Lions Advocacy Toolkit
Lions and Leos listen to the needs of their communities and use their voices to speak out on behalf of the people they serve. Clubs around the world participate in advocacy through community awareness and education, legislation and public policy, events and partnerships. As community leaders, Lions and Leos can raise awareness of the causes they care about, educate their community members on important issues and create positive change.
Getting started with advocacy
Lions and Leos engage in advocacy any time they raise awareness of the causes they care about, educate their community members on important issues and create positive change. You can find inspiration and learn more about Lions advocacy by downloading the advocacy strategy infographic — a helpful tool that provides a handful of service project ideas within each pillar of the strategy. Share it with your club members at your next meeting!
Looking for a starting point to kick off your advocacy work? Strides for Diabetes Awareness activities are a fun and engaging way for Lions and Leos to promote diabetes awareness and help their community members prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Visit the Strides page to learn more, and watch this page for new advocacy programs launching soon.
Country-level resources
Learn how to conduct advocacy in your country. Resources for additional countries will be added soon, so be sure to check back.
United States advocacy
Learn how public policy works in the United States from key congressional roles to how a bill becomes a law. Discover tips on working with policy makers to influence legislation and public policy. Act by setting up a meeting or writing a letter to your State Representative using the How To guides. Raise your voice for your community!
- History
Lions and the United Nations have a long and rich history. In 1945, Lions International was asked to participate in the development of the United Nations charter signed by representatives from 50 countries. In 1947, in recognition of the importance of the mission of Lions International, the United Nations granted Lions consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, committed to the welfare of people worldwide.
Today, Lions celebrate a more than 75-year relationship with the United Nations. There are two components of this relationship: Lions Day with the United Nations events, and The Lions Appointed Representatives to the United Nations, UN agencies and other organizations (also known as the “Lion Representatives”).
- Lions Day with the United Nations
Lions Day with the United Nations Lions Day with the United Nations (LDUN) events contribute to Lions’ success in the areas of awareness, education, and change. They are a platform for educating Lions, Leos, partnerstions toward the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. They inspire Lions to take on new service opportunities and work collaboratively in their communities to bring about change. The locations are selected every year by Lions International's International President.
- Lion and Leo Representatives Program
The Lion and Leo Representatives build relationships with UN officials. They collaborate to find solutions to global challenges and support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The Lion and Leo Representatives are appointed on an annual basis by Lions International’s International President, in consultation with the organization’s executive officers.
Two successful partnerships between Lions and the United Nations are the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the World Health Organization. Lion and Leo Representatives continue to build on these successes and strengthen LCI’s relationships with UN agencies.
View the 2022-2023 Lion Representative appointments.
Celebrate and share
Let everyone know that your club is advocating!
- Take photos of Lions and Leos in action
- Use #LionsAdvocate hashtag on social media
- Share photos of your club’s advocacy work on your club's Facebook or Twitter accounts, including the above hashtag. We'll be looking for your post to share on the official Lions International social media channels!
- Use the brand advance kit found in our brand and marketing toolkit for templates and information about promoting your service.
Learn more about reporting
Don't forget to report your activities on Lion Portal, using the “Awareness, Education and Advocacy” project type.
Have a question?
Have a question or want to learn more about advocacy? Send us an email at globaladvocacy@lionsclubs.org.
