Campaign Planner - Questions to consider when planning your campaign
What is a policy?
- It is how political vision is translated into action/change
- This change can take various forms- e.g. a law, tax, regulation, fund
- It is a solution to an identified societal problem or gap
- Delivers outcomes for citizens
What is lobbying and campaigning?
- Seeking to influence, persuade and build relationships with decision makers and legislators to effect change.
- In the voluntary and community sector we represent different sectors and lobby on their behalf to ensure positive outcomes for society and our environment.
- Informing public debate and raising awareness of issues
- Education policy and decision makers
How can we influence decisions?
- Lobbying and engaging with politicians—MLAs, MPs, Councillors, MEPs
- Utilising political mechanisms e.g. presenting at committees (NI Assembly, Westminster, Local councils, European Parliament)
- All Party Groups
- Using human rights and equality frameworks
- Using international frameworks- e.g. Sustainable Development Goals
- Working with others in an alliance or coalition with other groups
- Using media and social media
- Responding to consultations
Creating a campaign
What? | What is your policy change objective, what do you want to achieve and what will success look like? For example:
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Why? |
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Who? |
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How? | Create a strategy.
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When? |
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Cost? | Will there be costs (money and time) attached to the campaign?
Consider how you could reduce costs by working with other groups. |
Example Campaign: Action Mental Health: ‘Regress? React? Resolve?
What? | Securing mental health as an integral part of the 2016 Programme for Government |
Why? | There was an underspend in mental health provision and non-implementation of key mental health proposals, QUB research commissioned by AMH in 2015 into mental health provision here |
Who? | Targeting Minister for Health, Chair of the Health Committee, MLAs, mental health stakeholders, DoH, Health Trusts, service users |
How? | Research, Mental Health Summit, Report Launch event, hustings, social media, meetings with political reps |
When? | Assembly Election 2016 and subsequent publication of Programme for Government |
Cost? | Cost of research, hosting events and hustings, printing of reports and publicity material. |
Outcome?
- Health Minister invested £175,000 in mental trauma service.
- Explicit reference to research recommendations prominent within political party manifestos.
- Mental Health explicitly referenced in draft Programme for Government.
Useful links
- NI government departments and their remits: https://www.northernireland.gov.uk/topics/your-executive/government-departments
- NI Assembly Committees: http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/assembly-business/committees/
- NI Assembly Information Management System: http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/
- NI Councils: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/local-councils-in-northern-ireland
- UK Parliament: https://www.parliament.uk/
- NICVA MediaConnect: https://www.nicvaconnect.org/mediaconnect
- Policy and Campaigning groups in NI: https://www.nicva.org/resource/policy-and-campaigning-groups-ni
- Tips for lobbying in the absence of government https://www.nicva.org/article/public-affairs-forum-tips-for-campaigning-in-the-absence-of-the-ni-assembly
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