Campaigning in a post-pledge environment Philip Hadley and Lewis Cooper, NUS NUS/NCVO

Campaigning In a Post-Pledge Environment (NUS/NCVO) DateActivity FebruaryInitial project meeting – setting process and timeframe March – MayLiterature review 25 MarchNCVO - Working with the Coalition event 17 JuneNCVO Evolve conference (Workshop on planning for the election) 19 JuneElectoral / Charity Commission roundtable June – AugustFocus groups with students’ unions; two roundtable meetings with campaigns officers from member-based organisations; interviews with campaigners; opinion poll for students’ union staff and officers AugustWrite up findings July – AugustNCVO member consultation September 2013Launch of report (before party conferences) Post-SeptemberDissemination

Focus What are the best means of influencing election campaigns and how can we ensure our campaigns are strategically effective? How do we campaign beyond using pledges and manifesto campaigns? How can we best that our ‘asks’ are taken up by whomever forms the next Government? To answer these questions, the project focuses on: Exploring types of campaigning up to and during the 2010 General Election Exploring changes in the campaigning landscape from 2010 to the present Discerning effective campaigning strategies for the next General Election in 2015

Methodology Literature review - of all relevant literature in regard to campaigning as well as the political landscape Focus groups: Two roundtables - campaigns officers from national charities, plus NCVO’s Campaign Effectiveness Advisory Board Sessions with campaigns staff from students’ unions – Campaigns staff network and WIDAR annual conference Interviews with campaigners From a range of national member-based campaigning organisations and students’ unions Online poll for students’ union staff and officers To be launched July, open for one month Other – range of third sector / NUS meetings and events We are aiming for an in-depth rather than broad understanding, to provide member-based campaigning organisations with informed recommendations for 2015:

Themes so far Localism use of tools within localism Act proliferation of targets national charities need to ‘be local’ User-led campaigning tension between supporting beneficiaries/activists to campaign and running national campaigns harnessing social media to ensure depth of involvement – devolving responsibility – some risks Public sector spending cuts narrative of cuts re: rallying call vs. impact on capacity reform of public services Coalition government different parties in each departments – negotiation role of parliament and committees / fixed-term parliaments Right to campaign – under threat?

Activity What were the key issues and challenges in the campaigning that you were involved in up to the last general election? Re: strategies, challenges and successes, general thoughts etc… What key themes do you think have characterised your campaigning since the last general election? Trends and main challenges, successes, general thoughts etc… What types of campaigns and campaigning strategies do you think might be effective for 2015? Re: structures, approaches, themes, your own planning, general thoughts etc… Split into groups With reference to your experience of campaigning within your students’ union, please answer the following questions:

Feedback Thanks! Report to be published in September, drafts circulated to participants Comments anonymous Get in touch with us if you want to be more involved – by having an interview /