A focused advocacy plan with an audience, message and next step.
Define the change you are asking for
Awareness can begin a conversation, but advocacy needs a specific ask. Identify the decision, practice or allocation you want changed. Make the request narrow enough that someone can act on it. Instead of asking everyone to support inclusion, you might ask a training provider to publish an accessible application process. Explain what success would look like and who has authority to make it happen.
Map power and influence
Identify the decision-maker, people who advise them, potential allies and those who may resist. Consider their responsibilities, incentives and constraints. A public campaign is one route; a meeting, a coalition letter, a policy submission or a practical demonstration may be another. Choose the route that matches the decision and the safety of the people involved. Do not mistake visibility for influence.
Combine evidence with a clear message
Structure your message around the problem, its consequences, your proposed action and the benefit of acting. Use evidence you can explain and verify. Community stories can make an issue understandable, but use them only with informed permission and protect identities when needed. Distinguish facts, estimates and personal experience. A compelling message remains accurate when someone asks difficult questions.
Plan follow-up, not only launch
Agree who will make contact, what they will request and when you will follow up. Record responses and commitments. Progress may involve an invitation to discuss, a named contact or a written commitment before a final change happens. Review which approaches are working and adapt. Give community members a way to challenge your message if it does not represent their priorities.
Your working notes
- What specific change am I requesting, and who can authorise it?
- Who are three potential allies, and what could each contribute?
- Draft a four-sentence message: problem, evidence, action, benefit.
- What is my first action, follow-up date and sign of progress?
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Before you move on
Is your ask specific enough for the recipient to say yes, no or propose an alternative?