THE GEORGIA COUNCIL ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES OPENS SEARCH FOR NEW PUBLIC POLICY AND ADVOCACY FELLOW
Written by Tianna Faulkner on .
(August 1, 2022, Atlanta, Ga.) – The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is looking for a new Public Policy and Advocacy fellow. The GCDD Public Policy and Advocacy Fellowship is a paid, six-month opportunity with GCDD. The fellow will be responsible for supporting the GCDD Public Policy team in promoting public policy that creates an integrated community life for people with developmental disabilities, their families, friends, neighbors, and all who support them. The fellow will assist GCDD in their efforts during Georgia’s 2023 legislative session, as well as assist with GCDD’s federal advocacy efforts.
In this role, the fellow is expected to demonstrate a commitment to disability inclusion, as well as a respect for disability at the intersection of multiple identities, including racial/ethnic, sexual, and gender identities. Due to COVID-19, this fellowship will be a hybrid experience, primarily remote with the understanding that some in-person obligations might take place during Georgia’s legislative session. However, in-person obligations can be negotiated based on the fellow’s needs. Given the virtual nature of the fellowship, the fellow is expected to be on-call and able to complete tasks during the fellow’s work hours. The fellow is also expected to have access to their own computer and telephone.
The fellowship, which is not limited to college students, is a 20-hour per week commitment, starting Tuesday, November 1st and ending Friday, April 28th. The typical schedule will be Monday-Friday 10-2 (or 10-3 if the fellow wishes to take 1-hour lunch break). The fellow must be flexible for earlier start/end times depending on the nature of policy events. For example, during Georgia’s legislative session, the fellow will be expected to attend events that begin at 8am.
“We are excited to open the search for GCDD's Public Policy and Advocacy Fellow, marking the third year of the program. The fellow plays an integral part in the success of our advocacy efforts during Georgia's legislative session,” said Alyssa Miller, GCDD’s Public Policy Research and Development Director. “We feel strongly that the best candidate for this position would be someone who is passionate about advancing sound disability policy aimed at expanding and enhancing the supports and services available to Georgians with disabilities.”
The pay rate for the fellowship is flexible. The base pay will start at $15 per hour and will be commensurate with demonstrated experience. Essential responsibilities include tracking legislation related to the Public Policy Agenda and preparing updates for the GCDD staff, attending critical committee meetings during Georgia’s legislative session, assisting in planning and implementation of GCDD’s advocacy initiatives, conducting local outreach to engage grassroots advocates to support GCDD’s policy agenda, attending and participating in all Council meetings (that take place during the internship), assisting in developing policy materials, including one-pagers, white papers, and advocacy communications, and taking the lead on drafting the April Public Policy for the People article in GCDD’s Making a Difference Magazine.
Additionally, during the fellowship, this person will develop knowledge of Georgia’s legislative process, increase public policy knowledge regarding disability issues, build and strengthen relationships with legislators, state agency staff, and policy staffers of other Georgia organizations, expand his or her network within the disability community, and work on a team of knowledgeable experts in policy, advocacy, social media, and media relations.
Required skills that this person should possess are proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and have strong interpersonal skills and ability to function as a member of a team. This person should also be dependable, thorough, and attentive to details and be comfortable with interacting with and establishing rapport with diverse individuals and groups. The ideal candidate will also know how to prioritize, execute, and shift between multiple assignments and projects while meeting deadlines. Prior experience in policy advocacy (e.g., previous participation in GCDD advocacy days or other similar trainings/opportunities) is helpful. This person will demonstrate initiative and the ability to work independently and demonstrate a commitment to and engagement with advocacy.
GCDD is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Alyssa Miller at and/or Charlie Miller at by 11:59pm, August 31st. For more information, visit www.gcdd.org.
About the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities: The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities (GCDD) is the State's leader in advancing public policy on behalf of persons with developmental disabilities. Its mission is to bring about social and policy changes that promote opportunities for the wide spectrum of diverse people/persons with developmental disabilities and their families to live, learn, work, play, and worship in their communities. For more information, visit at www.gcdd.org.