GLOBAL DISABILITY CAUCUS (GDC)

2022 Strategic Plan

Mission 

The mission of Democrats Abroad Global Disability Caucus is to provide a voice for individuals with disabilities across its global membership. As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), an individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The Democrats Abroad Global Disability Caucus will organize a disability rights agenda; work with allies within the Democratic Party and disability rights groups to ensure that all activities and venues are accessible; advocate on proposed legislation addressing disability rights; and educate and empower Democrats Abroad members and leaders about the issues impacting persons with disabilities.

GOALS

• Increase caucus membership to 200 by year end 2022.

• Upgrade accessibility within Democrats Abroad to be consistent with ADA guidelines +

• Build awareness of disability issues and importance of accessibility and diversity amongst membership

• Provide opportunities to build a community of members with disabilities and with allies

• Engage with voters, especially those with disabilities and provide assistance with voting process

• Engage in advocacy for legislation of importance to this community

• Provide information on resources available to people with disabilities

Overall Goal for Primary Targets: “Drive them to the Middle”

PRIMARY TARGETS 

• Members of our caucus 

• Other members of DA (including potential caucus members/volunteers)

• Non-members abroad (esp.those with disabilities)

• Voters voting in targeted races who need extra attention           

ADDITIONAL TARGETS (SECONDARY)

• DNC leadership & staff (esp. Disability Caucus)

• Elected officials (Federal and State)

• ExCom and other leadership

• Potential donors

• Accessibility and education partners

 Strategies & Tactics

    Enhancing Accessibility

• Develop and roll out a plan to enhance accessibility for all members of Democrats Abroad.Implementation should include guidelines, training and guidance about resources

• Conduct on-going awareness campaign using all media

• Create focused education efforts around accessibility needs/issues as well as around various specific topics such as “invisible disabilities”, “chronic illnesses”, “mental health crisis”, “language”, “identity,” etc.

• Build sustained communications to reinforce consciousness of scope of conditions which fall under the disability umbrella by on-going recognition of month/week/day dates

Building Safe & Supportive Community

• Incorporate “understanding disabilities” into accessibility program training

• Use social media and website to provide “snapshots” of  positive behavior

• Establish regular “chat room” gatherings for members with conversation starter and then free exchange of ideas and comments

• Build repository of resources available for potential help to members

• Demonstrate the benefit of an attitude of acceptance, patience and the understanding that almost everyone is carrying some kind of burden which may well be “invisible”

Increase  Awareness & Understanding of Disabilities and Disability Issues 

• Conduct periodic educational events

• Develop resource/information library

• Recognize “Month/Week/Day of” dates and provide key facts to enhance awareness and understanding

• Identify ways to demonstrate the  experience of various disability situations

• Include profiles of members and public figures with disabilities in our media

• Create “event-in-a-box” program for countries

• Request opportunity to present Information and accessibility plan at Annual Meeting and regional meetings

Developing Strong Leaders

• Provide opportunities for Steering Committee members to lead events

• Ensure that Steering Committee members are aware of DA organization, priorities, policies and challenges and have opportunities to participate in both global and local activities

• As appropriate, encourage volunteers to implement their ideas for the Caucus

• Develop strong, collaborative relationships with other caucus teams to enable broader views of what can be done within DA and how

• Encourage Steering Committee members to develop their own teams of volunteers and to provide meaningful responsibilities for each of them

Engaging & Activating Voters

• Quarterly coordination with Global GOTV objectives 

• Provide information for all registration, GOTV and Voter Assistance workers to enhance the effectiveness of our efforts with voters with disabilities. Promote and train using this information

• Ensure that VFA website is as accessible as possible

• Assess potential contribution to Global targets

• Collaborate with State Teams, VFA, CC

• Ensure members participate in Voter Engagement Training

• Set up and publicize training and action opportunities with other teams

• Identify opportunities to support and build on global strategies

• Target races with significant Caucus relevance or balance-of-power implications

Attracting New Members for Democrats Abroad

• Public relations campaign focusing on disability issues and the need/process to vote (VFA makes it simple and easy and can help with special situations)

• Social media push directed to members of other Americans abroad groups\

• Support efforts to reach those of voter lists of citizens abroad

• Reach out to disability service organizations in countries to provide information for any American clients

• Caucus member outreach to Americans in their circle of friends and acquaintances

• Campus and company outreach,positioning VFA as a help for Americans Abroad  - including those with disabilities   

Build Membership to 200 and significantly increase Volunteer Numbers & Participation

Build an active and dynamic presence in DA globally

Support and encourage country leadership with “events in a box” and ensure their members are aware and supportive of Global activities as well

• Welcome new members, identify ways to become involved in a range of different ways (be specific and take action asap) - don’t let potential volunteers “die on the vine” - pass them on if you can't give them a rewarding project right away   

• Share info and results with members generously - they like to feel like “insiders” and are more apt to stay involved

• Connect via regions to reach countries efficiently with info and opportunities to become engaged

• Build a clear connection  between advocating for issues and voter engagement

• Leverage opportunities to build awareness of DA via other organizations/groups

• Identify potential new members within major communities with U.S. populations, including universities, business, gov’t, military,as appropriate and allowable

• Where appropriate, given health situations, seek high-visibility locations with U.S. citizen populations and regularly promote Caucus issues as well as doing registration/GOTV 

• Execute communications program which is member-focused, accessible, coordinated and consistent, and which reaches our audience efficiently and effectively

• Use voter registration efforts as opportunity to connect with voters and encourage membership/volunteerism

• Use global, regional, local and caucus “help wanted” systems for recruitment of volunteers to enhance awareness of needs and options to ensure better “fit” and higher/longer level of commitment.

• Develop format for volunteer needs description 

• Recruit for specific projects/needs

• Establish central process for receiving and managing volunteer requests 

• Develop plan for obtaining feedback from all volunteers

Communications

• Execute communications program which is member-focused, accessible, coordinated and consistent, and which reaches our audience efficiently and effectively

• Coordinate with Global Calendar/priorities and amplify Global GOTV, fundraising, member recruitment, etc. plans and schedules where possible within framework of Caucus calendar 

• Explore creative vehicles for messaging

• Identify ways to elicit significant press coverage

• Establish strong and on-going social media presence

• Maximize use of Internal DA communications

• Encourage amplification of all communications by other Global and local entities

Fundraising

• Help raise the funds necessary (goal is $75k in first quarter) for DA to execute overall plans, build and retain membership, strengthen resources and improve overall efficiency and impact.  Goal: $200+ 

• Tag all messaging with fundraising ask

• Consider special event to help support GOTV efforts with caucus constituency - provide information on the challenges most relevant to our group

Assessment & Follow-up

• Need to build into the process (assessment plans to be developed Q1):

  • Goals

  • Measurement

  • Analysis

  • Continuous improvement

  • Knowledge management

Priorities by Quarter 

Q1

• Develop accessibility plan

• Membership drive

• Build voter engagement plan

• Support overall DA request-your-ballot plans

• Commence awareness/education program

• Explore community-building opportunities with members

• February (tbd) DNC Disability Caucus event

• March (tbd) allyship event

• Fine-tune goals and assessment process

Q2

• Build issue arguments - build the case for caucus members/constituents

• Confirm legislative advocacy plans   

• Continue member recruitment and education/advocacy efforts

• Establish community interaction opportunities

• Support overall DA voter registration efforts 

• Roll out accessibility plan 

• Voter engagement training roll-out

• April 7 - World Health Day - event on the huge range of disabilities 

• May 20 - Global Accessibility Awareness Day - ******global meeting*******

Q3

• Continue to support voter engagement efforts

• Build case/sense of urgency based on issues for people with disabilities

• Disability issues for voters – communications push

• Resource/library/communications

• July 26 - ADA Anniversary - Speaker tbd and legislative update - why you must vote

• Explore fundraising component for ADA anniversary

• Disability Pride Month (July)

Q4

• Support DA GOTV efforts with focus on support for voters with disabilities

• Monitor, document and address accessibility issues encountered by members and    

        others who contact VFA or other voter-registration platforms

• October 10 - World Mental Health Day - mental health panel or speaker event

• International Day of the Disabled Person - Caucus confab event (2nd annual)