Campaigning and influencing in Tameside

Neena Bhati, NCVO Ben Gilchrist, CVAT

Agenda
Review the political environment Overview of campaign strategy Look at the Compact Final open discussion and next steps

Learning objectives
Improving understanding of the policy landscape Improving confidence of campaigning skills Learning about campaign strategy Identify other areas of support and resources

Icebreaker
You have one minute to convince the person next to you of something you are passionate about

What happened?

The campaign cycle

Analysing the political context

Crucially only government national and local has the capacity to make a profound and consistent difference to peoples lives through legislation and changing the context and terms of engagement in which voluntary and community organisations operate. Organisations therefore need to be aware of the overall context in which they work and need to play a part in shaping the framework for the benefit of those they serve.

NCVOs Good Guide to Campaigning and Influencing (Brian Lamb)

Localism explained
Localism Act (2011) - legally shifted power from central government to local authorities with the intention of giving power back to individuals, communities and councils. 6 elements of the Act 1) Reducing bureaucracy 2) Giving greater financial control 3) Opening up public services 4) Empowering communities 5) Increasing public scrutiny 6) Strengthening local accountability

Community right to challenge

To give community groups a fair chance to put forward a proposal to run a public service if they feel they could run it better.
Encourage innovation in public services and greater citizen control Good ideas opening up procurement and drive improvement Using increased transparency and accountability measures to make realistic and robust offers.
Further support: Localitys Community Rights Service http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/

Open public services

Opening up public services to a wider pool of providers increasing the involvement of VCS in service delivery Intention to create more innovative and responsive services to better meet local needs.

Make savings through cost-effective approaches.

New commissioning structures and political players, such as CCGs and PCCs.
Further reading: Open public services experiences from the voluntary sector (NCVO, 2012)

Social value and public services

Social Value Act (2012)
requires commissioners to take account of social, economic and environmental benefits when deciding how to deliver a public service.
Definition of social value A concept which seeks to maximise the additional benefit that can be created by procuring or commissioning goods and services, above and beyond the benefit of merely the goods and services themselves. (Chris White MP)

Social value in action

Caf West Tender York City Council - pre-tender engagement with VCS - built social aspects into contract specification. - Offered 6-month initial rent free contract to encourage VCS bids. - Contract was won by United Response, a voluntary organisation that had 18 years experience of employing people with learning disabilities to build employability skills.
Other case studies of social value in action:
http://www.ncvo.org.uk/policy-and-research/public-services/what-we-believe

The cuts
The Coalitions deficit reduction plan to eliminate the structural deficit by 2015 latest indications that cuts may continue till 2018. Local government will see 50% overall cut in funding by 2015, with potential cuts beyond. Backloaded cuts mean deeper cuts will occur year on year.

Increased demand in social care services, non-statutory services less likely to receive funding, e.g. library services.

Voluntary sector funding

Source: NCVO Almanac 2013

Voluntary sector funding contd.

Assuming that the voluntary sector experiences proportionate cuts, funding for voluntary sector will be 1.7 billion lower by 2017/18 than it was in 2010/11.
Best Value Statutory Guidance (2011) - response to disproportionate cuts to sector. Compact Voice reported that over half of local authorities still making disproportionate cuts.

Further reading: The Road Ahead, NCVO 2013, Counting the cuts, NCVO 2013

Developing your campaign strategy

What is a campaigning?
the mobilising forces of organisations or individuals to influence others in order to effect an identified and desired social, environmental or political change

What is a strategy?
- Setting out a clear campaign aim which encapsulates the overall purpose or impact of the change you want to see. - Identifying 3-5 campaign objectives which are changes you will need to see in order to achieve your overall aim. Defining your issue Free Dave [VIDEO]

Impact
Impact is the positive difference that we make Its a way of thinking Its usually embodied in strategy, and embraced by leadership Put another way Impact is the overall change that we seek to achieve What we actually do our outputs are designed to deliver it

Why an impact focus is important

So that campaigns focus on achieving change in the world So that all campaign activities work towards that common goal To maximise the chances of winning To minimise the risk of ineffective activities or wasted effort

Key terms to help you understand impact

Experience how people feel while being involved in your campaign or using your services Outputs your services, projects, campaign activities these are not impacts, but theyre designed to achieve them Outcomes intermediary changes during a campaign, designed to achieve the overall impact Impact the ultimate change in the world you seek to achieve

Influencing Objectives
Institutions Individuals Knowledge Skills Attitudes Behaviours

Policy Change Practice Change

Campaign example library closures

The Council have put forward a proposal to close your local library. You love the library and know that so many people use and enjoy it: older people learning IT skills, local rainbows/brownie groups, kids and young adults using the quiet space to do their homework, parents and tots for the weekly time for a rhyme and stay and play sessions. 2 local schools frequently visit with classes of 30 and during the school holidays the libraries fun craft sessions are a huge hit. You are passionately concerned that this proposal will deprive children of an opportunity to begin and expand their reading skills and remove a massive community resource. How can you campaign to help save the library?

Intro to campaign planning

Using your strategy to identify your activities Identifying decision-makers and influencers

Assessing timescales for decisions and deadlines for actions

Choosing tactics
Free Dave Know who to lobby [VIDEO]

Strategic Approaches to Influencing Rational Collaborative Legal/Judicial Political/Pressure

Influence Map
Minister of Health
Arch-Bishop Senate Committee National Media

Clergy
Civil Servants Parishioners

Influencing Organisation

Next steps
Evaluation forms One-to-one support on campaign action planning (December) 3 month follow-up KHNP online discussion Online resource list NCVO membership Ongoing support from CVAT Potential event next year with other areas