What is advocacy?

Session objectives Distinguish advocacy from other activities Work with participants to recognise opportunities for advocacy in our work Define advocacy targets Discuss different forms of advocacy and how to work out which form/s are appropriate in which situations Develop action plans

What is advocacy? Advocacy Looks like a lot of things we do such as awareness raising, education, policy development Has a specific target: to influence a person/people in authority to bring about a desired change Exercise Take a moment to introduce yourself the person next to you and discuss an instance in your work where advocacy has occurred – or needs to occur. What does it change? Who does it target? What are indicators of its success? Is its main target people who have influence over others

Advocacy targets Advocacy works when our advocacy efforts reach the people who can make the changes we want. Those people are known as the advocacy “targets.” There are two general types: Institutions and civil society. We advocate to people within institutions and civil society. Choose your target –s/he has to be able to affect the change you need.

Aims, objectives and activities of advocacy Aim: the long-term result that we are seeking Objective: a short-term target that contributes towards achieving the long-term aim; objectives reflect the desired outcome, or end result, of activities. Activities: the individual activities that will accomplish the objectives Clear aims allow us to make our work objectives well-defined, specifically targeted, measurable and easy to evaluate when completed.

Objectives should be ‘SMART’ Specific: Be precise about what you are going to do. Measurable: Quantify your objectives in a way that can be evaluated and monitored. Achievable: So you don’t try to do what you cannot realistically accomplish. Realistic: Do you have the resources to do it all? Timed: When will you achieve the objective?

Forms of advocacy Work from within the system – sitting at decision-makers’ table Lobbying (government, other officials) Writing position papers and briefing notes Preparing and giving public presentations Writing letters, s, making phone calls Working with the media The Internet (website or blog)

Planning an implementing activism Step 1 – Select an issue or problem you want to address Step 2 – Analyse and gather information on the issue or problem Step 3 – Develop an aim and objectives for your advocacy work Step 4 – Identify your targets Step 5 – Identify your allies Step 6 – Create an action plan Step 7 – Identify your resources Step 8 – Implement, monitor and evaluate