Walking in Their Shoes: A Simulation to Inspire Literacy Advocacy

About This Session

Description

Literacy doesn’t look the same for everyone. Adults who are literate struggle to relate to the realities faced by adults with low literacy. But how do we help others truly understand these challenges?

This session showcases a low-literacy simulation that immerses policymakers, business leaders, and community members in the realities faced by adults with limited literacy. Originally developed by the Literacy Council of the Ouachitas, this event has been replicated across counties, driving advocacy and engagement.

Attendees will learn how to design and implement their own simulation, tailor it to different audiences, and use it as a powerful engagement tool. By bringing literacy struggles to life, this interactive approach helps turn awareness into action—leading to increased funding, stronger community support, and possibly policy shifts.

This session is ideal for literacy professionals, educators, and advocates looking for innovative ways to engage stakeholders and build support.

What we'll cover:

This session will equip participants with a proven, replicable model for engaging policymakers, funders, and community leaders in literacy advocacy. Attendees will gain step-by-step guidance on designing and implementing a low-literacy simulation that moves beyond general awareness and drives action, policy change, and financial investment in literacy programs.

Participants will learn how to adapt the simulation to different audiences, ensuring that business leaders, elected officials, and other stakeholders walk away with a compelling, firsthand understanding of the urgency of literacy investment. The session will cover the logistics of planning and executing the event, from securing the right attendees to structuring an effective debrief that leads to concrete commitments.

Attendees will also explore real-world strategies for leveraging the event’s impact long after it ends. This includes follow-up engagement plans, media coverage, and partnerships that can result in increased funding, new legislative support, and broader community buy-in. Participants will receive customizable templates, planning checklists, and outreach materials to streamline their own implementation.

By the end of the session, participants will have a turnkey strategy for using immersive experiences to build stronger community support for literacy programs, plus the tools and confidence to host a high-impact advocacy event that leads to measurable results.