Advocate for the UN in Your Community

Become a UNA-USA Champion

Champions advocate in areas of the U.S. that have no chapter presence, serving a critical role in our efforts to educate and engage Americans about the vital role of the UN.

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About the Program

UNA-USA Champions is a volunteer recognition, skill-building, and networking program that provides our members with digital resources to help them individually plan and execute activities in their communities. This is targeted to members who need the flexibility of a less structured program and have the independence to plan and work on activities as a solo advocate. This is a great way for members to learn how to independently advocate in their community, be recognized for their efforts, and open themselves up to other opportunities. They get access to a private Slack channel with other Champions, online guides, and training modules. Each year in the spring we tally the points accumulated by each Champion and provide certificates and public recognition for the top Champions. Champions are also eligible to apply to start a chapter in their area.

 

Eligibility

  • Are a UNA-USA member that is at least 18 years old
  • Live in the U.S. in an area where there is no local chapter
  • Have no chapter affiliation on record (i.e. be a Member-At-Large) and do not serve on a leadership position with a chapter
  • Interest in the SDGs and UN
  • Able to motivate themselves to independently create and execute their own ideas for engaging their community utilizing the digital resources available

 

Applying to be a Champion

The application form will ask you to provide:

  1. At least one social media handle, which should be made public, to track your digital engagement.
  2. A response (300-500 words) in the form of a blog post (we encourage creativity) to one of the following prompts.
    1. Why are you passionate about continued U.S. participation and leadership at the U.N.?
    2. Why are community engagement and advocacy important? What do you want to focus on as a UNA-USA Champion?
    3. What SDG are you most passionate about and how does it connect to issues happening in your city?

Based on your eligibility and responses, those selected will be invited to watch a training on being a UNA-USA Champion prior to entering the program.

 

Activity Expectations 

Champions should complete at least six of any combination of the below activities. Depending on their skills, interest, and capacity there are a variety of actions Champions can take! Actions can be repeated, such as meeting with your Member of Congress’s staff in-district twice a year counts as two activities. There are different engagement levels based on the activities you can engage in and the accumulated points, which helps UNA-USA recognize you and all of your efforts:
Star, Pro, and Advocate. The more points you accumulate within 12 months, the more ways UNA-USA can recognize your efforts.

Below are the various activities you can act on.

Advocacy

  • Meet in-district with federal elected officials or members of their professional staff to make the federal ask: full UN funding
  • Meet with state or local officials or members of their professional staff
  • Organize a “phone bank” event for members of your community to call members of congress to encourage support of the UN
  • Organize five current or potential UNA-USA members to engage in a volunteer project on behalf of UNA-USA
  • Obtain a mayoral proclamation for UN Day (October 24) or Human Rights Day (December 10)
  • Gather 20 people to submit one of UNA-USA’s digital advocacy actions

 

Build Support

  • Feature a federally elected official as a speaker at a UNA-USA, UN, or SDG event you host
  • Collaborate with organization or business on event related to an SDG or UN recognized day (e.g. International Women’s Day, Earth Day, Human Rights Day)
  • Feature a state or local official as a speaker at as a speaker at a UNA-USA, UN, or SDG event you host
  • Register five new UNA-USA members and let us know the names and emails of those you got to join
  • Host a virtual event and obtain at least one speaker from a business, organization, government office, or non-profit
  • Feature a federal, state, or local elected official as a speaker at this UNA-USA partnership event
  • Host a MyDiplomat simulation with at least 6 other individuals

Educate

  • Host a casual gathering for those interested in being involved in a UNA-USA chapter and talk about what UNA-USA and its chapters do
  • Host a gathering where you educate college students on the UN, UNA-USA, and/or your motivations for being a Champion
  • Organize a casual “Sit and Chat” at your local library (or other public space) to have group community discussion about the SDGs, issues relevant to the community, and how they are related
  • Write a Letter to the Editor (200-250 words) about a specific issue or topic that is connected to an SDG or the UN’s work
  • Create a blog post (300-500 words) about an issue you’re interested in or interview and write about a member of your community who has done work pertaining to a certain topic (SDGs, human rights, global health, gender equality)

 

Spread Digital Awareness

  • Support/mention of UNA-USA, the UN, and/or the SDGs
  • Acknowledging official UN international day (e.g. International Women’s Day, International Mother Earth Day, Human Rights Day, UN Day, etc.) and UNA-USA event/support/impact.
  • Retweet or share a UNA-USA post.
  • Share a UNA-USA digital advocacy action

 

Participate

  • Attend the Global Engagement Summit
  • Attend the Leadership Summit
  • Participate in Lobby Day during the Leadership Summit
  • Attend a Global Engagement Online Series, PASSPORT Series, UN Day, or other UNA-USA national event/program

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