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FOCUS ON....
……Michelle Rowley
Apart from your current organisation which other organisations that campaign do you admire?
Alzheimer’s charities – they have executed impressive campaigns for access to treatments targeted at NICE, at the same time as raising the profile of a devastating condition.
Who is the campaigner you most admire?
It’s hard to pick one person, but Marjorie Wallace, SANE's chief executive has done a huge amount for mental health, which is sadly still seen as a taboo, despite how common it is. Going back in history I have huge admiration and respect for the Suffragettes, namely Emily Davidson who threw herself under the Kings horse in the name of votes for women.
Is there a campaigning organisation that you would like to see the back of?
Not that I’d admit to in public. However, even organisations for issues I disagree with add something to the debate, so I wouldn’t like to see the back of any of them as I believe in freedom of speech.
What advice would you give someone starting their career in campaigning today?
Try new things and don’t be afraid to take risks. Also, look at what other organisations are doing and learn what works and what doesn’t. I have always found it very useful to join the campaign networks of other organisations as a great way to benchmark our activity.
What three things make a good campaigner?
Good communication skills, desire to try new ideas, and flexibility – willing to change strategy and tactics to react to the changing environment
Which of these three do have most of?
I would say communication skills. In order to run successful campaigns it’s essential to engage and motivate a team that you don’t line manage. I believe the key to that is building good relationships and communicating effectively with the team and all stakeholders (internally and externally).
Which of these three do you think is missing most out of people who campaign or want to?
I think generally there can be a reluctance to trying new ideas and taking risks, but this may not be about the individual and more about organisations not being open to new ideas in case they don’t succeed. New ways to campaign are constantly evolving, particularly with the rapid growth of online social media opportunities. I think you need to be bold and take risks to keep campaigns fresh. I’ve been fortunate that I have been able to, but it requires you to be very persuasive.
Generally are organisations getting better at campaigning since you began your career? If so, what’s changed?
I’d like to think so. There are still some out there who think it’s just down to PR stunts, but there is so much expertise out there and new technology that it’s exciting to see what organisations are doing.
If you weren’t a campaigner, what would you be?
Working in the media – I love the buzz and unpredictable nature of it.
...Alison Goldsworthy
Apart from your current organisation which other organisations that campaign do you admire?
I think WaterAid are brilliant. The emails they send out to their supporter network are always eye-catching and I’d be surprised if they don’t get a high action rate. I also really admire how they have managed to get the establishment to accept some of their issues but keep a radical edge. That takes some doing.
Back home in Cardiff the Save the Vulcan campaign is a masterclass in local campaigning, with everyone you could imagine backing the campaign. It’s a great iconic pub, if you are in the city go and even if you can’t make it, sign the petition. If you are a guy, I’m told the gents toilets are well worth a visit.
Who is the campaigner you most admire?
Clarence Wilcock - who took a stand against ID cards in the 1950’s leading to their demise. It saddens me they are making a comeback.
Vaclav Havel – the most tenacious campaigner against Communism in the Czech Republic (Czechoslovakia as was) he never let up even against horrendous pressure and the led his country to freedom. Most impressively of all he worked out when to stop, stood down and let someone else take over.
Is there a campaigning organisation that you would like to see the back of?
There are some with whom I profoundly disagree, even hate, but I wouldn’t seek to deny their right to exist. Top on the hate list are The BNP, for obvious reasons. I don’t have much time for Christian Voice and Migration Watch either – I think they do a great disservice to debate with ill considered improper contributions that purport to represent people they don’t.
What advice would you give someone starting their career in campaigning today?
Find something that irritates you and try and change it – suggest a better alternative and bring others into your campaign. DO NOT ignore local engagement.
What three things make a good campaigner?
Tenacity, Audacity and people skills.
Which of these three do have most of?
I’d hope people skills, but you probably need to ask those I work and have worked with.
Which of these three do you think is missing most out of people who campaign or want to?
Audacity: I think campaigners are often far too risk averse, for fear of breaking CC9 and getting in trouble with Charity Commission.
Generally are organisations getting better at campaigning since you began your career? If so, what’s changed?
A lot more professional, with best practice being shared. To me it’s the best thing about the sector.
I’m especially pleased that more and more people are including user involvement in their campaigning strategies. Quite simply, I think if the end users don’t inform and shape your work, what legitimacy does it have?
If you weren’t a campaigner, what would you be?
Bored. And frustrated beyond belief.
...Ray Mitchell
Ray Mitchell is the Senior Campaigns Manager at Age Concern England
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Apart from your current organisation which other organisations that campaign do you admire?
It's difficult to single out individual organisations as there are excellent examples of campaigning everywhere, but I regularly visit MoveOn.org and admire their creativity and how quickly they respond to events.
Who is the campaigner you most admire?
Again, it's hard to pick out one in particular. At the recent NCVO campaigners conference, I was very impressed by Jackie Schneider who organised Merton Parents for Better Food in Schools. For someone who
described herself as 'not a real campaigner like you lot' she described
passionately the development and impact of a text book campaign.
Is there a campaigning organisation that you would like to see the back of?
Not really. Even those we disagree with can teach us something about how an issue can be seen from different perspectives and how campaign messages can influence how people think and act in entirely different ways on the same issue.
What advice would you give someone starting their career in
campaigning today?
Don't be afraid to copy (and improve on) other campaigners' ideas, but also challenge yourself to come up with an idea that everyone else wishes they had.
What three things make a good campaigner?
Passion, persistence and a steady stream of good ideas
Which of these three do have most of?
They may not all be good, but I'm never short of ideas
Which of these three do you think is missing most out of people who campaign or want to?
I think sometimes persistence can be lacking: it's easy to get disheartened when achieving campaign objectives can seem impossible or a very long way off.
Generally are organisations getting better at campaigning since you began your career? If so, what’s changed?
There's certainly a lot more campaigners than twenty years ago when I started. On the whole I think there is much more professionalism - I'm in the camp that sees this as a good thing - and high quality work.
If you weren’t a campaigner, what would you be?
Hopefully another job that combines opportunities for creativity with helping to improve things - I'm not sure what that would be so I'm glad I'm a campaigner.
...Evie Papada
Evie Papada works for Amnesty International.
Who is the campaigner you admire the most?
The campaigner I admire the most is Sarah Duthie. She is a campaigner at Greenpeace.
Apart from your current organisation which other organisation that campaigns do you currently admire?
'War on Want'- They seem to campaign on very topical issues and they have the most updated campaign calendar: the messages they send through are original and it urges you to take action.
What advice would you give to someone starting their career in campaign today?
I would urge them to remind themselves that we campaign in order to foster change and not just to raise awareness on issues - i would also advice them to spend enough time planning their campaign strategies and always evaluate the work at different stages of the campaign development.
What 3 things make a good campaigner?
1. Good preparation and planning of the campaign strategy.
2. Creativity and boldness in decision making.
3. Ability to deliver the campaign message in such a way that it is simple, catchy, using as few words as possible.
Which of these three thing do campaigners have most of?
Campaigners have all of the above things to a lesser or greater extent - campaigning is both an art and a science, so campaigners tend to be creative and also good at creating thorough plans and effective strategies.
Which of the 3 is missing the most...
Most campaigners are not paying enough attention to the preparation and planning process - as they tend to apply strategies that have proved successful in previous campaigns but they don’t necessarily work for all campaigns.
Are organisations getting better at campaigning....
There are more campaigning tools out there now and new information tech has helped those organisation that know how to use them effectively to become better at campaigning.
If you weren’t a campaigner what would you be?
I would be a painter or a musician - I would find another way to channel my artistic abilities.
…Lizzie Jeans
Lizzie is freelance campaigner, currently working at End Child Poverty. She was previously Campaigns Manager at Help the Aged and has worked for the Methodist Church, People & Planet and Christian Aid.
Apart from your current organisation which other organisations that campaign do you admire?
Shelter, Christian Aid, RNID and YWCA.
Who is the campaigner you most admire?
Guy Hughes of Crisis Action and People & Planet. Guy was a fantastic campaigner who was tragically killed in an accident in 2006. I worked with Guy at People & Planet and he was a huge influence on my development as a campaigner - especially the need to think about levers of power and influence. The Sheila McKechnie Foundation has a award for young campaigners in his memory.
Is there a campaigning organisation that you would like to see the back of?
The BNP
What advice would you give someone starting their career in campaigning today?
Being someone who's easy to get on with and who delivers goes a long way. Make as many contacts as you can and keep in touch with people. Think of opportunities for collaborative working.
What three things make a good campaigner?
Drive and tenacity, strategic thinking and strong networking skills.
Which of these three do you have most of?
I can be a good networker and enjoy spotting opportunities to work with others.
Which of these three do you think is missing most out of people who campaign or want to?
The ability to always be thinking strategically at where you want to achieve change and looking at the balance of power, appropriately targeting your chosen audience at key times, where you can have most impact. Campaigners, including myself, often have so many demands, you can lose sight of your key objectives.
Generally are organisations getting better at campaigning since you began your career? If so, what’s changed?
More organisations are campaigning and there is a more crowded market. The public has a greater understanding of campaigning but is also more savvy about campaigning techniques. However, despite the increasing number of organisations who have campaign supporters, it is the same few organisations who are are able to genuinely mobilise large numbers of people to demonstrate.
If you weren’t a campaigner, what would you be?
A journalist.
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…Lucy Tweedie
Apart from your current organisation which other organisations that campaign do you admire?
- Friends of the Earth – for their wide public reach and outsider advocacy stance
- Oxfam – for their creative public presence and strong policy and lobbying
- Wateraid – for their impressive evidence-based advocacy work
Who is the campaigner you most admire?
Shami Chakrabarti from Liberty. She combines a strategic approach with very clear media messages on challenging areas of debate.
Is there a campaigning organisation that you would like to see the back of?
Migration Watch – for their negative impact on the public debate about immigration.
What advice would you give someone starting their career in campaigning today?
Select the organisations carefully and check that they have advocacy work embedded in policy and programmes rather just fundraising.
Work on an issue you feel passionately about.
Gain experience in a variety of organisations particularly in relation to ‘insider’ and ‘outsider’ advocacy and work out where you feel politically most comfortable.
Base all your campaigning work on a clear strategy and objectives.
What three things make a good campaigner?
1. Strategic mind
2. Creativity and instinct
3. Ability to communicate with a wide range of people
Which of these three do most campaigners have most of?
Creativity and instinct
Which of these three do you think is missing most out of people who campaign or want to?
Strategic mind
Generally are organisations getting better at campaigning since you began your career? If so, what’s changed?
Advocacy with Southern partners in the case of International Development Organisations has been strengthened over the last ten years. Issues around legitimacy still exist.
Coalition working has also improved the public understanding of campaigning
Working in coalitions has led to considerable learning for the organisations involved.
There has been a greater recognition of the need for advocacy and campaigning as a means for change across the voluntary sector.
If you weren’t a campaigner, what would you be?
Documentary maker
Lucy works for Advocacy Associates and can be contacted by emailing
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