The Partnership recognizes that building public will for after-school is important as the field develops and programs are in high demand. The following programs and organizations work on advocacy and building public support for after-school and other youth issues and can provide you with tools and information to build support in your community.

• The Illinois After-school Alliance a project of the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention, is a statewide coaltion working to build support for quality afterschool programs for all Illinois children and youth.  On their webpage you can find their annual policy agenda and resources on effective advocacy and building local coalitions.
• Voices for Illinois Children is a non-profit, non-partisan, statewide group of child advocates; their website posts regular action alerts and other policy news.
• Action for Children formerly the Day care Action Council of Illinois, has championed the cause of quality child care and early education for families and children throughout Illinois for 35 years.  Their website details the public policy and advocacy program.
• Fight Crime Invest in Kids is a bipartisan, non-profit anti-crime organization led by more than 2,500 police chiefs, sheriffs, prosecuters, victims of violence and leaders of police oficer associations.  It's mission is to fight crime by supporting early care and education programs for preschoolers, good schools, after-school programs and prevention of child abuse through research, media relations, adn advocacy by its members.  It has state chapters, including one in Illinois (in partnership with ICVP), and an action center for active citizens to use.
• The Ounce of Prevention Fund works with parents, policymakers and early childhood providers to ensure that more young children grow up safe, healthy, eager to learn and ready for school.  It runs a policy and advocacy web page at that is a joint policy project of the Ounce of Prevention Fund and Family Focus, Inc.
• Work, Welfare and Families is an Illinois coalition of organizaitons working together to educate about and promote public policies that improve the well-being of low income families.  They have an alert system on state and federal policy issues and issue a Weekly Review e-newsletter with events and alerts on issues.
• Afterschool Alliance is a national non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of public, private and non-profit organizations that share the Alliance's vision of ensuring that all children have access to afterschool programs by 2010.
• The Youth Policy Action Center is a web-based resource that connects "grassroots" youth and adults who care about youth "grasstops" local service and advocacy organizations, "inside the beltway" national organizations, and local, state and federal officials.