparency between lawmakers and constituents.

When all members of Congress use social media and prefer to engage with constituents on such platforms, it makes sense for NARFE advocates to meet them there. NARFE understands that

FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS, LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN QUICKLY ADAPTING TO SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND NOW PRACTICALLY PREFER TO ENGAGE WITH CONSTITUENTS THERE.

some members choose not to engage on social media, but for those unsure about it, training to get up to speed on the basics is available on the NARFE website. And social media use among older adults is rapidly increasing. A Pew Research survey showed that social media use, primarily on Facebook and Twitter, among U.S. adults age 50 and older doubled from 2010 to 2021. This data is particularly encouraging as the survey’s population mirrors NARFE’s membership.

Accordingly, NARFE developed a social media toolkit that includes a three-part training module—Social Media Basics: Facebook and Twitter, Social Media as an Advocacy Tool, and Social Media Pages for Federations and Chapters. Also included in the toolkit are best practices and tips to follow when engaging on such platforms. Members can access these resources on NARFE’s website at www.NARFE.org.

Federations and chapters seeking to increase member engagement through social media are also encouraged to view the webinars, or they may contact the advocacy department about customized training based on their needs. To inquire, please contact us at advocacy@ narfe.org.

Thank you for your advocacy.

—BY MARSHA PADILLA-GOAD, GRASSROOTS PROGRAM MANAGER

LEGISLATIVE RESOURCES

NARFE NewsLine – A weekly newsletter that goes out to NARFE members on Tuesdays and includes weekly recaps of legislative news, compiled by NARFE’s advocacy and communications teams.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION CENTER – A one-stop site to send a letter to Congress, and more, at www.narfe.org.