1. Lobbying and Campaigning
Step by
Step

2. What is Lobbying? Why Lobby?
Lobbying is telling the people who make decisions
about the issues/problems that concern you and
trying to get them to understand your problems
and what is needed to be done to fix it.
Why Lobby?
Self advocacy groups lobby decision makers because
they want to change the way things are done some
of the things groups might lobby about include:
closing institutions
more accommodation for people with disabilities
better jobs
better employment and more

3. What is Campaigning?
A campaign is a number of different activities you do to try and change serious things that lots of people are not happy about.
Campaigns can last a long time.
Breast Cancer
Housing
Plain English

4. Why start a campaign? You start a campaign because there is something
that people are not happy about and it is really
important that this changes. You might also start a
campaign because lobbying has not worked.
Some of the things self advocacy groups do in
campaigns are:
Lobbying
Teaching the community about the issues this is called community awareness raising
Getting the message into the papers
Petitions
Getting well known people to help promote or talk about the issue
Demonstrations

5. STEP 1 - Starting a Campaign?
Campaign Steps
What is the problem or issue?

6. STEP 1 – What is the issue/problem?
The first step you must take is deciding on the
issue that you want to campaign about.
Issues
You have an issue that is a problem for you
and members of your group. Issues might be:
Not enough accessible public transport
People are bossed around in CRU’s
Not enough housing for people with a disability
Closing institutions

7. STEP 1 – What is the issue/problem?
Is it a good Issue?
Before you decide to start the campaign you need to think more about the issue including:
Is it an issue that only affects one person ?
How many people does it affect
Is it something we think should change ?
Is it a human right?

8. SHUT IN
Campaign to Close Institutions

9. Shut In A Campaign by Reinforce and VALID
What is the issue?
Reinforce and VALID want all institutions for people with an intellectual disability to close in Victoria and then in Australia

10. Shut In A Campaign by Reinforce and VALID
Is it a good Issue?
Is it an issue that only affects one person ? NO
Is it something we think should change ?
Yes!!! Many of our members have lived in institutions and know how bad they are. We do not know of any one who has left an institution who wants to go back.
Is it a human right issue?
Yes – all people have the right to full community inclusion. Institutions exclude people from the community

11. STEP 1 – What is the issue/problem?
The next step is to decide exactly what you are asking for?
You also need to decide what you are not asking for.
Shut In
Reinforce and VALID made a list of
institutions in Victoria
e.g Calounda, Sandhurst etc
They are asking the government make
the decision to close all institutions in Victoria and give money to make it happen.
This campaign is only about institutions on the list not about CRU’s

12. ? STEP 2 – Who can help us? Campaign Steps
What is the problem or issue?
Who can help us - partners and allies?

13. STEP 2 – Who can help us?
To run a good campaign it is a good idea to work with other partners or groups and people. Ideas for partners might include:
Other advocacy groups that want the same changes as you.
Other people who are affected by the problem
People who are experienced in running campaigns
People that have lived the experience of the issue –
their voice is the strongest in your campaign

14. STEP 2 – Who can help us? Shut In
VALID and Reinforce are partners in the SHUT IN campaign. They set up a working party which meets each month. They
asked other groups to join the working party including AMIDA and AFDO. SARU also goes to the meetings to give advice.
The working party also includes people who have lived the experience of been in institutions

15. STEP 2 – Who can help us?
Write a list of other people who can help you and how they can help you. Ideas might be:
Politicians that you know feel the same way you do
Disability Advisory boards
Advocacy organizations
People that have information or info about the issue
People who have lived the issue

16. STEP 2 – Who can help us? Shut In
The Shut In working party met and wrote down a list of people that could help them:
members of the National and State Disability Advisory councils to bring up the issue at their meetings
People who have lived in institutions to be spokes people about their experiences
Media person who has videos about the issue and who is helping to make a logo

17. STEP 3 - Who makes the decisions and
what do we tell them? ?
Campaign Steps
What is the problem or issue?
Getting to and working with decision makers
Who can help us - partners and allies?

18. STEP 3 - Who makes the decisions and
what do we tell them?
You want things to change – so the next step is
finding out who has the power to make the
changes you want. The people who make the
decisions will be different for different issues
but might include:
Politicians –including Ministers
Local Councils and councilors
Transport companies
Service providers
Unions

19. STEP 3 - Who makes the decisions and
what do we tell them?
Shut In
The SHUT In working party met and wrote down
a list of people that have the power to make the
decision to close institutions this included:
The Minister for the Department of Human Services
Lisa Neville

20. STEP 3 - Who makes the decisions and
what do we tell them?
What do you tell them?
So know you now you have decided who you need to contact you should make a plan about how you are going to get them to listen to what you have to say including:
Get all your information together make sure it is correct.
Write down why your issue is important
Get evidence to support what you are saying
Collect people’s stories
Petitions
DVD

21. STEP 3 - Who makes the decisions and
what do we tell them?
Shut In
The working party of the SHUT IN campaign decided that would try and meet with the Minister of Human Services. They talked about the information they had including:
The number of institutions still in Victoria
The number of people in institutions in Victoria
Information about how people’s life's have improved since moving out of an institution
The reason why some people think there should be in institutions
Who is saying that the institutions should stay open.
The stories of the people who have lived in institutions
Institutions and human rights

22. Step 4 – Lobbying, Community, and Media?
Campaign Steps
What is the problem or issue?
Campaign Steps
What is the problem or issue?
Community, Media, and Lobbying
Getting to and working with decision makers
Who can help us - partners and allies?

23. Step 4 – Lobbying, Community, and Media
So you have met with people who make decision but how do you keep them from forgetting. You need to do some lobbying including:
Petitions
Sending out information kits – peoples stories, films, posters
Making badges, posters, fliers
Write a paper about your issue
Everyone visit you local MP s
Meetings

24. Step 4 – Community, Media and Lobbying
It is important in you campaign that you work to let people in the community about the issue. Politicians listen to voters and if enough people start to support you that can help you.
It is also important that the community know about the issue as they may be able to help you and also learn about the problems people face.

25. Step 4 – Community, Media and Lobbying
Ideas to help the community learn about your issue include:
Arts projects and exhibitions
Public information seminars
Street stalls
Stickers, fliers, posters
Theatre
Films
Use technology
Public events
Meeting with other groups

26. Step 4 – Community, Media and Lobbying
One way to let the community and the decision makers know about your issue is to get it into newspapers, TV and Radio. The things you can do to get the media to listen includes:
Send out press releases
Write letters to the editor
Ring talk back radio
Find a media person who is interested in your issue
Plan events that the media will want to go to
Make a press kit – people to be interviewed, DVD’s, personal stories,
Press releases.

27. Step 4 – Community, Media and Lobbying
SHUT IN
Some of the things the SHUT in campaign are planning to do include:
Petition
Arts exhibition
Badges
Contacting different groups that can help spread the message

28. Step 5 – Timelines and Jobs?
Campaign Steps
What is the problem or issue?
Campaign Steps
What is the problem or issue?
Timelines and jobs
Community, Media, and Lobbying
Getting to and working with decision makers
Who can help us - partners and allies?

29. Step 5 – Timelines and Jobs
Now you have decided you campaign plan and what you are going to do it is a good idea to write a timeline. It is also a good idea to include in your plan and timeline the different jobs people will be doing and the support they will have. Everyone should get a copy of the timeline and the jobs list.

30. ? Step 6 – GO!!!!!!!! Campaign Steps What is the problem or issue?
Timelines and jobs
Community, Media, and Lobbying
Getting to and working with decision makers
Who can help us - partners and allies?

31. Step 6 – GO!!!!!!!!
Now everything is ready so you can begin your campaign but remember:
It may take a long time so do not give up
Make sure that you have fun and enjoy some of the things you are doing
If you get stuck or need training or ideas you can contact the SARU or the DARU.
GOOD LUCK