advocate and be the change !

Advocate and be the change !

Introduction to the basics of advocacy

Advocate and Be the Change! 2

On the Menu for the next 30 mins…

• Making sure everyone is connected and set to start.

• Introduction of the trainer and the participants

• Sharing Expectations

• Outlining the objectives

• Questions – Pre Evaluation

• Ready to Go !


Expectations…

• Take 2 minutes and write down your expectation(s) on a piece of paper

• Wait for the trainer’s instruction to SHARE your expectation


Expectations…


Overall Objective of the 6 sessions…

• Understanding of the basics of advocacy

• Capture the importance of Advocacy

• Acquiring the elements of the Advocacy cycle

• Introducing a methodology that would assist you to create your own advocacy intervention based on a specific issue you would like to see changing in your community.

• Introducing the elements of the onsite training

What? Why? How?

The training methodology is very interactive!


Objectives of today’s session

By the end of this session, you will:

• Be able to give a definition of advocacy

• Be capable to outline the levels of change advocacy can reach


• Questions?

• Pre Evaluation


Ready to Go!


The Concept of Advocacy

• What is the first idea/image that comes across your mind when you hear the word advocacy?


• Your ideas?


The following animated video is presented to help you start reflecting about some aspects of the answer to the question, “What is Advocacy?”

The Mousse Talehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4wL0KWHRFE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4wL0KWHRFE


• Your first thoughts?


Advocacy aims to build consensus for an idea, not to impose it on others.

Advocacy is the process of people participating in decision-making processes which affect their lives.

Advocacy is pleading for, defending orrecommending an idea before other people.

Advocacy has a purpose!


Case Study

Using Information Technology to advocate for the protection of the environment


• Take up to 15 mins in order to read and put on a piece of paper your perception/definition of advocacy.

• In addition to defining the issue Greenpeace is advocating for, What did they do, how did they implement, and what was the result?

• Wait for the trainer’s instruction to SHARE your answers.


• Issue: Toxic Waste on the Lebanese coastal area

• What did they do?: Educated the Lebanese Population & Lobbied various stakeholders

• How did they do it? Inflatable boat to map out TW areas, Website map, partnered with GIS, Animated TV spots, mobile stand with huge posters, Media officer, meetings with politicians government agencies, resorts and beaches…

• Result: Law#44


There are many ways to describe 'advocacy' – just as there are many shades of the color

'blue' – but they all have in common core ideas that we will explore together through

out the session…


…A set of skills and actions to influence people to make decisions that

ameliorates/changes a certain situation…


• Changes/Ameliorates a certain situation entail modifications to 3 layers (simultaneously or each separately):

1. Changes to the Legislation or policies or decisions

2. Modification in the implementation/practice

3. Readjustment of Behaviors & Attitude of people


There are three approaches to advocacy (advocacy for, with and by those affected by a situation).

There are different objectives associated with each approach, such as trying to change policy, or to increase participation.

The most sustainable advocacy is often done by those who are directly affected by a situation. Capacity building may be needed before this can happen. Many advocacy initiatives will use all three approaches at different times.


Advocacy requires a call to action, not just raising awareness. An information campaign seeks to increase individual knowledge and change behavior.

Advocacy seeks to change policy and asks individuals to join a campaign in order to ensure the sustainability of the result. Thus we must constantly raise the question: what is our campaign asking people to do?


Advocacy consists of different strategies aimed at influencing decision-making at the organizational, local, provincial, national and international levels.

Advocacy strategies can include lobbying, socialmarketing, information, education and communication (IEC), community organizing, ormany other “tactics.”


Advocacy is an action directed at changing thepolicies, positions or programs of any type ofinstitution.

Advocacy is speaking up, drawing a community’sattention to an important issue, and directingdecision makers toward a solution.


Advocacy is working with other people and organizations to make a difference.

Advocacy is putting a problem on the agenda, providing a solution to that problem and building support for acting on both the problem and solution.

Advocacy aims to change how decisions are made, not to solve a single case.


Advocacy does not only target government decision-makers.

We can advocate for changing policies in our organization or in the company where we work.

When we try to influence managers in a company to implement a recycling policy, we are doing advocacy


The process of influencing key decision-makers and opinion-formers (individuals and organizations ) for changes to policies and practices that will work in poor people’s favour.

(Action Aid)


In the simplest terms, advocacy is a:

STRATEGIC = deliberate, planned, takes the context and current events into account.

SET OF ACTIONS = coordinated activities.

DESIGNED TO PERSUADE = sound arguments, based on solid research,presented in convincing way.

SOMEONE ELSE = decision-makers or individuals who can influence them.

That what YOU want = specific change objective.

Is what THEY want = understand their needs and interest and show that youhave needs and interests in common.


In your own words…

Describe Advocacy…

Have you ever advocated?

Elements of Advocacy are part of our daily life…


Questions?


For Tomorrow…Same time..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXEBMOUZ7PQ&feature=plcp

• To download the video (8 mins) in case it was not feasible to broadcast it online




• Millions of streams would never make it across a desert; their waters would disappear in the depths of the sands. But, put together, they make a river big enough to get across.

Gebran Khalil Gebran

(two persons for tomorrow with 2 quotes related to the training subject)


Why Advocacy is important?

• As development actors, community workers or concerned citizens we are always

• working for change. If our mission is to help marginalized groups, we can provide

• services for them. However, in the long-term, a situation will only improve if we can

• change the way decisions are made – and we can ensure that those who are affected

• by decisions have a voice.


Introduction to the basics of advocacySession 2


On the Menu for today…• Making sure everyone is connected and set to start.

• Wrap up of yesterday’s session ( A Volunteer)

• Personal reasons that drives you to advocate

• Impact of Advocacy on the society

• Video on people with Disabilities campaign in Jordan

• Two quotes to end…




• be able to identify what motivates you in your own advocacy work

• Be able to see why Advocacy is important

What did you learn yesterday?


…A set of skills and actions to influence people to make decisions that

ameliorates/changes a certain situation…


• Changes/Ameliorates a certain situation entail modifications to 3 layers (simultaneously or each separately):

1. Changes to the Legislation or policies or decisions

2. Modification in the implementation/practice

3. Readjustment of Behaviors & Attitude of people

• Take 5 minutes and write down 3 PERSONAL reasons explaining why you do advocate.

• If you are not advocating currently for a certain issue, please do write 3 PERSONAL reasons that would incite you to do advocacy

• Wait for the trainer’s instruction to SHARE your answers…

PERSONAL reasons explaining why you advocate

• the vision, mission and values of the organisation for which a person works

• the values of the community to which a person belongs

• Cultural/religious values

• Being directly affected by a situation

• Desire for long-term change.

• Take 5 minutes and write down 3 ideas explaining why you think advocacy is important for the society.

• Wait for the trainer’s instruction to SHARE your answers…

Why advocacy is important for the society?

Why Advocacy is important?

• Advocacy is important because YOU are important.

• The “better situation” that advocacy aims at is to YOUR benefit as an individual or as a group. (ex: Advocacy to have green streets)

• Advocacy can help you have control over your situation.

• It is a way that helps you change/transform the situation your society is currently in to a better one

• To “Lead the people to our beliefs” especially that the Advocacy process aims to build consensus for an idea, not to impose it on others, thus it achieves more sustainable results as it is built on collective endorsement/agreement through persuasion.


“Takafo2 Campaign…” (Equality)

A campaign in Jordan advocating for ensuring access to people with disabilities to polling places to be able to vote….

The following questions…

In the video…

• What did motivate the:

- People with disabilities in the campaign?- People with no disabilities in the campaign?- Media?- Individuals in the different governorates?- Governor of Amman?

In the video…

• Why Advocacy was important in that case?

• What did motivate the:

- People with disabilities in the campaign?- People with no disabilities in the campaign?- Media?- Individuals in the different governorates?- Governor of Amman?

• Why Advocacy was important in that case?

• To shed the light on a cause related to a vulnerable/marginalized group

• To consolidate social cohesion among citizens

• Built the skills of many advocates

• Advocacy with and by People with Disabilities

Questions/Ideas…

For Tomorrow…

• Send the Like/Dislike


For Next Week Wednesday session…In the Same VIDEO…

• What are the 3 main characteristics/elements of this campaign that dragged your attention?

• What are the different steps the campaign went through?

• Send your answers in the word document (Material box) to [email protected] by Monday the 24th.

mailto:[email protected]


• Thank you for sending the 3 documents (pre-assessment-like/dislike -main characteristics/stages)

• Please do send the documents of not yet sent




• be able to know what is the advocacy cycle

• Be able to understand what are the elements of each stage of the advocacy cycle



• Reminder about Like/Dislike document

• Objective of the session: Advocacy cycle & Elements of its stages

• Video on people with Disabilities campaign in Jordan – Takafo2

• What are the different stages that this national campaign went through

• The advocacy Cycle


If you are to plan an Advocacy Campaign, What would be the stages of your planning process?• Take 3 minutes and put those 7 stages of the advocacy planning process

(cycle) in the order you see appropriate: (What would be your 1st step you undertake, 2nd? 3rd? Till the 7th…) (the Answers of 3 volunteers)

Identify the problem Building a common vision

Identify the target audience Building your Strategy

Prepare an action plan and the implementation

Monitoring & Evaluation Adapt, Modify, and Implement


“Takafo2 Campaign…” (Equality)

A campaign in Jordan advocating for ensuring access to people with disabilities to polling places to be able to vote….

Please do review the video and be ready to share the characteristics and if you’ve been to detect any elements of the cycle…


Starting Point:

PROBLEM TODAY

No access to polling places discriminates against people with disabilities. They are not able to exercise their right to vote.

Step 1: Identify the Problem


Starting Point:

PROBLEM TODAY


Step 2: Build a Common Vision


Starting Point:

PROBLEM TODAY


Step 3: Identify the target audience – (and not selecting)

VISION A world where people with disabilities have

and equally exercise all their rights.


Starting Point:

PROBLEM TODAY




As you work, you may find the need to revise your problem statement – making it more clear with each revision.


Starting Point:

PROBLEM TODAY

Revised Statement: No access to polling places discriminates against people with disabilities. They are not able to exercise their right to vote.




Starting Point:

PROBLEM TODAY

#1: Persons with disabilities exercise their right to vote secretly and independently on the basis of equality with others.

STRATEGY

Goal #1




Step 4: Building Strategic Goals and Strategies/Tactics


PROBLEM Statement: No access to polling places discriminates against people with disabilities. They are not able to exercise their right to vote.



Persons with disabilities exercise their right to vote secretly and independently on the basis of equality with others.

STRATEGY

Tactic 1: Develop specific guidelines of accessibility needs for blind, deaf and physical disability voters for Director.Target: Director, Ministry of InteriorObjective: Director issues directives for implementation

Goal #1

TACTICS

STRATEGY

Goal #1

Step 5: Action Plan & Implementation





Persons with disabilities exercise their right to vote secretly and independently on the basis of equality with others.

STRATEGY

Tactic 2: Provide accessibility assistance to voters with disabilities Target: Community volunteers (via NGOs/media announcements)Objective: Provide specialized assistance for voters to enable them to vote secretly and independently

Goal #1

TACTICS

STRATEGY

Goal #1

Step 5: Action Plan & Implementation



Example:Are there any challenges you identified?- Mobilizing enough volunteers to meet the demands for assistance - Monitoring polls for implementation



STRATEGY

Goal #1

TACTICS

STRATEGY

Goal #1

TACTICS

Step 6&7: Monitoring & Evaluation & Adaptation


Stages of the advocacy circle1 –determine the problem/causeThe problem that needs to be resolved

2- Building a common vision/purpose: the purpose is the final result we aim to achieve

3- identify the target audience and the nature of relations: decision makers that can be influenced to support the cause

4- building strategic goals and strategies How and Why + the overall steps that will allow us to achieve our purpose

5- Prepare an Action Plan and the implementation Who will do what? When? How? And what are the resources required ?

6- Monitoring and evaluation What are the new developments? Should the working method be amended ?What are the ? modifications required

7- modify and adapt themChange targetsChange the course of action and messagesReconsider deadlines and timing


Advocacy?


Questions/Ideas…


Quote for tomorrow…


For Tomorrow…

• Send the Like/Dislike

• Send an example(s) to my email of an issue(s) you would like to advocate for




• be able to consolidate your knowledge about the advocacy cycle



• Objective of the session: Consolidating knowledge about Advocacy cycle through case studies

• A refresher about Advocacy & the advocacy cycle

• Review and Comments of 3 or 4 case studies

• Quote of the day


Advocacy?


If you are to plan an Advocacy Campaign, What would be the stages of your planning process?• Please put those 7 stages in the appropriate order: (What would be

your 1st step you undertake, 2nd? 3rd? Till the 7th…)

Identify the problem Building a common vision

Identify the target audience Building your Strategy

Prepare an action plan and the implementation

Monitoring & Evaluation Adapt, Modify, and Implement


Stages of the advocacy cycle1 –determine the problem/causeThe problem that needs to be resolved








4 Case Studies

• We are going to work on 4 Case Studies

• The objective is to answer the 6 questions listed on the next Slide and uploaded in your materials box(the 6 questions are the same for each case study)

• We will start by Case study n.1 then 2,3,4

• The 6 questions are the following:


The 6 questions…1 – What is the problem the activists/NGO are trying to resolve? 2 – What is their shared vision?

3 – Who is the target audience – whom they are targeting in their action? 4 – What is/are the adopted Strategy/Strategies?

5 – Results?

6 – Comments/Critics?


Now, please take 10 minutes to read the 1st case study and to answer the 6 questions, then you can share some elements of your answers and have a discussion up to 5 minutes for each case study


Case1 - Using fake money to protest prevalence of bribery in public service sectors

1 – What is the problem?Bribery is widespread in India making everyday life a struggle for the lower class 2 – What is the vision? To say no to bribery and to be an anti-corruption response thus A SOCIETY FREE OF CORRUPTION3 – Who is the target audience? All the people who didn’t know what else to do or did not know how to stand up for their rights AND the PUBLIC SERVANTS4 – What is the adopted Strategy?Circulate the zero Rupee note as a replacement for bribe to show your inability and your position against bribes

5 – Results?Breaking down the bribe culture as one civil servant after another received the note

6 – Comments/Critics? Although the campaign resulted in braking down the bribe culture, which is a success, however the strategy did not engage in an awareness on the problems behind receiving bribes but it is more of a sign of protest


Now, please take 10 minutes to read the 2nd case study and to answer the 6 questions, then you can share some elements of your answers and have a discussion up to 5 minutes for each case study


Case 2 - Engaging local level monitors to document cases of slavery to be used as legal documentation in courts

1 – What is the problem? Slavery is still being practiced in several governorates of Yemen and NGOs are not able to document these cases using “alien” staff

2 – What is the vision? To monitor cases of slavery and make their “owners” accountable in court thus Reaching a SOCIETY FREE of SLAVERY/Equality

3 – Who is the target audience?Victims of slavery and local community members , “owners”, court system/judges

4 – What is the adopted Strategy?To train local community members on documenting slavery cases through a documentation form that could be used as an eligible legal documents in court

5 – Results?Document 100 cases of slavery making the issue of slavery public which facilitated a breakthrough in the fear cycle

6 – Comments/Critics?


Now, please take 10 minutes to read the 3rd case study and to answer the 6 questions, then you can share some elements of your answers and have a discussion up to 5 minutes for each case study


Case 3 - Using sports to build engagement and life skills

1 – What is the problem?

The girls experience limited resources, fun and education are rarities in the lives of Iraqi and Syrian refugees / girls lack of empowerment 2 – What is the vision?

Sport is a language spoken by everyone, / SOCIAL COHESION in the JORDANIAN SOCIETY3 – Who is the target audience?

Girls between 8 and 18 years old of the Iraqi and Syrian Refugee community 4 – What is the adopted Strategy?

Engagement in sports which offers young women and girls the unique opportunity to foster critical life skills, such as the ability to work in teams and approach challenges with courage and confidence (among Jordanian, Syrian & Iraqis)5 – Results?

The program has impacted the lives of more than 800 young women and girls since 20086 – Comments/Critics?

The results are not tangible and can only be measured in a long term prospect


Now, please take 10 minutes to read the 4th case study and to answer the 6 questions, then you can share some elements of your answers and have a discussion up to 5 minutes for each case study


Case 4 - Using a comprehensive training approach to persuade police officers to transform their relationships with communities

1 – What is the problem? Police excessive abuses are widespread, in addition to the fact that the fact that police officers are poorly paid and corruption is rampant

2 – What is the vision? to persuade police officers to transform their relationships with the communities in which they work – A SECURE SOCIETY IN HARMONY

3 – Who is the target audience? Police officers and local community members – ministries -

4 – What is the adopted Strategy?training, which includes a wide variety of courses, emphasizes the wellbeing of all citizens, including the police officers themselves.

5 – Results?training has so far been used in 25 states in Brazil and with more than 30,000 participants, mainly from the civil, military, federal, and traffic police and municipal guards

6 – Comments/Critics? it involves a group that has been responsible for committing or allowing abuse and transforms them into advocates for the wellbeing of the society – tangible results?


Questions/Ideas…


Two Homeworks for next week…

• Answer the 6 questions related to the video sent to you about the “Make the Politicians Work” tactic implemented in Russia.

• Download the “Case Study – Homework” document in the library

• Send it to my email [email protected] by Monday the 1st of October



Homework n.2

• It is of an utmost importance to send an example(s) to my email of an issue(s) you would like to advocate for.

• Next Session on Wednesday the 3rd – same time.


Quote for today…

“I know you can't live on hope alone; but without hope, life is not worth living. So you, and you and you: you got to give them hope; you got to give them hope.”

Harvey Milk



• Objectives of the session: 1) To know and apply the Problem Tree tool – 2) To understand the vision and its importance

• Presentation about The Problem Tree

• Problem Tree joint Exercise

• Presentation about The Vision

• Problem Tree joint Exercise

• Post Evaluation Test

• Quote of the day




• Become knowledgeable about the “Problem Tree” tool

• Understand the need and importance to DREAM about a future without the identified problem/issue.


How to identify a problem…• You have a numerous amount of tools that can help you identify

the problem/issue you would like to advocate for or against.

• Examples: Surveys, Opinion Polls, Research, Focus groups, etc…

• Usually, such tools fall under the category of “Community Needs Assessment” based on which your advocacy campaign can be built

• It is those needs that make the community a “better place to live in” once they are met (refer to the advocacy definition).


Let’s suppose the community have identified the following problem:

Lack of Green Spaces in my community


How would the “Problem Tree” tool help us in our advocacy campaign once we have defined the problem:

Lack of Green Spaces in my community

As mentioned earlier, The first step in preparing our advocacy campaign is to identify the problem and educate ourselves about its causes and effects.

An excellent tool for this task is the problem tree.


PROBLEM TREEProblems often resemble the structure of a tree.

If we imagine that the most important problem is the trunk of the tree, we can then see all of the related effects growing out like branches or leaves.

Our problem tree will most certainly have deep, root causes which feed the trunk and branches. We can create a problem tree by asking ourselves “But why?” when examining every aspect of a problem. After we have identified the effects (branches) and causes (roots) of our problem we may be able to decide which problem to advocate for.

Introducing the Problem Tree

Trunk: Problem

Root/s: Causes

Leaf/Leaves: Effects

Identifying Problem

Problem: Lack of Green Spaces in my community

Identifying Primary Causes

Absence of Resources


Absence of Urban Planning Not a NecessityAbsence of

Specialized Staff

Identifying Secondary Causes



Absence of Urban Planning Lack of Awareness

about its importance

Weather Conditions

Lack of Political will

Absence of Specialized Staff

Lack of an environmental culture

Identifying Primary Effects





Weather Conditions




Polluted Air Absence of public places

Increase in health Problems

Identifying Secondary Effects





Weather Conditions




Polluted Air Polluted Waters

Increase in health Problems

Social fracture among citizens

Psychological problems

respiratory infections


Based on the roots/causes…I choose an issue to work on…

It will not be possible for us to address all problems, for this reason it is important for us to prioritize and decide what problem is more important and realistic for us to tackle first based on our capacity and the context we are working in.

Example: Lack of Awareness of the Importance of having Green Spaces


Problems you have sent…

• Women lack of participation in political life especially within parliament in Tunisia.

• The Tunisian youth abstention to participate in the elections

• Expensive and Slow speed internet for ALL

• Impact of sanctions on the ICT sector


Problem: The Tunisian youth abstention to participate in the elections


Problem: The Tunisian youth abstention to participate in the elections

• Causes:

• Effects:


Women lack of participation in political life especially within parliament in Tunisia.



• Causes:

• Effects:


Expensive and Slow speed internet for ALL


Problem: Expensive and Slow speed internet for ALL

• The NEED TO BE MORE SPECIFIC AND CHOOSE BETWEEN EXPENSIVE or SLOW AS EACH OF THEM MGHT HAVE SPECIFIC CAUSES & EFFECTS


Problem: Slow speed internet for ALL

• Causes:

• Effects:


Once you have selected your problem, a vision needs to be built…

By the end of this part of this session, you will:

• Understand the need and importance to DREAM about a future without the identified problem/issue.

• Understand that a vision is necessary to provide direction and purpose.


Where is your vision located?


A Vision – is a source of inspiration which focuses on how the world can be in the future should you realize or advance in realizing the aims/objectives you’ve defined based on the problem you are advocating for or against.


PROBLEM TODAY


Build a Common Vision

VISION A world where people with disabilities have and equally exercise

all their rights.

Example of Takafo’ from Jordan


The Vision becomes a goal when action steps are taken for achieving it.



VISION A world where people with disabilities have and equally exercise

all their rights.

GOAL: Persons with disabilities exercise their right to vote secretly and independently on the basis of equality with others.

STRATEGY

Tactic 1: Develop specific guidelines of accessibility needs for blind, deaf and physical disability voters for Director.Target: Director, Ministry of InteriorObjective: Director issues directives for implementation

Goal #1

TACTICS

STRATEGY

Goal #1


• Problem: Lack of Green Spaces in my Community

• Vision?


I have a Dream…

“… I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character;

I have a dream today…”

Why it is important to have a vision for your advocacy campaign?


A vision makes it possible to: Know where you want to go – your destination.

Work better within your organization, networks and coalitions.

Engage allies in your work because a vision can inspire them to join you.

Maintain your direction and be flexible when addressing obstacles.

Know when you are making progress toward your goals – because the journey up the mountain will take a long time. It is important to recognize and celebrate progress to overcome discouragements.


Based on the Problems you have identified…

• Women lack of participation in political life especially within parliament in Tunisia.

• The Tunisian youth abstention to participate in the elections

• Expensive and Slow speed internet for ALL

• Impact of sanctions on the ICT sector


What is YOUR vision of the future without the problem you identified?

Take a few minutes to write down your thoughts about the following questions (those questions help you think about the vision you have): • What change do you desire to see? • How would your community be different? • What would be different about the relationships between people?

• What would you see, hear, feel or experience that tells you that things have changed?

And Answer the above Question in RED


A vision provides inspiration and direction – for you and others –to help build and guide your strategy.

Your vision helps you to see changes and progress toward your vision. Success is measured by your contribution toward reaching your goals on your journey up the mountain.


PROBLEM TODAY

The Tunisian youth abstention to participate in the elections


VISION ?


PROBLEM TODAY



VISION?


PROBLEM TODAY

Expensive and Slow speed internet for ALL


VISION?


Post Evaluation Test…

• Download the “Post Evaluation Test” form the materials box.

• Take 10 minutes and fill it.

• Send it to my email [email protected]



• You might receive some emails/documents to be read for the next onsite training

• I really enjoyed our virtual experience…

• Looking forward to the onsite experience…


Quote for today…Well it is a picture…

advocate and be the change !

Documents