Campaign Training for students

What is campaigning to me? A Couple of Questions… What is a campaign? What is campaigning to me? How can I run a campaign?

NCVO Definition “The mobilisation of forces by organisations or individuals to influence others, in order to effect an identified and desired social, economic, environmental or political change.”

Activity 1: Different campaigning methods Leaflets and materials for public distribution Posters and adverts Public meetings Media work- newspapers, TV etc. ‘Stunts’ Using celebrities to support a cause Mass lobbying/ demonstrations Mass events- fasts, cycle rides etc Running an active website/ creating a website Letter writing campaigns Petitions Competitions

Leaflet: MacMillan, Do something great Posters and adverts: #ActfortheAct, A group of Human Rights Lawyers. Media Work: Dumb ways to Die- by Metro Trains Melbourne

Celebrity endorsement: ST Mungo’s Wooly Hat Campaign Stunts: Greenpeace #SaveTheArctic Mass Lobbying/ Demonstration: Close Guantanamo, Amnesty International

Mass events: British Heart Foundation, Regents Park Run Creating websites: Presidential race Letter writing Campaign: Sincerely Yours, St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital Petitions: Don’t Cut Benefits, Disability Rights UK (through 38 Degrees) over 100,000 signatures Competition: Wing Glasto Tickets, Oxfam (by donating 5 pound to Syrian refugees campaign)

WHAT MAKES A GOOD CAMPAIGN? CLEAR OBJECTIVES & IMPACT KEY TARGETS SIMPLE MESSAGE CALL TO ACTION

Campaigns can be used to… Raise Awareness As a way to inform the public Lobby parliament, a council and other governing bodies Change policy Increase the number of supporters in a charity/ for a cause Raise money for a particular cause https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBucKP87k2s

Campaigning audience- what you should consider Decision maker - The person/group with the ultimate power to say yes or no to your campaign ask Influencer - Any person/group in a position to shape the decision maker’s opinion Ally - Any person/group who will benefit from your campaign

Now for the longer bit… Identifying issues to campaign on Who does this issue affect? Directly? Indirectly? In what ways does it affect them? To what extent? How many people care about this issue currently? Might be persuaded to care? What evidence do you have of this being a problem? Could you get evidence? Consider all the possible solutions What is the best solution?

Campaigning for UWSU From recent research and analysing student surveys we have identified several key issues that we feel need to be addressed: Education/ anything that affects a students studies e.g. plagiarism and referencing Money management issues Housing for students Mental health Everyday issues that affect students on a day to day basis

SMART Campaigning Specific Measurable Agreed Upon Realistic Time-Based Clear to anyone that has a basic knowledge of the project Measurable Know if the goal is obtainable and how far away completion is Agreed Upon Agreement with all the stakeholders what the goals should be Realistic Within the availability of resources, knowledge and time Time-Based Enough time to achieve the goal

Activity 2: Problem Tree EFFECTS/ CONSEQUENCES CAUSES PROBLEM

LONGER AND SHORTER TERM EFFECTS 3. Solution Tree LONGER AND SHORTER TERM EFFECTS SOLUTIONS VISION

Activity 4: Planning a campaign In groups plan a campaign, based on your Problem Tree and Solution tree- use the campaign planning form to guide you! Give yourself 30 minutes and then take 5 mins to pitch and then the rest of the group Remember no campaign is too small if it seeks to achieve change!

Theory of Change What is it? Theory of change provides a framework for organisations to measure their impact. What is it used for? Theory of change is often used in the strategy stage of campaign planning and sets out clear outputs, inputs, impacts, activities and outcomes for the campaign. Why? A good theory of change should show what you want to achieve and how, and set out the links between your activities and the end goal. https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=theory+of+change&espv=2&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjg45Om6OrSAhWHDcAKHUYHDkcQ_AUIBigB&biw=1680&bih=944#imgrc=mAfkOvNet1o5OM:

Theory of Change: Example

Theory of Change Activity Get into groups and create a basic theory of change which includes your outcomes, inputs, outputs, how you will measure the campaign and the impact you hope to achieve.

Case studies from other SU’s Using what you have learnt give each group a case study of campaign by another SU. In your groups: Identify what the problem was and solutions Identify the call to action/s- what actions/ activities they used Who the audience were/ ally, decision maker etc. What is the message? What are/were the objectives and impact?

Summary… What a campaign is How to plan a campaign The different types of ‘call to actions’ Theory of Change Analysing other SU campaigns