Whatever our path to building people power there comes a time in most campaigns where we need to engage directly with decision makers. Here you’ll find the practical information you need (like how to contact MPs), tips for effective advocacy, training materials and policy reports.
In 1977 Judith Heumann helped lead the groundbreaking Section 504 sit-in protest in which disabled-rights activists occupied a federal building for almost a month, demanding greater accessibility for all.
The Working with your elected representatives guide by Friends of the Earth (England, Wales & Northern Ireland) covers some of the different ways to work with, or lobby, your local elected representatives.
This toolkit describes the nuts and bolts of implementing advocacy tactics to put pressure on your local state or federal MP and to plan effective campaigns locally.
This guide is intended to be an introduction to the Senate and its procedures. It is designed to give NGO staff an understanding of the basics of the Senate and how to best achieve policy and campaigning goals.
Need to contact Australian Members of Parliament? Here’s the contact list and even some handy mailing labels.
Gillian Triggs, the now Former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, launched the Defending Democracy report at Progress 2017. She argued that advocacy is fundamental to our society but under threat with it increasingly difficult for people to speak up when they disagree.
The Australian National Development Index presents a new way to measure our wellbeing. At Progress 2017 Professor Fiona Stanley explained just why it’s so important.
A process guide to be used in training workshops and planning sessions. The workshop introduces the idea of ‘policy windows’ and ‘political opportunity structure’ and enables participants to critically evaluate the political opportunity structure apparent in current campaigns.
The policy window is an opportunity for advocates of proposals to push their pet solutions, or to push attention to their special problems. When everything comes together a problem is recognised, a solution is developed and available in the policy community, a political change makes it the right time for policy change, and potential constraints are not severe.
A process guide to be used in training workshops and planning sessions to introduce participants to lobbying in an experiential way; identify lobbying as just one tool in a community organiser’s toolkit of skills and techniques for change; provide resources and information for future reference.
Lobbying is one method of raising public awareness of an issue and enlists support for a particular cause. The objective of lobbying is to persuade decision makers to take or not to take particular actions. This handout covers the skills, knowledge and qualities of effective lobbyists, as well as the essential steps to preparing for lobbying.
A range of advice and resources from digital campaigning organisations, which can easily be adapted to your needs – whether it’s meeting with an MP (or Senator) yourself, or helping your members do it.
Evaluating the impact of advocacy campaigns can seem impossible. Here are three handy guides that can help you undertake effective monitoring and evaluation of your advocacy and campaigning.
Using incredible language data from advocacy, opposition, political speech and popular culture, Anat Shenker-Osorio’s latest research analyses why certain messages resonate where others falter in the human rights sector across Australia, the UK and the US.
This role play activity outlines an interactive session to help people experience a political lobbying meeting, in a light-hearted way. The role play involves people being from either the Minister for Magical Creatures, or the NGO “Unicorn Revive”.