A presentation to accompany an activity planning a campaign

1. Campaigning
1

2. Campaigning can be about…..
• Raising awareness of a particular issue
• Letting people know your views
• Challenging decisions
• Trying to change things

3. Before you start your campaign
•Do you care enough to keep going despite set backs?
•Have you got all the facts - not just facts and figures,
but stories to share too?

4. What you need to think about first
•Who are you trying to influence?
•Why - what do you want to tell them or get them to do?
•What is the best way to communicate with the people
you want to influence?
Facebook

5. Some different ways to take Action
Events Petition Leaflets
facebook
Use the media Social Media Demonstrations
Speak to your
local councillors Press release Write to your MP

6. Planning your campaign
As your campaign continues -
•Listen to people (can use social media)
•Check to see what progress you have made.
•Celebrate with your supporters, let people know what
has been achieved.
•Thank people who have helped,

7. To run a campaign you will need …
• Real determination and commitment
• A good sense of humour.
• To be able to get together people and groups who care
about the same thing.
• People with different skills -
– Creative people with original ideas
– Someone with good public speaking skills.
– People who can put on meetings and organise events.
– People who can make and send out flyers.

8. Politics
• There are 650 Members of Parliament – do you
know who yours is.
• Parliament in London is where MPs meet and
decide new laws.
• Closer to home councillors are elected to make
decisions that affect people in their area (about
education, social services, dustbins, roads, libraries,
swimming pools, housing ….).
• There will be 3 for each part of the council area. Do
you know the names of yours?

9. How are Laws made?
New laws may be made because –
• The government promised in their election
manifesto;
• A government department thinks it’s needed;
• Pressure groups influence the government;
• Experts influence the government;
• They are needed because of the European
Union.

10. How are Laws made?
•There may be a Green paper first - a discussion document.
This gives us a chance to tell government what we think.
•White paper – follows a green paper and says what the
government plans to do.
•Before a law is made it is known as a bill.
•It goes to the house of commons 3 times for MPs to talk
about it and vote on it.
•If it’s agreed in the House of Commons it then goes to be
talked about in the House of Lords.
•The final step is for the Queen to approve it.

11. Local politics
You can speak to your councillors
A partnership board is a meeting of professionals,
service users and family carers. This is a group that
can shape the services in their local area.
How are you represented?

12. Planning a demonstration
• Get as many people as you can to come
• Get permission from the police
• Contact the media
• Organise transport
• Make banners
• Have speakers
• Have people who will talk to the media

13. Petitions
You need a clear statement for people
to agree to.
You must get a lot of people to sign your petition.
You will need their names and addresses.
You can set up a petition on the internet. If it gets at
least 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for
debate in the House of Commons
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/

14. Social Media
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/
Twitter http://www.twitter.com
Linked In http://www.linkedin.com
Bambuser http://bambuser.com
You Tube http://www.youtube.com/
Blogging http://wordpress.com/
A blog about social care & social media
http://shirleyayres.wordpress.com/

15. Writing a press release – top tips
•Know your media
•Keep it short
•Send it in the body of an email, not as an
attachment
•Don’t put your logo in
Human interest stories
Controversy or scandal
Unusual, original events
Photo opportunities
(Local) celebrity

16. Talking to the media – top tips
•Be clear, positive and confident
•Know the facts and be ready to back them up
•Link what’s happening now to what could
happen in the future
•Be reliable
•Get to know people in the media, build
relationships
•Listen to advice
•Be patient and determined