NCVO New Campaigning Landscape

National Council for Voluntary Organisations
Campaigning Effectiveness
A new campaigning landscape?

Implications of the 2010 General Election
Campaigning Effectiveness, NCVO

March 2011
Philip Hadley
NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

Acknowledgements Introduction and methodology Focus group findings Appendix
Foreword Survey findings Analysis and conclusions
Contents
3 Acknowledgements, about Campaigning Effectiveness and the author
4 Foreword
5 Executive summary
7 Introduction and methodology
11 Survey findings
15 Case studies
16 38 Degrees
18 Beatbullying
20 Campaign for Better Transport (CBT)
22 NCT (National Childbirth Trust)
25 Plane Stupid
27 Woodland Trust
30 Focus group findings

35 Analysis and conclusions
44 Resources and references
47 Appendix (list of focus group participant organisations)
Cover photograph: Fund Our Future: Stop Education Cuts demonstration, London, 10 November 2010. Courtesy of the National Union of Students (http://www.nus.org.uk)
2 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election


Acknowledgements What is campaigning

For their interesting, insightful and incisive and influencing?
comments during interviews, I would like to thank You might call it influencing, voice, advocacy
Hannah Lownsbrough, Richard Piggin, Richard or campaigning, but all these activities are about
Hebditch, Alexandra Woodsworth, Anne Fox, creating change. At NCVO we use the word
Daniel Glass and Kaye Brennan, as well as other campaigning and define this as the mobilising
individuals from the organisations from which they of forces by organisations or individuals to
belong, for making the case studies both possible influence others in order to effect an identified
and engaging. I would also like to thank all of the and desired social, economic, environmental
campaigners who participated in the focus groups or political change.
in London and in Manchester, and those who took
Whatever you call it and whether you are trying
the time to complete the online survey.
to save a local community centre from closing
Further thanks to Alex Bone, for offering his or lobbying government, campaigning is about
research expertise in delivering a focus group in creating a change. The impact is the real change
Greater Manchester and compiling the findings, created by a campaign the difference it makes
as well as to Shakirah Ullah and colleagues at the to peoples lives.
Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organ-
isations (GMCVO), for hosting the focus group.
Additional thanks to Rebecca Molyneux, Sarah
About the author
Lincoln, Joe Saxton and colleagues at nfpSynergy Philip Hadley coordinates research into effective
for their help in providing us with data from voluntary and community sector campaign
their research. strategies for Campaigning Effectiveness, working
on a number of projects including a recent guide,
To all of the campaigners who contributed to the
Voicing your right to know: Using Freedom of Information
research, your rich experiences in campaigning
in campaigning, also available on the Campaigning
and reflections on the current environment have
Effectiveness webpage.
formed the basis of this report. Last but by no
means least, thanks to my colleagues at NCVO for He has worked previously in both research
their helpful comments and assistance throughout and advocacy for Voluntary and Community
the project in particular, Susie Rabin, Amelia Organisations in India and the UK, and can be
Gudgion, Nicola Gilbert, Davinder Kaur, Sasha found cycling around London, or tempting people
Daly, Ellie Brodie and Louise Brown. to discuss the campaigning issues of the day by
offering a wide variety of cakes.
About us
Campaigning Effectiveness, NCVO supports
and empowers people and organisations to change
their world through campaigning and influencing
policy. We bring together experience and expertise
and drive excellence in campaigning and policy
work across civil society by providing support,
knowledge, tools and resources. For further
information about our work go to www.ncvo-
vol.org.uk/campaigningeffectiveness


Foreword as campaigners adopt integrated strategies, using

their initiative and the creativity of their supporters
By Jenny Edwards, Chief Executive, Homeless Link and beneficiaries to effect change.
As campaigners, we In 2010, the political and economic climate in
are confronted with an which we campaign changed. This change presents
environment in which our new challenges which we will meet by doing what
efforts to achieve social change we do best working to advocate and achieve
are needed now more than positive and lasting impact on peoples lives.
ever, yet we face significant
challenges in meeting this need.
A new Parliament with no single ruling party
and a Government committed to devolving power
to individuals and communities offer real
opportunities to campaigners. Yet the impact of
the recession and the cuts to public spending are
being felt, and borne, by those same individuals
and communities. Funding for the voluntary sector,
never mind campaigning itself, is becoming scarcer
by the day.
This new environment compels us as campaigners
to rethink our strategies so they can engage with
new and emerging policy agendas. At the same
time we must maintain our independence,
confidence to challenge and find new ways to
engage and involve people in local areas. The
Big Society has become a much debated concept.
Whatever the detail, at its core it must mean
concerned citizens having the confidence and
evidence to make a strong persuasive public case.
Campaigners need to punch above their weight
to focus their resources onto where they will have
impact, to work in alliances and to forge new ones.
This report shows that the landscape has changed,
and is continuing to change, at a very rapid pace.
At Homeless Link, we work to end homelessness.
Advocacy is essential, behind the scenes and up
front; using evidence or individual stories equally
persuasively; offering solutions to government,
while holding it to account. The campaigners in this
report show how this can be done very effectively,


Executive summary yet remain critical of Government policy. For

example, the Governments flagship Big Society
This report presents six case studies based on policy presents opportunities to campaigners
interviews with a wide range of campaigners, alongside threats, as the Government is engaging
alongside findings from several focus groups and VCOs with an agenda in which the place of
an online survey of Voluntary and Community campaigning for social change is unclear.
Organisations (VCOs) who are involved in
campaigning all in regard to questioning the Another key point arising from the research is that
implications of the UK General Election in May there is a need for campaigners to conduct more
2010, for campaigning. Our main finding is that, local campaigning, as more powers are devolved
a new campaigning landscape is emerging, characterised to the local level. Within this, there is a need for
by significant challenges, in which campaigners are organisations to build their capacity to campaign
compelled to rethink existing strategies to achieve in changing local environments. On a further point,
social change. the cuts to public and voluntary sector spending
present a significant challenge to the ability of
The learning points are derived from trends in campaigners to campaign, and have given rise to
campaigning and opportunities for creating a greater need for, and a recent rise in campaigning
change, recognised by campaigners and analysed particularly public campaigning. Campaigners
here. Though many of the trends existed in some will need to do more with less, and work in
sense prior to the Election, the Election itself has coalitions for greater impact.
proved a turning point for campaigners, following
the voting in of a Liberal Democrat-Conservative Campaigners also need to build on their
coalition Government, aiming for a recasting of excellent efforts to-date in involving people
the relationship between the state and civil society (beneficiaries, supporters and target audiences), in
(and also the market?).1 their work, in order to harness the creative energy
of people to achieve change. Involving people in
The first conclusion is that the General Election campaigning goes alongside a need to consider
has had, and will continue to have, a significant using social media, as part of an integrated
impact on campaigning. The need to adapt strategy, focused on empowerment.
to a new political environment and respond to
the speed of policy change has impacted on all Many campaigners felt that key to successful
campaigners who contributed to this report, campaigning in the new environment is a need to
though in varying ways. A key concern arising be innovative to do things differently, especially,
from this impact is a need to rethink existing for example, in engaging supporters, beneficiaries
campaign strategies: who to target, how to and target audiences, within a more holistic
achieve change and how to engage people. campaigning strategy. Such strategies would do
well, campaigners have found, to marry local and
One crucial change the Election has brought national campaigning, and, if the organisation is
is the need to engage more with Parliament, large enough, departments and teams, for a
in replenishing support across political parties and systematic approach to change.
in influencing legislation, policy and in challenging
Government, as Parliament may play a greater role Finally, a key theme throughout the case studies,
under a coalition Government. Following this, focus groups and the survey was a need continue
many campaigners felt a need to engage with to campaign for social change, alongside a need
1. Noted in a policy review by Alcock, P. environment for the third sector in England,
(2010) Building the Big Society: A new policy Voluntary Sector Review, Vol.1, No.3, p.381


to respond to, and to understand, new policy

initiatives and a challenging (and changing)
environment. The research urges campaigners to
acknowledge and adapt the learning points to their
own work, and to factor this into their campaigning
efforts to more effectively achieve social change.
Key learning points

Main conclusion: A new campaigning
landscape is emerging, characterised by significant
challenges, in which campaigners are compelled to
rethink existing strategies to achieve social change
The General Election has had, and will

continue to have, a significant impact
A need to rethink existing strategies

and to be innovative
A need to engage with Parliament including

all major political parties
A need to engage with yet remain critical

of Government policy
A need to campaign locally
A need to have a greater impact with less

resources: A need for public campaigning
and coalition-building
A need to involve people including using

social media effectively
A need for social change


Introduction agenda both key environmental factors

campaigners are faced with. However, what specific
The UK General Election on 6 May 2010 ushered implications the General Election holds for the
in the first coalition Government in the UK practice of campaigning is a moot point; including,
since the Second World War. Since elected, the for example, where campaigning may sit within
Government has also brought in the largest cuts to Government policy, the impact on campaigning
Britains public spending since the Second World of the cuts to public spending, how campaigners
War. The reasoning for this is, as the Coalition might engage with a new Parliament, and how to
argues in Programme for government, we need engage with a changed local landscape in which
immediate action to tackle the deficit... Though local authorities and communities have new powers.
their policy programme is actually much wider than
this: Tackling the deficit is essential, but it is not Campaigning for change attracts high levels of
what we came into politics to achieve.It is our public support and involvement; one recent survey
ambition to distribute power and opportunity to found that on the whole, most of the general public
peoplethe days of big government are overwe support the right of charities to campaign, and two
can build the free, fair and responsible society2 thirds support the right of charities to engage in
political campaigning.5 The 2010 Citizenship Survey
This report explores the impact of the General reports that, in 200910, 34% of people engaged
Election in 20103 on campaigning by VCOs. In in some form of civic participation, including
particular, our aim is: to question whether a new contacting a local councillor, attending a public
campaigning landscape has emerged, and to meeting or signing a petition.6
draw out any key implications and learning
points for campaigners. Policy
By campaigning landscape, we mean both the With the adoption (and adaption) of Saul Alinskys
environment in which campaigning takes place model of community organising (developed in
(primarily the new political environment brought the United States7), in UK Government policy,
about by the General Election in May 2010), communities are being encouraged to organise and
together with the practice of campaigning.4 Much voice their concerns. The Governments Building
of this report explores the relationship between a Stronger Civil Society paper notes, Community
the former and the latter questioning how Organisers will build and mobilise local networks
campaigners have engaged, and may yet engage, with to drive the change that the community needs. The
the environment, and how the environment may Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) can be key
have affected, and may yet affect, their campaigning. partners in those networks and those campaigns.8
There has been much discussion within the In a speech to community organising group Citizens
voluntary sector in regard to emerging Government UK, whose campaigning includes the campaign for a
policy such as the Big Society and the localism UK Living Wage, David Cameron said, I talk about
the Big Society you are the Big Society.9 The
2 HM Government (2010) The Coalition: our This report is based on data from nfpSynergys groups, charities and social enterprises (London,
programme for government (London, HM Charity Awareness Monitor, which comprises HM Government), P.9. Available online at:
Government), p.7. Available online at: twelve surveys of the general public each year. http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/ 6 Department for Communities and Local library/big-society-strategy-support-charities-
coalition-documents Government (DCLG, 2010) Citizenship Survey: voluntary-groups-and-social-enterprises
3 Hereafter referred to as Election. 200910 (April 2009 March 2010), England 9 Atchinson, G (May 2010) Citizens UK
4 By campaigning, we mean the definition (London, DCLG), p.2. hosts the party leaders, OurKingdom
referred to at the start of the report. 7 See Alinsky S. (1989) Rules for radicals (New (openDemocracy UK). Available online:
York, Vintage). http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom
5 nfpSynergy (April 2010) Charity Awareness
/guy-aitchison/citizens-uk-and-party-leaders
Monitor Executive Overview (CAMEO) 8 HM Government (2010) Building a Stronger
Campaigning (Unpublished), slides 15 and 17. Civil Society: A strategy for voluntary and community


renewed Compact, the agreement between the is questioning whether there is indeed a new
Government and the Voluntary and Community campaigning landscape at all, and if there is, what
Sector, notes that the Government undertakes to might campaigners do about it. Further questions are:
Respect and uphold the independence of CSOs
Is there a need to rethink existing strategies
[civil society organisations] to deliver their mission,
and to be innovative to do things differently
including their right to campaign, regardless of any
in engaging people, developing new tactics
relationship, financial or otherwise, which may exist.10
and/or in using new technologies?
Elsewhere, however, campaigning has been little The survey noted above, conducted just prior to
mentioned by Government, and where it is the Election, also found that charities could increase
mentioned, for example, in Building a Stronger Civil participation in campaigning by requesting people
Society, it is in relation to promoting volunteering and to be involved in activities the public deem most
philanthropy. This is in the context of opening up effective.13
public services to charities, social enterprises,
Are there more opportunities to influence
companies and co-operatives, and empowering
policy and legislation, given a Parliament in
communities - giving local councils and
which there is no single political party with
neighbourhoods more power to take decisions.11
a majority?
A recent report by the New Economics Foundation,
Recent research by the Institute for Government and
Cutting it: The Big Society and the new austerity,
the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) indicate
explores the prospects for the Big Society in the
that multi-party politics will become more common:
context of the Comprehensive Spending Review:
over the longer term, it is probable that we will
The Big Society shifts responsibility away from
see more hung parliaments than in the past few
democratic government to self-help, mutual aid,
decades.14 While much existing academic literature
philanthropy, local enterprise and big business
on Parliament has perceived it to be a relatively
The cuts and the Big Society are not the answer
weak institution in steady decline, this view is being
to the problems of todays welfare state.12
challenged by recent research, including a timely
and comprehensive project by University College
Research questions
Londons (UCL) Constitution Unit.15
This report is not an exploration of Government
policy, but an examination of the impact of the With a new Government aiming to distribute
General Election what affect political and policy power and opportunity to people and
changes have had for campaigning. As many considering the trend towards a more local
campaigners seek to influence Government, the politics, will the Government be more willing
General Election, it is argued, has and will have a to listen to voices from localities?16
significant impact on the landscape in which Should campaigners focus more of their efforts
campaigners operate. A necessary part of this project locally, as well as involving supporters and
10 HM Government (2010) The Compact http://www.neweconomics.org/publications 15 See Russell, M. and Benton, M. (UCL,
(London, HM Government), p.8. Available /cutting-it 2009) Assessing the Policy Impact of Parliament:
online at: http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/ 13 nfpSynergy (April 2010) Charity Awareness Methodological Challenges and Possible Future
sites/default/files/the_compact.pdf Monitor Executive, slides 4 and 45. Approaches (London, UCL). See
11 HM Government, Building a Stronger Civil http://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/
14 See Paun, A., (Institute for Government,
Society, P.3 2010) United We Stand? Coalition Government in 16 See Alcock, P. Building the Big Society;
12 Anna Coote (new economics foundation, the UK (London, Institute for Government), HM Government (2010) Decentralisation and
2010) Spending cuts will break Big Society, p.13: http://bit.ly/b83h2U. Lodge, G.& the Localism Bill: An essential guide (London,
warns nef, nef press release, 4 November, 2010. Gottfried, G., Institute for Public Policy NCVO), available online at:
The report mentioned is: Coote, A (nef, 2010) Research, (2011) Worst of Both Worlds: Why http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications
Cutting it: The Big Society and the new austerity First Past the Post no longer works (London, IPPR) /localgovernment/decentralisationguide
(London, nef). Both are available online at:


beneficiaries to a much greater extent in Final note

campaigning? For campaigners, a crucial question may be how
In this context, what role should social to continue to campaign for social change while
media play? How can campaigners use new adapting to a new political environment, which
technologies effectively to engage people in itself is undergoing rapid change.
and build change?
At Campaigning Effectiveness, NCVO, we thought
Another key issue many campaigners are facing the best way to address these issues would be to
may be a need to demonstrate greater impact and explore the experiences of campaigners
be more effective yet with fewer resources, given themselves, bringing to light their thoughts and
the challenging economic climate. concerns, and in doing so, teasing out insights and
In this climate, will there be a greater need learning points.
for campaigners to work in coalitions to
The methodology consists of:
maximise impact?
Working in coalitions may be particularly important Six case studies (based on interviews) with
if an organisation finds its campaign issue low on campaigning organisations, who are: 38
the policy agenda. Degrees, Beatbullying, Campaign for Better
Transport (CBT), NCT, Plane Stupid, and the
Should campaigners conduct more public- Woodland Trust conducted in October
facing campaigns to demonstrate support to and November 2010
decision-makers, or reframe issues to place
An online survey of Voluntary Sector
them on the political agenda?
campaigners (open from mid- October
The current environment looks set to become one to mid- December 2010)
in which campaigning will be very much in demand,
Three focus groups with campaigners
as communities and individuals feel the impact of
one in Manchester, January 2011 (facilitated
the funding cuts and other policies. Already, we
by Alex Bone and hosted by the Greater
have witnessed the biggest demonstrations since
Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organ-
the Poll Tax riots two decades ago, as students voice
isations (GMCVO), and two in London
their concerns in regard to rises in tuition fees.
in October 2010 and January 2011 (see
A plethora of community organising campaign Appendix for list of participating
groups have been established in local areas, whether organisations)
to save libraries from closure, to save forests from Two focus groups with campaigners
being sold, or to campaign against the cuts more conducted by Susie Rabin and Amelia
widely, alongside nationwide coalitions such as UK Gudgion of NCVO in early 2010 (prior
Uncut and the National Campaign against Fees and to the Election), providing background
Cuts. Established VCOs have also played a key role information
in recent demonstations the initial student de-
The research was informed by online
monstration on November 11th 2010, for example,
and offline discussions with a range of
was organised by the National Union of Students
campaigners through Forum for Change, a
(NUS). A recent survey by think tank Theos, reveals
network for people influencing policy and
that 36% of Britons would consider taking direct
campaigning for change.18
action to influence rules, laws or policies.17
17 Theos (2011) Civil Unrest Survey (London, 18 Forum for Change currently has a
Theos). Prepared by ComRes, p.3. Available membership exceeding 1,000 campaigners
online: http://bit.ly/hL0IJ3. Most people said and policy workers, who interact in regular
they would take action over fuel prices (52%) discussions online and events (hosted online
and public service cuts (47%). and offline).


A literature review of relevant research,

literature and other sources of information,
such as policy documents.


Survey findings Election, while the following table indicates that

nearly all (28) respondents believe their work will
To understand some key themes in the landscape change significantly in the future nearly a third of
campaigners are working in, the survey focused whom believe that it will change very significantly.
on exploring changes in the work of campaigners
following the 2010 General Election, and their To what extent do you think your campaigning
thoughts for the future. The survey received 30 work will be changed by the new government
responses from a range of campaigners, opening and policy environment following the UK
a window on the implications of the new political General Election in May 2010?
environment.19 Answer Options Response Count
Most respondents (26) reported that they had Very significantly 9
conducted a campaign during or since the General
Significantly 19
Election, which in itself is a positive sign that the
VCS is adapting to change while still seeking to Don't know 0
achieve social change the need to be both Insignificantly 1
reactive and proactive in campaigning is a central
theme within the current environment. No change at all 1
Twenty respondents, as represented in the graph

Research carried out by nfpSynergy found that,
below, believed their campaigning work has already
from the perspective of MPs, the three most
changed significantly as a result of the General
influential and frequent forms of contact between
MPs and charities, public bodies or government
To what extent do you think your campaigning work has
agencies (in helping the former form an opinion
changed as a result of the UK General Election in May 2010?
of the latter), were largely similar in October/
November 2010 as in January/February 2010. This
No change at all 17% 49% Significantly
suggests charity campaigners are continuing to use
similar means to communicate with and influence
Parliamentarians after the Election as beforehand.20
While this gives an insight into how campaigners
10% are communicating with MPs, in order to
Insignificantly understand how campaigning overall has changed
and how it might change in the future (as indicated
by the survey responses above), we need to
Dont know 7% question campaigning more widely, in regard to
focus, strategies and tactics. In answer to this, just
under half of the survey respondents considered
that their tactics have changed most since the
Very significantly17% Election, while slightly less thought that their focus
(e.g. goals) had done so (14 and 10 respectively).
19 Just over half (16) respondents were from 20 nfpSynergy (May 2010, November 2010) were: face-to-face meetings at Westminster,
organisations with an annual income over Charity Parliamentary Monitor (Unpublished). constituency events and constituency
10 million, of the remaining, 5 were from This data is taken from two surveys of MPs business. The three most frequent forms
organisations with an annual income under conducted as part of nfpSynergys Charity of contact were: correspondence at
100k, 3 were from organisations with an Parliamentary Monitor, which comprises four Westminster, events at Westminster
annual income between 100k 1m and surveys of MPs and one survey of Lords each and media coverage.
5 were from organisations with an annual year. In the surveys both pre and post election,
income between 1m to 10 million. the three most influential forms of contact


Which single area of your campaigning work That there is significant change, as demonstrated by
has most changed as a result of the UK General the figures in the tables above, suggests the Election
Election in May 2010? has been a crucial turning point indicating a clear
need to rethink what campaigns seek to achieve,
Answer Options Response Count
and, to a greater extent, the means to do so.
Focus e.g. to change 10
Respondents were also asked which tactic they
individual behaviour, corporate
deemed most effective in campaigning following
behaviour, government and/or
the General Election. The answers were split fairly
political party policy...
evenly (as shown in the diagram below) indicating a
Geographical level local, 3 range of potentially effective strategies. Just under
regional, national or international a third of the respondents did however believe
Campaigning tactics e.g. 14 lobbying central government to be most effective.
lobbying and policy work; Considering the change in government, the
engaging the media; advocacy to popularity for this tactic is understandable
the public; research; public law as campaigners seek to influence policy. Despite
campaigning; demonstration and the national policy emphasis on localism, and the
protests; direct action; campaigning potentially greater decision-making power of
aimed at the private sector. Parliament under a coalition Government, only two
respondents believed lobbying local government
No change 3
to be most effective, and no respondents believed
lobbying opposition politicians to be most effective.21
What tactic do you think is most effective in the new campaigning landscape following the UK
General Election in May 2011?
4% Direct action
Advocacy to the public 15%
Engaging in the media 0%

Lobbying opposition politicians 0%
Research 11%
33% Lobbying central
government
Public campaigning (eg meetings,

organising, demonstratins) 15%
7% Lobbying local government
15% Public law campaigning (eg Human

Rights and Freedom of Information)
21 The question, as with all questions, was a multiple choice question, believe a combination of tactics most effective, as is often the case in
and allowed for one answer. It is possible that the respondents may campaigning.


Campaigning is about creating change, as is of a campaign play a greater role in generating the
made clear when observing the most successful content and direction of campaigns, while seven
campaigns and in the growing evidence base for deemed it necessary.
effective campaigning. Campaigning is most
This chimes with the survey data which currently
effective when it focuses on developing a
exists, such as that by nfpSynergy cited above. In
systematic yet flexible strategy to achieve whatever
particular, some of the campaigning actions seen
change is sought; focusing on impact, not just
as most effective by the public visiting an MP and
on activities.22 One question asked campaigners
writing to the national press, were also the least
whether they thought it is necessary to be
frequently requested actions by charities. Further,
innovative following the General Election nearly
that more challenging campaign asks attract
all thought it either necessary or very necessary.
more interest from those already engaged in
This clearly illustrates the huge impact that the
campaigning so there are opportunities to
Election has had on strategy, and the need to
further engage and involve people.24
rethink existing ways of campaigning. The following
case studies explore how campaigners have used Half of all of the survey respondents thought it
innovation for successful campaign gains. necessary to use new social media in campaigning
in the new political environment, while seven
How necessary do you think it is to be
thought it very necessary. Of the remaining
innovative in campaigning following
respondents, five did not know and only three
the UK General Election in May 2010?23
chose a negative response. The responses to these
Answer Options Response Count questions indicate that campaigning is likely to
become more user-led, involve social media to a
Very necessary 16
greater extent, and may change dramatically based
Necessary 10 on a need to rethink existing strategies.
Don't know 3
Connecting the dots
Unnecessary 1 1) Campaigners who believed their work had
Very unnecessary 0 changed significantly as a result of the
General Election were more likely to think
One particular theme in many current campaigns that their future work will also be changed,
is a growing preference for involving supporters, by the continuing impact of the new
beneficiaries and target audiences in a campaign, Government and policy environment.
often closely associated with using new social 2) As mentioned above, most campaigners
media. In this way, the creativity and power believe there is a need to be innovative in
of people mobilised by a campaign can be campaigning now, which is reinforced by the
encouraged and harnessed, with concurrent gains finding that many who believed this were also
in legitimacy, as the people who support and likely to perceive their campaigning work to
are affected by campaigning have more of a key have changed significantly, as a result of the
role in its direction. Just under half (14) of the General Election.
respondents to the survey thought it very These results point to a situation in which
necessary that the supporters and/or beneficiaries campaigners are faced with a new environment
22 See Lamb, B. (NCVO, 2011) The Good mean doing things in a new and/or different
Guide to Campaigning and Influencing (London, way e.g. rethinking existing strategies.
NCVO). 24 nfpSynergy (April 2010) Charity Awareness
23 In this context, please take innovation to Monitor Executive, slides 38 and 45


(e.g. a new government), and are responding with

innovative solutions. But what might these
solutions be?
3) We found that campaigners who recognised
a need for innovation were also very likely to
believe that, in the new political environment,
it is necessary that the supporters and/or
beneficiaries of campaigns play a greater role
in campaigning.
4) A perceived need for innovation was linked to
a recognition that campaigning has changed
since the Election and is set to change more
so in the future.
5) Many of the campaigners who thought the
focus of their campaigning had changed most
since the Election, also thought that lobbying
central government is the most effective
tactic in the new campaigning landscape.
6) Many of those who believed their tactics had
changed most, were more likely to think that
public campaigning, public law or research are
more effective tactics now.
While influencing the policies of the Government
and/or political parties has always been a major
focus for campaigners, the survey indicates that
campaigners will focus more of their resources on
this activity, alongside engaging the public to a
much greater extent, building up evidence and
using public law.
7) Almost all campaigners believed that the
new campaigning landscape provides
more challenges than benefits. As most
campaigners had conducted campaigns since
the Election, this finding is based on recent
experience.
While campaigners have identified significant
challenges in, and changes to, the campaigning
landscape, they are also exploring new tactics,
focusing on different objectives, as well as
rethinking current ways of achieving change.


Case studies
I love the man who can smile
in trouble, who can gather
strength from distress, and
grow brave by reflection
Thomas Paine


38 Degrees very participative inviting members to design

ideas for campaign adverts on an online blog, to
38 Degrees is a progressive campaigning discuss ideas and tactics, as well as using Facebook
community of about 550,000 people, launched in and Twitter. During the Election, 38 Degrees
May 2009 in response to a concern that people are frequently polled their members on issues to
interested in politics without necessarily wanting to develop campaigns.
be party political.
All quotes are taken from an interview with Hannah Engaging people
Lownsbrough, Campaigns Director, 38 Degrees I dont think any mass mobilisation campaigning
has ever worked without involving the people you
38 Degrees campaign on a diverse range of issues
are asking to participate. We have gone through
using new technologies to make different sorts
a period of unprecedented centralisation of
of campaigning possible. We use a whole raft of
communications in the last 50 years, particularly
different things, which we deliver to decision-
with the growth in broadcast media. We are now
makers. We encourage our supporters to write
reverting back to what it was before. Social media
to MPs, Ministers or others in power and to
gives us a chance to reintegrate our political life
participate in consultation processes. 38 Degrees
with other areas of our lives the technology is
have also run a number of successful fundraising
transformative. As a testament to the importance
actions for advertising campaigns. For example,
of engaging and involving supporters, 38 Degrees
during the 2010 General Election they raised
retain most of them, who regularly participate in
about 20,000 for adverts in The Times and The
campaigns.
Guardian, urging the Liberal Democrats to fight
for fairer votes (to reform the voting system), in General Election
the Coalition Agreement.
At the time of the General Election, 38 Degrees
Member-led campaigning ran a series of pledges asking Prospective
Parliamentary Candidates (PPCs) to sign, for
38 Degrees are a people-powered organisation,
example in relation to a campaign for fairer votes
our members are the driving force. The
and to electoral reform and in opposing cuts to
campaigning method the organisation adopts is
the BBC.
Well before the Election we asked our members
what things they would like to campaign on, over
90% said cleaning up lobbying we worked with
SpinWatch to push for a statutory register of
lobbyists in Westminster. During this campaign,
38 Degrees asked PPCs to pledge to support the
register and identified several key MPs who had
prior lobbying connections. We ran a piece with
The Observer, disclosing MPs links to lobbying
firms and asking MPs to sign up to the lobbying
register. A couple of MPs signed up quickly.
In managing to secure the lobbying register within
the Coalition Agreement, 38 Degrees say that no
sensible campaigner could say we won until the
register is in place with proper rules were waiting


with interest to see what happens. We have Like many campaigners, 38 Degrees take the words
challenged the Government to meet with non- of governments and reuse them in campaigning to
lobbyists as well as lobbyists. hold them to account, yet the campaign messaging
and tone comes from their supporters and has not
Local campaigning changed with the General Election. Most MPs
38 Degrees also campaign at a local level. Prior to welcome communication from 38 Degrees
the Election they aimed this work primarily at PPCs: supporters as it is a chance to connect with
Our plans around the Murdoch campaign (to constituents.
prevent Rupert Murdoch from gaining control
of BSkyB) are to advertise the issue in MPs Big Society and Government policy
constituencies. We are doing a lot of campaigning At this time we have not seen a massive impact on
in Lincolnshire around dairy farms[the Lets Stop our campaigning, yet the Big Society is discussed
Cow Factory Farms campaign]as well as national on our Facebook group some members are
campaigning and we use the local press. For the positive, others sceptical. We only do campaigning,
lobbying campaign, 38 Degrees ran campaigns in if an organisation does service delivery it may be
the constituencies of MPs with a known link to having a bigger impact.
lobbying firms. One particularly effective campaign
There is a tradition which says Labour
was focused on George Eustice, Conservative MP
governments are more pluralist and willing to
for Camborne and Redruth in Cornwall (previously
hear from pressure groups and Conservative
a PPC in May 2010) urging him to back the
governments are not. We are looking to influence
lobbying register.24
Government from the perspective of normal
people, we are not an insider organisation
Changes in work with MPs?
it may have got harder for some organisations
The most immediate difference the Election has
but our dialogue has always been in the public
brought to 38 Degrees campaigning is that now
realm. There has been no radical difference for
they tend to direct petitions to David Cameron and
organisations like us.
Nick Clegg (as opposed to just the Prime Minister).
Alongside this, the fact that there has been a huge For 38 Degrees, there have been encouraging and
influx of new MPs to Parliament, presents a range discouraging things since the Election. They have
of new Parliamentarians for 38 Degrees to work achieved interim victories in some campaigns,
with. Certain issues like Trident renewal play very which have had more resonance with the Coalition
differently under the Coalition than under a Labour Government, yet less immediate impact with
or a Conservative Government. policymakers in others. One new Directive the
Government could have signed up to, in regard
Whenever there is a change of government any
to people trafficking, they did not. Astute
sensible campaigning community is going to think
campaigners are doing a lot of watching and
carefully about what the best ways to target the
waiting, while campaigning our members are
people in power and not in power. Even over the
no exception.25
course of a Government, Parliament changes, there
are by-elections, people become more confident http://www.38degrees.org.uk/
at rebelling, all sorts of things.
24 The local campaign alerted George Eustice Commission (2010) DIRECTIVE OF THE European Commission). Available online at:
that he was the only candidate not to have EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?
signed the lobbying register. COUNCIL on preventing and combating trafficking id=5849482
25 The Directive mentioned refers to the EU in human beings, and protecting victims, repealing
Directive on Human Trafficking European Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA (Brussels,


Beatbullying
Beatbullying is the UK's leading bullying prevention
charity. They work with families, schools, and
communities to understand the problem, campaign
for change and provide a sustainable, efficient and
proven solution combining a range of support
programmes with campaigning.
All quotes are taken from an interview with Richard
Piggin, Deputy Chief Executive of Beatbullying The Big March was an online demonstration, in
which supporters created avatars that marched
Charities are facing all sorts of financial and
across over 60 websites of participating partners.
political pressures with the change of government
It was part of a broader strategy, which arose out
and in understanding new landscapes how
of Beatbullyings public-facing campaigning and
things are going to fit. It is really important that
lobbying work.
charities stay strong in their area. We believe the
campaigning side of Beatbullying is very important Impact
because there is a need to be bold and speak out
Demonstrations have been very effective as a
about issues affecting children and young people.
campaigning tool, but we made that open to a 10
Big March year old as well as a 70 year old, in Manchester and
in London. We were a little overwhelmed by the
Leading up to Anti-bullying week (1519
amount of public support behind the campaign
November 2010), Beatbullying were looking
and the issue it showed how much support there
for new and innovative ways of engaging people
can be whole schools and organisations, families
in their campaigns. Because of our cross-
and individuals were pledging support. It was a
departmental working style, and the way we
really interesting way to get our message across.
engage children and young people online, it was
a natural step to look at how we could use new Policy impact
media as a medium to campaign.
Beatbullying secured a deputation with Deputy
Prime Minister Nick Clegg, in which they handed
over a petition of almost 900,000 signatures. We
had over 100 Parliamentarians across the main
political parties supporting us, raising our campaign
asks, in particular a cross-departmental review of
bullying in this country.
One key feature of Beatbullyings campaigning is
how they involve the children and young people
they work with, so when they went to meet Nick
Clegg, they went with pupils, teachers and the
family of a young person who had taken his own
life due to bullying. Nick Clegg agreed to carefully
consider our request.


Media It has taken a lot of charities a lot of time to be

The Big March attracted a significant amount in a position to prove their worth to Whitehall
of media attention particularly in regard to everyone is looking at the moment, though we
Beatbullyings partnership with News of the World. need to ask particular questions around outcomes
The BBC also took up the campaign across many and financial implications of policy changes. We
of its media. have had to adapt but also be strong and prove our
worth in campaigning.
Key features
The campaign had key political asks which
Rethinking strategies
resonated and which politicians could get behind, At the moment Beatbullying dont believe they
yet we will continue to build on this, in particular have changed their strategies significantly after the
looking at how partnerships work.26 The Big Election compared to beforehand, though they
March enabled Beatbullying to demonstrate have looked at key areas the new Government is
support for their issue: Its easy to ignore a couple focusing on and worked to position ourselves over
of voices from a charity, but very difficult to ignore the last 18 months.
850 900,000 people. We learned a lot about how As a service-delivery and campaigning charity,
to engage different people in different ways. Beatbullying have been exploring how our service
provision and volunteering can support the
New technology rationale of a Big Society, in whatever shape that
Beatbullying use social media because it is a takes; this might not have been an objective two
great way of engaging with audiences not able years ago.
to be reached through traditional means. The
key thing is having an integrated strategy, not Final note
just using one tactic. The key points to consider for campaigning are
We aim to change slacktivists to activists how the importance of innovation, cross-departmental
we can engage people to campaign on our behalf. work and being bold and courageous. There is
Everyone thanks donors as a first rule we thank a danger in times like these that you want to keep
campaigners and make them feel part of our your head down and not rock the boat. Having
campaign. This was key to the success of the courage and representing your charity is crucial
Big March. now.
http://www.beatbullying.org/
Post-Election environment
We have done a lot of planning in anticipating
changes in government and the impact of the
recession. For Beatbullying, charities now need to
prove their worth and understand the changed
measures and outcomes that the Government is
looking for. Being able to show you can meet their
objectives has been crucial for us.
26 In particular, the Big March called for the For more detail, see:
establishment of a Big March Bullying http://www.beatbullying.org/static/bigmarch
Commission and new anti-bullying legislation. /downloads/TheBigMarchAsk.pdf


Campaign for Better fares. This has involved online campaigning,

e-actions, parliamentary work and work with
Transport local campaigning groups.
Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) campaign to
achieve a transport system that is more sustainable, Local work
affordable and convenient for people, they aim to As the specifics of many policy decisions will be
improve public transport, tackle climate change decided at the local level, CBT believe local camp-
(including road building) and reduce traffic. aigning is essential, yet they aim to integrate their
All quotes are taken from an interview with Richard local and national work, an example being the
Hebditch, Campaigns Director, and Alexandra campaign to reduce train fares (Fair Fares Now).
Woodsworth, Public Transport Campaigner, both After a lot of parliamentary work prior to the
of the Campaign for Better Transport. Governments Comprehensive Spending Review in
late 2010, CBT commissioned a poll asking how
We are in a different political environment now,
many people would oppose an increase in fares,
it is important to do public campaigning, partly
finding that most were opposed.27 Around 2000
because of the Coalition Government, with a more
supporters emailed decision-makers, and local
influential Parliament we need to demonstrate
groups met with MPs.
public support for what we do. We also need to
work more locally, the localism agenda is really The local groups CBT works with range from
important. Friends of the Earth and Transition Town groups to
rail user groups and more ad hoc anti-road building
A lot of our strengths have been in building
groups. The wide range of groups results in much
relationships with Ministers and officials in the
broader politics and support in different ways.
Department for Transport and in building a research
base. The key public campaign CBT have been Rethinking strategies
running (for over 2 years) is focused on cutting train
We have had to rethink, after 13 years of one
political party in power. Our relationship with
the previous Government fluctuated but we
knew how things worked. Since the Election,
CBT have been putting more effort into working
with Parliamentarians, both opposition and
Government, as well as backbenchers.
They are thinking of new ways to use the
relationships they have built with the Liberal
Democrats and Labour and believe that there
has been a shift in the public discourse on
transport so campaigning is vital.
Government reception
We do not feel that the doors have closed for us.
During the previous Government there was an
27 The poll showed that 74% of commuters increased the current cap on train fares. See
from London and the Home Counties who http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/media/o
take the train 4 to 7 times a week would be ct-5-yougov-poll-fare-increases
less likely to support a political party that


appearance of taking action yet delivery on to Nowhere campaign). We produced a research

the ground did not follow for transport matters. report exploring how the Government might cut
CBT believe that monitoring policy delivery transport spending. This demonstrated a strong
on the ground will be really important for evidence base for what we are saying. The
campaigners to focus on. evidence has given CBT the ability to campaign
for cuts but still protect vital environmental and
Coalitions social justice objectives.
For things to change we need local authorities
to change what they do, which will be even more New landscape?
important as they take on more responsibility. In some ways everything is up in the air, there
A key way for CBT to do this is to join coalitions, is not an overall strategy from Government on
often of local groups, for greater impact. In transport, so there are opportunities to influence.
responding to the Spending Review, CBT have CBT have built up good relationships with the
found it difficult to decide to join a general new Transport Ministers yet need to form new
campaign against the cuts, as they would like relationships with other Government departments.
to see some cuts for example in road building.
Localism agenda
Environment agenda More localised communities would reduce the
CBT have found that climate change arguments are need for travel with implications for the location
not a buzz topic in Government or elsewhere, nor a of services. CBT believe local authorities need to
fertile ground to make new arguments. Following have the power and money to improve transport
the Spending Review, CBT argued that as financial and reduce the need for travel. They have
budgets are reducing, so should carbon budgets. concerns about the proposed changes to local
However, the strongest argument for public governance, such as Local Enterprise Partnerships:
campaigning has been the actual increase in fares LEPs are not set to be defined in statute or
what that means for peoples pockets. covered by Freedom of Information, so there is a
potential for corruption and for pushing through
Social media road schemes without consultation.
We need a wider presence so it would be useful
to reach different people. For the train fares Big Society
campaign, CBT used e-bulletins and postcards to The full implications of the cuts to public sector
engage new people in their issue. As CBTs work is funding are unknown will the private sector or
sometimes seen as controversial, they are faced the Big Society step in to provide things? There are
with a risk in using social media, as it may invite opportunities for different models of delivering
negative engagement from people who disagree services in areas where it is not profitable in rural
with their campaign aims. CBT also believe that areas there could be community transport rather
social media presents them with a challenge in than tendering to big companies.
how to retain supporters.
CBT are concerned that the cuts to funding may
prevent innovative and local Big Society transport
Cuts campaign
alternatives gaining headway. The localism agenda
As part of the Fair Fares Now and Save our Buses
is not necessarily tied in with the Big Society, if
campaigns, CBT responded to the Spending
cost-cutting is a big priority, people will have to
Review, encouraging people to fight the spending
travel greater distances to access services.
cuts to trains and buses, yet at the same time to
urge for cuts in road building schemes (the Roads http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/


NCT all three options stipulated in the legislation.

We asked the Government what they would
NCT28 is the UKs largest parenting charity, do about it.29
working to support people becoming parents and
campaigning for improvements to health, social NCT mobilised their 300+ local volunteer-run
care and support services. The majority of our branches and built them into their pre-Election
campaigning is public-facing. We have about campaigning. The branches are fairly autonomous.
100,000 members in the UK and we conduct We provide resources and encourage people to
a huge amount of lobbying at all levels. campaign. This included a branch guide to
campaigning during the Election, encouraging their
All quotes are taken from an interview with Anne Fox, supporters to contact their PPCs.
Head of Campaigns and Policy, NCT
NCT also developed a Manifesto with pledges
Location, Location, Location is a UK-wide from all of the main parties, placed it online to
campaign aiming to ensure that women have the download and distributed it to their members. If
information they need to make informed choices branches wanted to have events we would attend
about their place of birth. Until the Election, the and do family Question Times.
NHS and Department of Health maternity policy
was governed by the Maternity Matters policy After the election
document, which included an important pledge The campaigning got branches thinking about
that women should have a choice of place of birth. forming relationships with new MPs. One key
Our campaign involved research looking at outcome of the Election for NCTs area of interest,
what options were available in every local authority was in helping to build the new All-Party
and primary care trust (PCT) we used official Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Maternity. NCT
statistics, followed by the Freedom of Information has built up a solid bank of MP support following
Act, and found that only 4% of women had the Election a lot of our influential contacts who
we had known for a number of years lost seats or
retired, so we had to make new friends, it has been
a very busy yet fruitful few months. After the
Election we took stock of which supporters we had
acquired and who we needed to build relationships
with, and how to do it across political parties.
Challenges
The main challenge for us is that many people do
not fully understand who we are. Many of the new
intake of MPs have not had children, which is a big
challenge for us we have always traded well
politically on that.
NCT have gained some headway with the new
Government but they are also fairly critical We
28 NCT is also known as the National into Choice of Place of Birth (London, NCT); NCT). All are available online at:
Childbirth Trust NCT (2009) Location, Location, Location: Making http://www.nct.org.uk/choice
29 For the research reports, see Dodwell, M., choice of place of birth a reality (London, NCT);
and Gibson, R. (NCT, 2009) An Investigation NCT (2009) Regional breakdown (London,


wanted a shakeup the Government has done Big Society

this with the NHS White Paper, but not in the way NCT believe they are a microcosm of the Big
we wanted it to. We are finding it challenging to Society. We have a devolved grassroots focus
take forward our own agenda while reacting to and we have been saying that we would like to be
a plethora of consultations, which seems to be a involved with the work of the Office for Civil
main way to access the Government following the Society. We worked at the party conferences to
Election. We are back to square one in some ways meet the right people, we go to anything with the
the NHS is being redesigned. We have got to word Big Society in it. Things have gone quite
start again. local and there is a challenge to be seen as having
The Department of Health still do not have a a local flavour. There is a danger of co-option for
strategy and it is not yet clear what we are many charities, mainly in regard to service delivery,
influencing. A lot of things have been suspended but we are being quite open.
for a while, for example some of the stakeholder
groups we were represented on. We go to large Local groups / funding cuts
conferences and roundtables, yet there are 200 We have noticed a surge in the need for advocacy
other people there. support to our local branches. The cuts will impact
on the services our beneficiaries rely on and hold
The main thing NCT have noticed is the speed
dear. We support our branches to build their own
at which campaigners need to react now the
capacity, especially as we are moving to a more
challenges and pitfalls of social media, in regard
local politics, but we will be under pressure to
to the risks involved in devolving responsibility
do more and will be more reliant on our online
for messaging and strategy.
network.
Social media
NCT find they and their supporters can use social
media to set things up and go loud quickly
We give guidance for branches, there are quality
control issues and we ask them about strategy.
They also encourage supporters to do offline
campaigning, often easier to time-manage.
Holistic campaigning
We are trying to marry the local and the national.
We certainly think Parliament is more influential
now. One of the best relationships we have
nurtured in the last few months was with a new
Conservative MP, and we put him in touch with his
local NCT branch. With the Big Society theme
you need to make your local MP realise your
organisation already fits that theme.
Coalitions
NCT is a member of several coalitions. We can
use the content from coalition members to brief


MPs and our own representatives. We will probably

work in coalitions more as others find it necessary
to work with partners.
Final thoughts
We have found that there are less tables to sit
around, the idea of the Big Society seems to have
removed some of the need for the middle ground
and is more akin to a social partnership in which
organisations consult and provide advice on behalf
of Government.
NCT would like to see a bigger partnership
between Government and the charity sector
David Cameron set up a Cabinet Committee but
this is not enough. Some of the consultations have
not gone on long enough. We do not know if
the new Government will stick to the previous
Governments code of practice on consultations,
it has been a major campaigning tool for us.
The first thing NCT ask their branches is to check if
there is a consultation, to check if it meets the
seven principles of the code of practice and if not
to challenge it sometimes it means campaigns
are won similarly to how Al Capone was caught on
tax evasion.
NCT believe that the way in which we work as
campaigners may be threatened, particularly if the
climate becomes quite hostile if there are large
scale public disputes, it will affect how campaigning
is viewed.
http://www.nct.org.uk/


Plane Stupid Big Society

Plane Stupid is a direct action network The Big Society practically espouses community
campaigning against the social and environmental action, direct action, mutual aid and solidarity,
impact of the aviation industry. They are currently but we are seeing the connections between the
focusing on challenging the expansion of regional economic, social, environmental and psychological
airports through building community direct war perpetuated by this Government it is
action campaigns. Throughout history, from the economically marginalised people who are being
Suffragettes to the Civil Rights movement, people affected first and worst. It is the same people hit
have needed to put their bodies on the line to by the economic cuts who do not have the
get the message out and to stop the problem at infrastructure to protect themselves from the
its source. social impacts of climate change and access to
basic fundamental human rights.
All quotes are taken from an interview with Daniel Glass,
member of Plane Stupid We could have a big community organising, direct
action focus in the framework of the Big Society, in
Election alliance with NGOs and charities but it must be
The Election has changed how we look at things. critical that it does not talk on behalf of others.
Though the Conservative Party like to present Plane Stupid think that it is essential in the current
themselves as environmentally progressive and environment to build strong communities and
youth-centred, we are critical. It is a success to put political affinity between groups, in order to
environmental issues up the political agenda but effectively combat climate change.
we have to be critical that the Government does
Coalitions
not usurp the issues and take credit.
Following the Election, Plane Stupid believe that we
After the Election, Plane Stupid have found need to build coalitions to link up issues. There are
themselves doing direct action training left, right emerging organisations fighting for environmental
and centre community organising, media and justice, through popular education and creative
legal training and more. direct action, such as So We Stand30; connecting
the macro issues of capitalism and climate change
and the ground level impacts of economic disparity
and racism.
30 So We Stand is an emerging grassroots defence strategies for environmental and

movement of people working for social climate justice: http://sowestand.com/
change, to develop multiracial politics and self


Social media
Social media has its place in organising mass
actions quickly, if it facilitates human contact it has
a purpose, yet it can never replace the emotional
strengthening and impact achieved through a one-
to-one conversation. There is also a digital divide
we need to organise with people who are directly
affected, who may not have access to a computer
all of the time.
Plane Stupid argue that people increasingly fleet
from one campaign to the next and there are oriented police state being created and emphasised
missed opportunities for deeper engagement: in the funding cuts: There are rises in student fees
people need to be empowered and feel part of but investment in business academies. The issue is
a community, to realise that fighting poverty is the not about a deficit but about political priorities, the
same fight as climate change. Governments tend Government is actively choosing to finance profit-
to look at the symptom of everything and the root orientated cultures rather than frameworks which
cause of nothing. It is the same power structures orientate around welfare and sustainability for the
which perpetuate racial, economic and wider social and ecological community.
environmental injustice profit of the few
over wealth for the many. Final thoughts
The Coalition Government was elected just at
Need to rethink? a time when Plane Stupid perceived they were
In light of the Election, Plane Stupid reflect that making headway with the biggest threat facing
campaigning needs rethinking: A lot of people humanity especially in terms of unilateral policy
are frustrated with the democratic deficit and are and social consciousness. Now we are taking action
looking to alternatives, a lot of people still have the on social housing, loss of hospitals and schools,
cultural memory from the cuts in the 1980s these but we also need to shut down airports and coal
funding cuts are worse. The situation is so bad now, power stations, to stop the bigger problem from
when it comes to climate change and poverty, exacerbating the problems of living within the
campaigning is more about self-defence. shadow of the Coalition Government.
Campaigning should have a yes and a no: We For Plane Stupid, direct action is absolutely vital,
need to shut down this airport for these reasons particularly in the face of the funding cuts. We know
but we are creating a space for discussion, dialogue, that the politicians say one thing and do the other
empowerment and direct action resistance. We and we know that the Big Society is a veil for the No
need spaces for the creation of community and Society of Margaret Thatchers years direct action
reflection, not kneejerk activism. and community self-defence is about preserving
basic human rights, immediacy and empowerment -
Freedom Bill stopping problems at their source and effecting
Though the Coalition Government have stated they change. In the UK we have a rich tradition of
intend to restore rights to non-violent protest resistance, there are many avenues for action.
and introduce a Freedom Bill31, Plane Stupid believe
http://www.planestupid.com/
this is a mask for the real structural, business-
31 HM Government The Coalition: our

programme for government, p.11


The Woodland Trust asks. The main ask in our Manifesto called for a
doubling of ancient woodland cover in the UK,
The Woodland Trust is the leading woodland while others were about increasing public access
conservation charity in the UK, whose vision is a to woodland, ancient woodland issues, children,
UK rich in native woods and trees enjoyed by education and more.
everybody. Their campaigning has often emerged
from research and particular cases of woodland Social media and supporters
under threat. We developed a user-generated video for each
All quotes are taken from an interview with Kaye of the six Manifesto asks we wanted people to
Brennan, Campaigner, Woodland Trust understand the policy through individuals stories.
When you capture the imagination of a group of
The Woods Under Threat campaign is about
people it can grow legs and run in all sorts of
enabling communities to take action themselves,
different directions.
and focuses on specific cases of woodland under
threat, whereas the campaigns work of the The Woodland Trust also used Twitter extensively
Woodland Trust as a whole is more strategic, and found they were re-tweeted everywhere. A lot
involving supporters in campaigns alongside of people were talking about the Manifesto online,
lobbying efforts. Through Woodwatch, the we were able to give people something different to
Woodland Trust provides supporters with talk about. We also had quizzes and polls on
resources and guidance to fight individual Facebook.
woodland cases as campaigns. Key to the Manifesto Campaign was an integrated
strategy throughout the Woodland Trust, as well
Involving people
with the Woodwatchers on the ground. We were
Woods and trees have no voice so we need the able to say Has your candidate spoken to you?
backing of our members this gives a campaign Have you been able to speak to them? Can you
a very powerful voice. To be able to build up the take some Manifesto copies with you? Dont
knowledge, expertise, skills and confidence of forget to use Twitter and Facebook.
communities, means that they can speak on
our behalf in the same way we can speak on Policy impact
their behalf. 852 PPCs signed up to the Manifesto and the four
major political parties were very supportive, most
Manifesto Campaign
PPCs were pleased to be asked. 77 of them were
We planned the campaign around successful in becoming MPs from our point of
getting our supporters to talk to view that is 77 new contacts. Influential individuals
their PPCs to sign pledges. We like Nick Clegg, Vince Cable, Caroline Lucas and
were conscious that a lot of MPs David Cameron engaged with us.
we were talking to before the
Election were stepping down or in Significance
marginal seats. The main driver It was a baptism of fire - there were so many
was the need to replenish our options we had not thought of before. The main
supporter base. thing we are pleased with was the range of media
We did some work around hustings and tools we were able to use it was the first time
at a local level and we used social we had worked holistically as part of a wider team.
media to inspire people to care The figures of support were very high and unpre-
about the Election and support our cedented for us. Woodland Trust estimate there


were about 16,000 click-throughs, video watches Another challenge was dealing with the amount of
and emails sent. Now we expect that we are responses the Woodland Trust received It was
challenged to be innovative. such a successful campaign it took us by surprise,
we had to collect people and follow-up, you need
Dear Defra to be ready to deal with that.
The Dear Defra campaign followed the
Manifesto campaign and aimed to influence the Government affairs
Governments Natural Environment White Paper, The most significant change for the Woodland
we had a particular ask and we invited our Trust in its Government affairs work is firstly in
supporters to take part. We have been able to regard to building up new support among
follow-up with the 8,500 people who participated. Parliamentarians, and secondly, now we are
Following this, we will be focusing on local and working with a coalition Government, our Regional
country Elections. Policy Officers are going to have to engage at a
predominately local level as the Government is
The campaign enabled the Woodland Trust to
abolishing the regional tier. The Woodland Trust
demonstrate that they campaign for things as well
also point to the Public Bodies Reform Bill, and the
as against Woodland creation is a positive thing.
changes to the organisation of Government that
The campaign was also successful in helping us to
it will bring.
understand the needs and issues for different
political parties and the Coalition Government.
Networks
Challenges While the Woodland Trust ran the Manifesto
campaign on their own, they are part of wider
The Woodland Trust were concerned about
networks such as the Green Alliance, Stop Climate
campaigning during an Election we were very
Chaos and the Wildlife and Countryside Link. The
mindful of the rules, which may have halted us
strength of the Woodland Trust is that we are able
doing things quickly, we were careful in wording
to bring woodland issues to a wider network, we
our messages. There was a particular risk with
have a strong background in conservation research
a lot of their supporters using social media and
and evidence and can bring this to a coalition.
campaigning on their behalf.
Innovation
The Woodland Trust have built upon their
innovative use of social media to another level in
developing a new campaign MyView, in which
people take an image of a local area and upload
it to a computer. Using the campaign software
the user can plant trees on the image and send
the email as a petition to their local elected
representative, with a message. Councillors have
been fantastically responsive to it, it condenses
campaign communications into one powerful
message, enabling people to share their vision of
a new landscape, and to build community online.
Campaigners always need to be more innovative,
to get people involved. One thing I have learned is


that it is important that you find different ways of

engaging with people. Some people have no access
to online campaigning, for example. For the Dear
Defra campaign, the Woodland Trust combined
traditional postcard campaigning with other forms,
you dont focus on one element.
Final thoughts
The Woodland Trust believe that developing
robust research and evidence, communicating to
supporters and Government alike is crucial now;
The campaigning organisations that stick around
for longer are the ones who base their campaigning
on research and evidence.
http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/
Green Alliance:
http://www.green-alliance.org.uk/
Stop Climate Chaos:
http://www.stopclimatechaos.org/
Wildlife and Countryside Link:
http://www.wcl.org.uk/


Focus group findings Often, as noted by one participant from an

infrastructure organisation, the trigger for our
Though our volunteers have been campaigning locally member organisations to do things differently is
for a very long time, now local councils are expected to usually changes in local government.33 This
listen to them councillors are not used to dealing with sentiment was echoed by campaigners working in
campaign communications. Greater Manchester, mentioning a greater focus
There are confusing messages from Government in on lobbying at a local level in their current work,
regard to campaigning for social change they want to in particular regard to politicians currently without
hear about what local people think, but not for it to be portfolios: MPs are very receptive to campaigning
co-ordinated by national charities. now they are in opposition. Campaigners
participating in one of the London focus groups
The above quotes illustrate two crucial issues
mentioned that local councils have a huge
arising from the focus group discussions. Firstly,
variation in skill levels, and that they all have
the implications of policy change for campaigners,
their own composition and nature.
and secondly, how campaigning might sit within
Government policy. One consequence of a rise in local campaigning,
is that, as noted by London participants, Ministers
We held three focus groups with voluntary and
are often hesitant to get involved, as responsibility
community organisations whose work involves
is handed down. Following on from this, some
campaigning. One focus group was held in
councils have good relationships with influential
Manchester and two in London - they included a
MPs, and, as one campaigner noted, targeting
range of campaigning organisations varying in size,
the elected representatives, such as the Council
area of activity (both thematic and geographic),
Leader, in a local authority can now be very
and strategies for achieving change. Please see the
effective. One of the issues participants expressed
Appendix for a list of participating organisations.32
quite strongly was how local MPs have been
Localism and local authorities influential in raising local campaign issues in
Parliament, or in contacting Government
The Government wants to see that people in
departments. However, some participants in
local communities want what youre campaigning
Manchester noted how Liberal Democrat MPs in
for. The need for campaigning to have a strongly
the Greater Manchester area who had, prior to the
local focus alongside a perception that there
Election, been vocal supporters of their causes,
are opportunities for more locally-oriented
have now gone very quiet.
campaigning, was something expressed by most
participants. One issue alluded to by a national During the discussions, one participant in London
campaigning charity, was that capacity building in argued, The Governments philosophy, as I under-
voluntary organisations own support base is a key stand it, is that Councils should be able to do
campaign in itself, along with capacity building for anything they want, as long as it is within the law.
your campaign targets. The reason for this is that If Labour begin to win back Councils, will power
campaigners will need to adjust their strategies to still stay with Councils? This was followed by other
be more locally-focused, while councillors are not participants noting that, in regard to the devolution
used to standard campaigning techniques. of powers, alongside cuts in funding to local
32 The further two focus groups mentioned 33 Infrastructure organisations or networks

at the beginning of the report have informed exist to support voluntary, community or
the analysis but are not quoted in this section social enterprise organisations to achieve their
see the Appendix for further information. aims. For more information, see:
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/infrastructure


Councils, localism has driven a wedge between The funding cuts have quite clearly had a huge
national and local government. effect on campaigning one campaigner in
Manchester noted, before we were proactive,
Cuts to public spending but now we have to fight for services. Another
One of the key challenges the voluntary sector participant revealed that the cuts situation is
has confronted in recent years is biting the hand pitting natural allies against each other, as local
that feeds, as expressed by a participant in one authorities make funding cuts to organisations
of the London focus groups. Most participants in and services they would previously have funded
the Manchester focus group believed that the where we had previously operated in partnerships,
previous Government funded projects because we are going to have to rediscover campaigning to
they supported them, though one participant access funds.
demurred, believing that statutory funding
This increase in campaigning was indicated by
lessened opposition. Now that many local councils
participants in Manchester as a steep learning
and VCOs are faced with funding cuts what
curve organisations have to relearn how to
effect will this have on campaigning? One
campaign. The relationship is changing to more
campaigner from Yorkshire described how funding
of a contract culture and local authorities will
cuts to public bus services in North Yorkshire
compete with VCOs. Alongside this, campaigners
galvanised communities to campaign, and in doing
expressed a tension between delivering on
so they established a community interest company
campaigning aims and ensuring organisational
to run their own buses.
survival, which might be more noticeable now in
Participants in London noted that local a reduced funding environment. One final point
Government are facing and making funding cuts, mentioned in Manchester by one participant,
it is hard to know what will happen some local however, was that, if funding to VCOs is removed,
authorities are doing so in dialogue with VCOs campaigners may be more openly critical of public
but others are not. Following this, participants authorities, or decisions-made as we no longer
in Manchester noted a huge change in their need to sometimes do things behind closed doors.
campaigning from a proactive to a reactive focus
we are finding that the focus is shifting as we are The Big Society and
being threatened with funding cuts. We are scaling Government policy
back proactive campaigns. One participant at As expressed in the quotes at the beginning of this
a London focus group expressed concern that section, there is a clear uncertainty about the place
it is easy to become reactive, responding to of campaigning within Government policy, such
Government consultations, losing sight of what as the Big Society. As discussed by campaigners
it is that you want. in London, There will be pernicious aspects to
localism and campaigning at the local level it
While many campaigning groups have been
may enable more nimbyism. In regard to specific
established following the Comprehensive Spending
initiatives, such as the launch of community
Review, participants in London expressed concern
organisers, a common theme alluded to was a lack
that we need to persuade campaigners to
of emphasis in Government policy on equality and
campaign before a decision is made now is a
capacity. There are opportunities for engaging
really key time, when budgets are announced.
locally, but I am cynical about community
A lot of people are just waiting to see. Following
organisers, there may be a postcode lottery.
on, campaigners emphasised the need to be
absolutely true to your original goals.


During one of the London focus groups, one Campaigning for change?
campaigner mentioned that Some commentators A further issue discussed by infrastructure
are saying localism is a deliberate strategy by organisations was that, in emphasising social action
Government to deflect responsibility. Specifically, to save a local amenity, for example, Government
the postcode lottery will extend massively, for talks about campaigning but only in preserving
example in the community right to buy which something, not for social change. Following this,
will be harder in poorer areas. VCOs with more campaigners in London noted, The Big Society
capacity locally may be able to take greater isnt our goal, if you can play the relevant context
advantage of the new powers, yet many will have of the day, e.g. the Big Society, to achieve your
no resources to do 20 or 30 separate campaigns. goal, that can help. While a key issue discussed
In Manchester, participants raised the issue that was the need to personalise campaigning
the Big Society will favour articulate, educated, depending who the target is (e.g. different
middle class people to campaign. They will be able political parties), participants noted that the
to access the information online to lobby and campaign message should be consistent with
campaign on behalf of their own square-mile. the campaign goal.
The reason for this, as participants in Manchester One point discussed by participants in London was,
discussed, was that the Big Society is supporting as alluded to by one of the quotes at the beginning
campaigning to be more personal and carried out of the section, a concern that the Government
by individuals to complain about what effects is reluctant to engage national charities as
them on an individual level, as opposed to people representatives of local people We find it very
uniting to campaign. Further, the Big Society difficult to talk to the Office for Civil Society about
focuses on geography and communities, theres fundraising and campaigning. In particular, while
a move away from themed campaigning. In the message from Government is that they wish to
response to this, for campaigning organisations, hear about issues on the ground, if the issues are
one concept is to move membership from not facilitated and co-ordinated properly, e.g. by
campaigners to complainers: the mobilisation the charity sector, which is well-placed to do so,
of individuals around specific concerns. there wont be any clarity nationwide.
Some participants from infrastructure organis- This last point gains greater emphasis when
ations thought that there is an open book on the considering recent comments by MPs within the
Big Society, it is open to interpretation, and there is Conservative Party, such as by Charles Elphicke
a need for VCOs to show their value. Alternatively, MP, during a hearing of the Public Administration
the same participants expressed concern that we Select Committee, in which the legitimacy of, and
are all from organisations that could be conceived amount of money spent on campaigning (in
of as part of the Big Society, yet there is a risk particular political campaigning and advertising), by
in using that language that you are implicitly charities came under question: society takes a
accepting the premise which is quite damaging. view that these organisations[charities]do things
The importance of holding Government to for the public benefit and the social goodthat is
account on its obligations, for example through better done by real action and actually helping
using human rights to campaign was seen as crucial people rather than just running round, advertising
in this environment the Government cant and talking about it.34
decide to avoid obligations to everybody.
34 See HOC Public Administration px?meetingId=7447. The focus of the

Committee (2011) Funding of voluntary sector, Committee hearing was actually on funding
18 January, filmed footage available online at: of the voluntary sector.
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.as


Participants in one of the London focus groups also One outcome discussed was how, while it was key
questioned whether there were divisions within the that the demonstrations needed to keep public
Government in regard to levels of support for the opinion on their side, they had achieved move-
Big Society actually its a very Tory concept, ment building there is a Trades Union Congress
only quite a small number of relatively progressive (TUC) march now, the student agenda has widened
Conservatives are using it. Following this, from a single issue protest. The issue of working in
participants noted how as a sector we need to be coalitions was emphasised quite strongly by
careful how much we engage with the Big Society participants, in particular that we need to raise the
as a phrase and as an agenda, I think there has game. One participant in London argued that
been a lot of engagement with it as a phrase whether or not to work in a coalition and/or to
which has probably been slightly wasted. publicly campaign depends on the campaign
Different campaigns are at different points. There
One final point, alluded to above, was that
is still something which a mass groundswell of
participants questioned how the Big Society
opposition can achieve. Some issues are seen as
will be developed in a climate of severe cuts.
significant at Government level, others not.
Public campaigning and coalitions One issue discussed within the same focus group
One participant from a national charity at a was that It is easier to build a coalition against
London focus group mentioned that many something than build a coalition for something. A
students are facing tripling of fees and massive campaigner noted that it is very hard to get the
cuts to teaching courses; they are less likely to objectives right. Working in coalitions was deemed
campaign on poverty and climate change. In the to be something which will be very important, as
light of the recent student demonstrations, said well as working with third parties such as think
to be the highest level of civil unrest since the tanks and civil servants, to influence a desired
Poll Tax riots two decades ago, many participants target. We have tried to get Michael Gove around
questioned what implications it might hold for the table, but we managed through CentreForum, a
the campaigning landscape. That a recent survey liberal think tank.
reports that 36% of Britons would consider taking
direct action, adds weight to this issue, even Social media
though consideration is a step before action.35 We generate a lot of noise and then devalue these
brilliant communication channels. Social media
It is good to protest but it did not actually achieve
was understood by participants in one of the
any effective change, you need to be in discussion.
London focus groups to be important now, but
It was too late as the budget was announced.
the sector still does not do it well. The reason for
However, another participant during the same
this, it was argued, is that campaigners tend to
focus group discussion in London argued that the
focus on quantity over quality If you want to
student protest movement has yet to play out fully,
send 50,000 emails to an MP you can, but that will
after the demonstrations, their agenda was in the
annoy him or her. A recent survey of MPs found
media and the issue could decimate the Liberal
that correspondence at Westminster is the most
Democrats. Following this, one participant noted
frequent form of communication they receive from
how that form of campaigning may be recognised
charities, public bodies or government agencies.
as the way to campaign, rather than quieter middle
class campaigning.
35 Theos (2011) Civil Unrest Survey (London,

Theos). Prepared by ComRes, p.3


Yet, most MPs considered this form of com- Final notes

munication about half as effective in helping them In conclusion, some participants in the focus
form an opinion of said organisations, as face-to- groups felt that the nature of the life cycle of
face meetings.36 Government is key as a new Government, they
One focus group participant in London noted how, are determined to push through a radical agenda,
for a public enquiry, their campaign managed to there is a lot to campaign against. Another point
get 800 personal letters from their supporters raised was that the Office for Civil Society expects
we told them how to say it, but not what to say. us to do more for the funding, but they are inviting
The fact that so many people had taken the effort us to make honest appraisals of work. As indicated
of writing personal letters (as opposed to a above, however, participants emphasised the need
company who elicited pro forma responses for the for campaigners to take a step back from the
same enquiry - opposing the arguments made by current climate.
the campaigns supporters), was remarked on by One focus group participant in London noted how,
the public enquiry inspector. Personal letters show for a public enquiry there is a legacy of suffering
a deep level of commitment and engagement with death by consultation, as opposed to positive
a cause and can be extremely effective. engagement, which the Government need not
Campaigners in London noted that social media repeat. As the cost of engagement with
can be useful for organising but it can only ever be Government, civil servants and public authorities is
a partial answer. It does not reach enough people. often high for VCOs, in regard to resources, time
This issue, the digital divide, was alluded to by and effort dedicated, participants felt that
other participants A lot of people who campaigners should focus on what will most
campaign on our behalf do not understand what effectively achieve social change.
the internet is, let alone the idea of sending a
tweet. On the other hand, participants argued
that, though many email campaigns are effectively
petitions, Twitter is very public, and useful for
communication Ministers and MPs do
sometimes respond to tweets.
There were several successful examples discussed
of campaigns using social media, but participants
distinguished between awareness campaigns and
lobbying - all the successful social media campaigns
have been awareness-raising campaigns.
A final issue alluded to was how, with less funds,
social media enables campaigners to develop
relationships with local people. Social media was
discussed as an opportunity to make comments
known to a wider audience, in regard to blogging
and comments on press articles.
36 Lincoln, S., and Courtin, A. (nfpSynergy, question was conducted in

2011) Charity Parliamentary Monitor (CPM) October/November 2010.
data: frequent and influential forms of contact with
MPs (Unpublished), slide 5. The survey in


Analysis and conclusions

If we knew what it was we
were doing, it would not be
called research, would it?
Albert Einstein


Analysis and conclusions significantly since the General Election and nearly
all believed that their work would be changed
All the strands of research the case studies, the significantly in the future, the case studies reveal a
online survey and the focus groups, bring forward slightly different picture with most organisations
a range of issues which have emerged from the acknowledging a significant impact, yet in different
practice and reflections of campaigners in regard degrees. Plane Stupid believe that The Election
to the impact of the General Election. One of the has changed how we look at things, while for
most important qualifications we should note is Beatbullying, We have had toprove our worth in
that, just as the Voluntary and Community Sector campaigning. 38 Degrees noted, we have not
is very diverse, as is the practice of campaigning seen a massive impact on our campaigning, yet
and the organisations who campaign. As a result, acknowledged that certain issues playvery
some aspects of the emerging campaigning differently under the Coalition.
landscape will be more relevant to certain
campaigners, and some aspects to others. CBT reflected that We are in a different political
environment now, and a key question for many
All campaigners are however united by the single campaigners was how to understand and engage
fact that they aim to create social change, and as with new political structures and a new policy
a result, it is possible to arrive at an understanding agenda, how to weather and respond to the impact
of the campaigning landscape and to tease out of the cuts to public spending and how to continue
the main implications and learning points for to campaign for social change. As NCT made clear,
campaigners. The conclusions/learning points We are finding it challenging to take forward our
which follow are based on research with a wide own agenda while reacting to a plethora of
range of campaigners, and hence are as widely consultations, which seems to be a main way to
applicable as possible. access the Government following the Election.
The central conclusion of the research
is that a new campaigning landscape is emerging,
A need to rethink existing
characterised by significant challenges, in which
strategies and to be innovative
campaigners are compelled to rethink existing NCT found that at present we do not know
strategies to achieve social change. what we are influencing, while Beatbullying noted
that Charities are facing all sorts of financial and
political pressures with the change in government
The General Election has had, and in understanding new landscapes. The survey
and will continue to have, a found that nearly all of the respondents believed it
significant impact necessary to be innovative - to do things differently
A key theme within much of the research was a following the General Election, most of whom also
perception that the General Election has had a believed that their work had changed significantly
significant impact on campaigners work and the since the Election.
environment in which campaigns take place, and
One of the key themes within the focus groups was
will continue to have, in many cases, an even
how many organisations have to relearn how to
greater impact. A participant in one of the focus
campaign, in response to new policy initiatives and
groups mentioned, There has been an amount of
a more challenging funding environment. For CBT,
change between the Election and now in two or
We have had to rethink, after 13 years of one
three years time there will be a massive change.
political party in powerwe knew how things
While most of the campaigners who completed the worked, while 38 Degrees observed, Whenever
survey believed that their work had changed there is a change of government any sensible


campaigning community is going to think carefully A key driver for many of the campaigns in the
about what the best ways are to target the people case studies, before and after the Election was to
in power and not in power. engage with a new Parliament. As CBT reflected,
because of the Coalition Government, with
One key issue alluded to within many of the case
a more influential Parliament, they have been
studies is the need for long-term planning along-
putting more effort into working with
side a need to take advantage of new opportunities
Parliamentarians, both opposition and
Beatbullying noted, We have done a lot of
Government, as well as backbenchers. They
planning in anticipating changes in government
are also thinking of how to use the existing
and the impact of the recession. Campaigners
relationships they had built with the Liberal
also drew attention to the importance of working
Democrats and Labour. 38 Degrees noted that
holistically; Beatbullying, for example, worked
Even over the course of a Government,
across departments and with supporters for their
Parliament changes.
Big March campaign, as did NCT for their camp-
aigning work. The Woodland Trust did likewise for The case studies reveal the importance of
their Manifesto Campaign It was the first time communicating with MPs through diverse ways
we had worked holistically as part of a wider team. within systematic strategies for change, for
example through constituency events, face-to-face
Last but by no means least, many of the case study
meetings and personal correspondence. This is
organisations, including CBT, NCT and Woodland
supported by the above-mentioned survey of MPs;
Trust placed building a robust evidence base and
that MPs consider face-to-face meetings and
conducting research on their campaign issue
constituency events, for example, as the most
as crucial to the success of their campaigning.
influential ways organisations can help them form
Research enabled CBT to develop a unique position
an opinion of them.37
campaigning for and against funding cuts, and
it provided NCT, through using FOI, significant The Election led to a huge change to the work
leverage to lobby the Government. As The Wood- of many campaigners, as it represented the
land Trust noted, The campaigning organisations culmination of efforts to build new relationships
that stick around for longer are the ones who base with policymakers, and an opportunity to influence
their campaigning on research and evidence. a Parliament which, with a coalition government,
may play a greater role in making, rather than
A need to engage with Parliament influencing, legislation. As noted in the
including all major political parties introduction, recent research is beginning to
As noted above, the survey revealed that lobbying comprehensively reassess the role of Parliament,
central government is a key tactic and seen as very which is very timely considering the greater
important in the new landscape. In particular, many likelihood of coalition and minority governments
campaigners felt a need to engage with new MPs, in the future.38 NCT noted that, following their
and to build up contacts across the spectrum of Location, Location, Location campaign, they
political parties. For the Woodland Trust, their built up a solid bank of MP support they had
Dear Defra campaign wassuccessful in helping us to make new friends as a lot of our influential
to understand the needs and issues for different people lost seats.
political parties and the Coalition Government.
37 Lincoln, S., and Courtin, A. (nfpSynergy, 38 See Russell, M. and Benton, M. Assessing the
2011) Charity Parliamentary Monitor (CPM) Policy Impact of Parliament: Methodological
data: frequent and influential forms of contact Challenges and Possible Future Approaches; Paun,
with MPs, slide 5 A., Institute for Government (2010) Coalition
Government in the UK


One key feature of NCTs work with MPs was NCT strongly believed, as Beatbullying made clear,
the need to build relationships across political that charities need to prove their worth in showing
parties, which was also a key feature of other case that they are a microcosm of the Big Society
studies, such as CBT and The Woodland Trust. This There is a danger of co-optionbut we are being
last point illustrates how important it is to have quite open. CBT questioned, however, whether
support among all political parties in the current the localism agenda new powers to communities,
Parliament, as, for example, backbenchers and local councils and other initiatives will really result
Select Committees can have significant influence.39 in greater opportunities for campaigners. This
sentiment was echoed by many within the focus
A need to engage with yet remain groups, questioning whether a postcode lottery
critical of Government policy will exist in regard to the capacity of VCOs and
As explored in the focus group findings, while communities to take advantage of new powers
many campaigners thought there is an open book it may enable more nimbyism.
on the Big Society, including opportunities for
Many campaigners are facing a complete change in
campaigning, there was a general concern, felt by
their campaigning work, as Government policy on
many about what sort of campaigning Government
their issue changes as NCT noted, We are back
policy may promote Government talks about
to square onethe NHS is being redesigned.
campaigning but only in preserving something,
In terms of accessing Government, many
not for social change. The case studies reveal the
campaigners felt that VCOs were not being
importance of communicating with MPs through
engaged enough we find it very difficult to talk
diverse ways within systematic strategies for
to the Office for Civil Society on campaigning,
change, for example through constituency events,
one participant in a focus group mentioned, while
face-to-face meetings and personal
NCT believed the Big Society is more of a social
correspondence. This is supported by the above-
partnership, yet there are less tables to sit
mentioned survey of MPs; that MPs consider
around.
face-to-face meetings and constituency events, for
example, as the most influential ways organisations Government reception
can help them form an opinion of them.40 to campaigning
For Plane Stupid, The Big Society practically As noted in the focus group analysis, a small
espouses community action, direct action, mutual minority of MPs within the Government have
aid and solidarity, they believe it is essential to made comments questioning the role of
build strong communities now, but the impact of campaigning by charities. These comments do
the funding cuts is undermining the Big Society seem to indicate that campaigning for social
it is economically marginalised people who are change is not something which is perceived as
being affected first and worst. This theme core to the role of the VCS, within Conservative
was reflected in the focus groups as well the Party policy. During NCVOs 2010 Campaigns
participants questioning how the Big Society Conference (prior to the Election), Oliver Letwin
will be developed in a climate of severe cuts. stated, What I treasure about the sector is not
campaigning. The special contribution of the sector
39 A particular new committee campaigners determine, on behalf of backbenchers, the 40 Lincoln, S., and Courtin, A. (nfpSynergy,
may like to be aware of (and consider for business for the House for approximately one 2011) Charity Parliamentary Monitor (CPM)
influencing), is the Backbench Business day each week. For more information, see: data: frequent and influential forms of contact with
Committee, established after the Election http://www.parliament.uk/business/ MPs, slide 5
and the first business committee in committees/committees-a-z/commons-
Parliament. The role of the Committee is to select/backbench-business-committee/


is to do things, change things. To add to this, is unclear as is, indeed, the policy campaigners
a small group of MPs have voiced frustration in are seeking to understand and to change.
receiving e-campaigning communications such as
Charles Walker MP, Dominic Raab MP and Robert A need to campaign locally
Halfon MP, the latter of whom wrote an article in Almost all respondents to the survey believed the
the Guardian about the topic.41 Election will significantly change their campaigning
work. One very important way in which this is likely
To qualify this, the Coalition Government,
to happen is in taking advantage of the growth in a
as noted above, have recognised the right of
more local politics, as more powers are devolved to
charities to campaign, and Nick Hurd, the present
local authorities and communities and, as was
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
discussed in the focus groups, The Government
Charities, Social Enterprises and Volunteering,
wants to see that people in local communities want
affirmed this right prior to the Election, in his
what youre campaigning for. All of the case
capacity as Shadow Minister for the Third Sector.42
studies attest to the importance of local
The general absence of a proactive policy stance
campaigning, especially in regard to engaging local
by Government in regard to campaigning for
MPs and PPCs prior to the Election.
social change, does raise significant concerns.
Campaigners are left in doubt about how the 38 Degrees regularly engage supporters to
Government views the role of campaigning within campaign in their localities, and work with local
society (and within the Big Society), and the extent press, primarily to influence MPs in their
to which it is seen as a legitimate activity for constituencies, while CBT believe that the localism
charities, in particular, to dedicate a lot of agenda is really important. CBT work with a wide
resources towards.43 range of local groups and aim to coordinate their
work with their national-level campaigning, such as
38 Degrees, interestingly, noted that they had not
in their Fair Fares Now campaign. Similarly to CBT,
found the new Government to be any less
NCTs local groups are fairly autonomous,
receptive to their campaigning (as did CBT and
though the head office provides support and
other campaigners), yet we are not an insider
guidance, encouraging supporters to engage MPs.
organisation. Plane Stupid, whose work is also very
public-facing, saw a greater need for community With a greater focus on local campaigning, one
organising in the context of the Big Society the key issue is capacity, as was made clear in the focus
Big Society is a veil for the No Society of Margaret groups many VCOs will have no resources to
Thatchers years. A final point noted above do 20 or 30 separate campaigns. Volunteers will
mentioned by NCT and which arose in the focus become hugely important, as will the need to build
groups, was how to remain proactive in the capacity of volunteers to campaign effectively.
campaigning while responding to consultations on The challenging funding environment necessitates
Government policy, whose existence as policy tools a carefully targeted approach, building the quality
41 See See Mills, D. (2011) MPs grill charity http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector- charities can engage in campaigning in furtherance
chiefs on campaigning and spending issues, network/2011/feb/03/successful-lobby-mp- of their charitable purposes. The guidance is
The Guardian, January 21: personal-local available online at: http://www.charity-
http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector- 42 See NCVO (Third Sector Foresight, 2010) commission.gov.uk/Publications/cc9.aspx.
network/2011/jan/21/charity-chiefs-campai Future Focus: What will campaigning be like in For further detail see NCVOs useful guide
gning-spending; Tory MP defends call to 5 years time? (London, NCVO), p.8. for Trustees Lamb, B. (NCVO, 2010)
remove e-mail link, BBC News, 9 August, 2010: Available online at: http://www.3s4.org.uk/ Trustee guide to campaigning and influencing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics- about/publications/future-focus#FF7 (London, NCVO). Available online at:
10916309; and Halfon, R. (2011) Robert http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/
43 It is worth noting that the guidance issued
Halfon: Want to successfully lobby your MP? trusteeguidecampaigning
by the Charity Commission is very clear on this
Make it personal and make it local, The
point there is no limit on the extent to which
Guardian, 3 February:


of volunteers engagement. Within the focus groups, action on social housing, loss of hospitals and
participants discussed how capacity building needs schoolswe also need to shut down airports and
to happen for VCOs at a local level as well as in coal power stations.
local authorities to familiarise them in engaging
The cuts to public spending, including that to
with campaigners. One key implication for VCOs in
VCOs income (as of 2008, income from statutory
conducting more local campaigning may be, as CBT
sources was reported to be 36% of all VCOs
found among their local groups, a much broader
income44), has resulted in a very challenging
politics and support in different ways.
campaigning environment, in which VCOs have to
demonstrate greater impact with less resources.
A need to have a greater impact
Simultaneously, the cuts have also resulted in a rise
with less resources: A need for public
in the need for campaigning, and in campaigning
campaigning and coalition-building
itself particularly public campaigning
Alongside more local campaigning, many
(demonstrations, direct action, meetings and
campaigners felt that, as CBT argued, we need to
community organising).45
demonstrate public support for what we do. This
is in order to better influence policymakers, civil A further issue noted by many campaigners was
servants and other decision-makers, and put a that, as NCT observed, We will probably work in
campaign issue higher on the political, public and coalitions more, to have greater impact with less
media agenda. The Campaign for Better Transport resources. However, as was noted in the focus
believe there has been a shift in the public groups, it is often easier to build coalitions against,
discourse on transport, so campaigning is vital. than for, issues; there are therefore set to be
Somewhat similarly, Plane Stupid reported significant challenges for campaigners in ensuring
frustration that the new Government was elected effective strategies for collaboration in the
just when they were making campaign progress near future.
with environmental issues. For the Big March campaign, Beatbullying found
Interestingly, the survey revealed that many camp- partnership working crucial, and aim to build on
aigners had chosen to focus on public campaigning, their experiences in looking at how partnerships
public law or research since the Election, which work, while for Plane Stupid, building coalitions
adds weight to the argument that building evidence between issues is crucial in the new environment.
and public support reframing an issue and On a final point, NCT reflected that if there are
mobilising people and communities is essential to large-scale public disputes it will affect how
further campaign aims in the new environment. campaigning is viewed, presenting further
challenges.
While there was a strong notion within the case
studies that VCOs need to adapt to a new A need to involve people including
environment, as Beatbullying made clear There using social media effectively
is a danger in times like these that you want to keep
This point is one which has its origins before the
your head down, the focus groups made clear
General Election, yet the Election has exacerbated
that, as VCOs and public services are threatened
its importance. The survey revealed that most
with funding cuts, we are scaling back our
campaigners thought that involving the
proactive campaigns. Plane Stupid, for example,
beneficiaries and supporters of campaigns in
reflected that they are doing direct action training
generating the content and direction of
left, right and centre, but that we are taking
campaigning is necessary following the Election.
44 Clark, J, et al. (NCVO, 2010) The UK Civil 45 As noted in the introduction and through-
Society Almanac 2010 (London, NCVO), p.43 out the case studies and focus group findings.


There is significant public support for campaigning range of causal factors behind these protests, as
for change, as noted in the introduction, and an with all campaigning the wider dynamics at work,
appetite for involvement illustrated throughout and the strategies employed by people and groups
the case studies and focus group findings.46 The to achieve change.48
survey cited above conducted by think tank Theos
During the focus groups, participants, as in the
noted that in the last 12 months, as many people
case studies, noted the value of social media in
have started, followed or supported a campaign
engaging people and reaching new audiences
using social media, as have contacted a politician.
but that sometimes We generate a lot of noise,
Despite this, a fifth of people surveyed thought
particularly in lobbying campaigns. For Plane
using social media is effective, whereas 46% and
Stupid, Social media has its place in organising
45% thought contacting a politician or the media,
mass actions quickly, if it facilitates human contact
respectively, are effective in campaigning.47
it has a purpose. This was echoed by Beatbullying,
A key factor, as noted above, is the need to in their aim to change slacktivists to activists.
consider social media as part of a wider strategy, Social media should be part of a holistic strategy,
including widening and deepening supporter and which takes account of the fact that many people
beneficiary involvement with campaigning. For 38 do not have access to online technologies.
Degrees, our members are the driving force, Key to involving people is engaging people in
while for Beatbullying, a key factor in the successful different ways.
impact of their Big March campaign was in
During the Manifesto campaign, the Woodland
involving people Its easy to ignore a couple of
Trust engaged their supporters to produce user-
voices from a charity, but very difficult to ignore
generated videos, alongside their aim to build the
850 900,000 people.
capacity of communities to speak on our behalf in
This theme ties in with the need to increase local the same way we can speak on their behalf. This
campaigning and to engage with the Big Society. raises one of the most important benefits of
For NCT, we have a devolved grassroots focus, involving people, in order to develop more
but, as with other case studies, we will be under innovative campaign strategies, including using
pressure to do more and will be more reliant on social media effectively. Involvement adds
our online network. Social media can be legitimacy to a campaign, as those who support it
extremely effective as a tool to involve people in and are affected by it play a key role, which in turn
campaigning, as found by Beatbullying in their Big helps to unleash the creativity of people, as they
March campaign. But key to the success of the Big are empowered to build and maintain change.49
March, as they reflected, was having an integrated
The issue of marrying local and national
strategy. The power of social media to organise
campaigning under a holistic approach was also
actions quickly and build relationships between
mentioned by NCT and CBT. Another key issue,
people has been shown by its use in the recent
as found in the survey, was that involving people
protests throughout North Africa and the Middle
and using social media is closely linked with being
East. It is, however, important to recognise the
46 See nfpSynergy (April 2010) Charity hos-behind-egypts-revolt; Macaray, D. 203&utm_content=readmore&elq=8a86488

Awareness Monitor Executive Overview (CAMEO) Egyptian Labor Unions Lead the Way, 1cc2546359a7360759ab0cfb3
Campaigning (Unpublished), slides 15 and 17; Counterpunch, February 1st, 2011: 49 See Taggart E. (NCVO and BOND, 2010)
DCLG (2010) Citizenship Survey: 200910 (April http://www.counterpunch.org/macaray0201 Inspiring Supporter Action (London, NCVO and
2009 March 2010), England, p.2 2011.html; Papic, M., and Noonan, S., Social BOND); Mayne, R. (NCVO and BOND, 2010)
Media as a Tool for Protest, STRATFOR Beneficiary Voice in Campaigning (London,
47 Theos (2011) Civil Unrest Survey, p.1.
Global Intelligence, February 3rd, 2011: NCVO and BOND). Both available online at:
48 See, for example Dreyfus, R. Whos Behind http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/20110202- http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/campaigning-
Egypts Revolt, The Nation, January 31st, 2011: social-media-tool-protest?utm_source=SWeek resources
http://www.thenation.com/blog/158159/w ly&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=110


innovative, as the Woodland Trust noted in report are accompanied by an explicit (and
reflecting on the high number of people who assumed) acknowledgement that no sensible
joined their Manifesto campaign It was campaigner would ever say we won, indicates
a baptism of firewe are challenged to be that many VCOs are very well-placed to campaign
innovative. effectively.
However, there are, as the report shows, quite
A need for social change
clearly major challenges. The survey in fact
The key points to consider for campaigning are
revealed that most campaigners thought the
the importance of innovation, cross-departmental
campaigning landscape following the Election
work and being bold and courageous, argued
presents more challenges than benefits. Much will
Richard Piggin from Beatbullying. Throughout the
depend upon how campaigners turn threats into
case studies, the survey responses and the focus
opportunities in a challenging environment, one
groups, there is a constant emphasis placed by
in which quite fundamental assumptions of recent
campaigners on the challenge (and need) to be
years are being challenged. IPPR, in a recent report,
proactive in seeking social change, while facing an
noted that within Big Society policy, the Voluntary
environment which is rapidly changing, for example
and Community Sector is seen as having a key role
in the speed of new policy being proposed.
to play in regard to moving from what is perceived
The learning points reflect key themes within to be an excessive focus on entitlements and an
the emerging campaigning landscape, alongside insufficient focus on responsibilities.50
potential areas of focus for campaigners to
The research clearly shows that campaigners
consider, derived from the experiences of
are calling out for positive engagement with
campaigners. Having a systematic, holistic strategy
Government, and will proactively engage very
for change, focusing on the ultimate impact
effectively if it is conducive to achieving change.
desired, yet being flexible and innovative enough
Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Shelter, in his
to adapt to environmental change (in regard to the
keynote speech at NCVOs 2011 Campaigns
implications of the Election), is a key learning point
Conference noted, We, like the Government
arising from this research. This is the bedrock of
must be very aware that it may be public dis-
effective campaigning.
content rather than public involvement which
Will campaigners be able to involve people makes this year's headlines.51 This report shows
more effectively and can campaigns coalesce that as campaigners we need to rock the boat, yet
on key issues for greater impact in a challenging we need to understand and adapt to the external
funding environment? Can campaigners environment. We must challenge this environment
organise communities around key issues, staging in the most effective way possible, channelling
demonstrations and protest, alongside, if passion, discontent and expertise into an un-
appropriate, lobbying central and local swerving focus on creating positive social change,
government, to achieve change? The answer, to make a lasting difference to peoples lives.
as the case studies clearly show, through the
It seems fitting to end the report with a quote from
innovative and effective campaigns as well as
Saul Alinskys Rules for Radicals, key to informing
thoughts on campaigning within them, is a
much recent community organising in the United
resounding yes. That the examples of campaigns
States, including Barack Obamas 2008 Presidential
and reflections by campaigners throughout this
50 Cox, E., and Schmuecker, K. (IPPR, 2010) 51 Robb, Campbell (2011) Keynote Speech
Growing the Big Society, p.10 (London, IPPR). at NCVOs Campaigns Conference.
A transcription is available online:
http://bit.ly/eL35ob


campaign. Alinskys work has also been a key

influence on community organising efforts in the
UK, exemplified by groups such as Citizens UK,
whose work includes a strong campaigning focus.
The US experience is increasingly cited (and
adapted into varied agendas) by politicians from
across the political parties in Britain, as localism,
civic participation and empowerment grow in
prominence as key cross-party policy foci:
What follows is for those who want to change the world
from what it is to what they believe it should be. The
Prince was written by Machiavelli for the Haves on how
to hold power. Rules for Radicals is written for the Have-
Nots on how to take it away.
However:
Radicals must be resilient, adaptable to shifting political
circumstances, and sensitive enough to the process of
action and reaction to avoid being trapped by their own
tactics and forced to travel a road not of their choosing.52
52 Alinsky, S. (1989) Rules for Radicals, pp.36


Resources and references Lamb, B. (NCVO, 2011) The Good Guide to

Campaigning and Influencing (London, NCVO)
NCVO Campaigning Effectiveness
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/ Lamb, B. (NCVO, 2010) Trustee guide to campaigning
campaigningeffectiveness and influencing (London, NCVO). Available online at
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/
Forum for Change a network for people Trusteeguidecampaigning
influencing policy and campaigning for change
(including an active online forum, regular Mayne, R. (NCVO and BOND, 2010) Beneficiary
events and other programs) Voice in Campaigning (London, NCVO and BOND).
http://bit.ly/h2Re4W Available online at: http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/
campaigning-resources
For the very useful practice-based campaigning
guides produced by NCVO through Forum for NCVO: Big Society pages: http://www.ncvo-
Change, see: http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/infocus vol.org.uk/policy-campaigns-research/-big-society
/big-society
Key In Focus guides for campaigning in the
new landscape include: NCVO: Campaigns Conference 2011: Campaigning
in a changing environment online blog (resources
Hadley, P. (NCVO, 2010) In Focus: Persuasion or from the event presentations, speeches,
pressure: campaigning and the private sector (London, interviews, publications): http://www.ncvo-
NCVO) vol.org.uk/campaignsconference
NCVO (Forum for Change, 2011) In Focus: Effecting NCVO (Third Sector Foresight, 2010) Future Focus:
change through collaboration (London, NCVO) What will campaigning be like in 5 years time?
NCVO (Forum for Change, 2011) In Focus: Working (London, NCVO), p.8. Available online at:
with Whitehall (London, NCVO) http://www.3s4.org.uk/about/publications/futur
e-focus#FF7
NCVO (Forum for Change, 2011) In Focus:
Integrating social media (London, NCVO) Robb, Campbell (2011) Keynote Speech at NCVOs
Campaigns Conference. A transcription is available
NCVO (Forum for Change, 2011) In Focus:
online: http://bit.ly/eL35ob
Involving people that matter (London, NCVO)
Taggart, E. (NCVO and BOND, 2010) Inspiring
NCVO (Forum for Change, 2011) In Focus: Making
Supporter Action (London, NCVO and BOND).
sense of the external environment (London, NCVO)
Available online at: http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/
NCVO (Forum for Change, 2011) In Focus: campaigning-resources
Policy development (London, NCVO)
Charity Commission
Other useful NCVO publications Charity Commission (2008) Speaking out: Guidance
(and resources) include: on Campaigning and Political Activity by Charities
Clark, J, et al. (NCVO, 2010) The UK Civil Society (CC9) (London, Charity Commission). Available
Almanac 2010 (London, NCVO), online: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/
publications/cc9.aspx
Hadley, P. (NCVO, 2010) Voicing your right to know:
A guide to using Freedom of Information in campaigning History & Policy
(London, NCVO) Connecting historians, policymakers and the media
http://www.historyandpolicy.org/
Lamb, B. (NCVO, 2011) Campaigning for change:
Learning from the United States (London, NCVO)


Hilton, M., McKay, J., Crowson, N., and Mouhot, NCT

Jean-Francois (2010) The Big Society: civic Dodwell, M., and Gibson, R. (NCT, 2009)
participation and the state in modern Britain. Paper An Investigation into Choice of Place of Birth
prepared for a History & Policy seminar with the (London, NCT)
Cabinet Office Strategy Unit. All authors are at the
NCT (2009) Location, Location, Location: Making
University of Birmingham. Paper available online at:
choice of place of birth a reality (London, NCT)
http://www.historyandpolicy.org/papers/policy-
paper-103.html#S1 NCT (2009) Regional breakdown (London, NCT)
HM Government Cabinet Office All are available online at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ http://www.nct.org.uk/choice
HM Government (2010) Building a Stronger Civil new economics foundation

Society: A strategy for voluntary and community groups, http://www.neweconomics.org/
charities and social enterprises (London, HM Coote, A. (new economics foundation, 2010)
Government). Available online at: Spending cuts will break Big Society, warns nef,
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource- nef press release, 4 November, 2010.
library/big-society-strategy-support-charities-volu
ntary-groups-and-social-enterprises Coote, A. (nef, 2010) Cutting it: The Big Society and
the new austerity (London, nef). Both are available
HM Government (2010) The Coalition: our online at: http://www.neweconomics.org/
programme for government (London, HM publications/cutting-it
Government), Available online at:
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/coalition- Theos
documents Theos (2011) Civil Unrest Survey (London, Theos).
Prepared by ComRes, Available online:
HM Government (2010) The Compact (London,
http://bit.ly/hL0IJ3.
HM Government), Available online at:
http://www.compactvoice.org.uk/sites/default/fil Third Sector Research Centre (TSRC)
es/the_compact.pdf http://www.tsrc.ac.uk/
Institute for Government Alcock, P. (2010) Building the Big Society: A new
http://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/ policy environment for the third sector in England,
Voluntary Sector Review, Vol.1, No.3
Paun, A., (Institute for Government, 2010)
United We Stand? Coalition Government in University College London (UCL),
the UK (London, Institute for Government): Constitution Unit
http://bit.ly/b83h2U Russell, M. and Benton, M. (UCL, 2009)
Assessing the Policy Impact of Parliament:
Institute for Public Policy Research
Methodological Challenges and Possible Future
http://www.ippr.org.uk/
Approaches (London, UCL).
Cox, E., and Schmuecker, K. (IPPR, 2010)
For an overview of research areas and
Growing the Big Society (London, IPPR)
publications and outputs, see:
Lodge, G., & Gottfried, G., (Institute for Public http://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/
Policy Research, 2011) Worst of Both Worlds: Why
Urban Forum
First Past the Post no longer works (London, IPPR)
http://www.urbanforum.org.uk/


Further references Tory MP defends call to remove e-mail link,

Alinsky S. (1989) Rules for radicals BBC News, 9 August, 2010:
(New York, Vintage) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-
10916309
Beatbullying (2010) The Big March Asks,
available online at: Halfon, R. (2011) Robert Halfon: Want to
http://www.beatbullying.org/static/bigmarch/ successfully lobby your MP? Make it personal
downloads/TheBigMarchAsk.pdf and make it local, The Guardian, 3 February:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector-
European Commission (2010) DIRECTIVE OF network/2011/feb/03/successful-lobby-mp-pers
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE onal-local
COUNCIL on preventing and combating trafficking in
human beings, and protecting victims, repealing Papic, M., and Noonan, S., Social Media as a Tool
Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA (Brussels, for Protest, STRATFOR Global Intelligence, February
European Commission). Available online at: 3rd, 2011: http://bit.ly/fE1Qnt
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/file.jsp?
id=5849482
HOC Public Administration Committee (2011) Funding
of voluntary sector, 18 January, filmed footage
available online at:
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?
meetingId=7447
News articles (online)

Atchinson, G (May 2010) Citizens UK hosts
the party leaders, OurKingdom (openDemocracy
UK). Available online:
http://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/
guy-aitchison/citizens-uk-and-party-leaders
Dreyfus, R. Whos Behind Egypts Revolt, The
Nation, January 31st, 2011:
http://www.thenation.com/blog/158159/whos-
behind-egypts-revolt
Macaray, D. Egyptian Labor Unions Lead the Way,
Counterpunch, February 1st, 2011:
http://www.counterpunch.org/macaray02012011.
html
Mills, D. (2011) MPs grill charity chiefs on
campaigning and spending issues, The Guardian,
January 21: http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-
sector-network/2011/jan/21/charity-chiefs-camp
aigning-spending


Appendix The further two focus groups held in London

prior to the General Election are not quoted
Focus group participants in the report but the themes have informed
(by organisation) the analysis.
Greater Manchester focus group, hosted by 3) The participants of the two early focus groups
GMCVO, facilitated by Alex Bone. fell into the category above campaigners,
Voluntary and community organisations whose mostly from organisations whose work is
work involves campaigning in the Greater focused at the national and local level.
Manchester area, some of whom work solely in
Greater Manchester:
Bolton Solidarity Community Association (BSCA);
The Diocese of Manchester; Lesbian and Gay
Foundation (LGF); Manchester Council for
Community Relations (MCCR); Manchester
Disabled People's Access Group (MDPAG);
Oldham Council for Voluntary; Youth Services
(OCVYS); North West Regional Council for
Voluntary Youth Services (CVYS Local and
Regional); Youth Development Association;
Europia; Salford CVS
Four London-based focus groups, hosted and

facilitated by NCVO:
1) Infrastructure organisations whose work
involves supporting organisations to campaign
as well as campaigning:
bassac; National Association for Voluntary
and Community Action (NAVCA); People &
Planet; NCVO; British Institute of Human
Rights (BIHR); sitewriters
2) Campaigners mostly from campaigning
organisations whose work is focused on national
and local levels, but also some whose work is
focused in localities:
National Housing Federation (NHF); NCVO;
Stop Stansted Expansion; Ramblers; Cancer
Research UK; Guide Dogs; Campaign to
Protect Rural England - Lake District; Sheila
McKechnie Foundation (SMK); Every Child A
Chance Trust; Refugee Council


A new campaigning landscape? This resource has been produced by Campaigning

Implications of the 2010 General Effectiveness, NCVO. It was jointly funded by
Election Capacitybuilders and the Big Lottery Fund.
What implications has the General Election had
NCVO
for campaigning? Is there a new campaigning
landscape and how might campaigners respond? National Council for Voluntary Organisations
By focusing on key case studies of a wide range of Regents Wharf
organisations experiences of campaigning prior to, 8 All Saints Street
during and since the General Election, this report London N1 9RL
guides the reader through analysis to practice- T: 020 7713 6161
based learning points and core insights. The report F: 020 7713 6300
is based on in-depth interviews and several focus
E: ncvo@ncvo-vol.org.uk
groups with campaigners alongside a survey of
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk
the Voluntary and Community Sector.
Textphone: 0800 01 88 111
The current environment presents significant
challenges to those who wish to campaign for Free advice and support
social change, not least in the rapid changes www.askNCVO.org.uk
occurring in the environment itself. This report HelpDesk: 0800 2 798 798 or
shares learning, insights and reflections, urging helpdesk@askncvo.org.uk
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National Council for Voluntary Organisations

A new campaigning landscape?

Campaigning Effectiveness, NCVO

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

30 Focus group findings

2 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

Acknowledgements What is campaigning

3 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

Foreword as campaigners adopt integrated strategies, using

4 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

Executive summary yet remain critical of Government policy. For

5 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

to respond to, and to understand, new policy

Key learning points

The General Election has had, and will

A need to rethink existing strategies

A need to engage with Parliament including

A need to engage with yet remain critical

A need to campaign locally

A need to have a greater impact with less

A need to involve people including using

A need for social change

6 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

Introduction agenda both key environmental factors

7 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

8 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

beneficiaries to a much greater extent in Final note

9 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

A literature review of relevant research,

10 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

Survey findings Election, while the following table indicates that

Twenty respondents, as represented in the graph

11 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

Engaging in the media 0%

Public campaigning (eg meetings,

15% Public law campaigning (eg Human

12 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

13 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

(e.g. a new government), and are responding with

14 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

15 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

38 Degrees very participative inviting members to design

16 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

17 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

18 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election

NAVIGATE Contents Executive summary Case studies Resources & references

Media It has taken a lot of charities a lot of time to be

19 A new Campaigning landscape? Implications of the 2010 General Election