Planning your campaign

Top Tips

The following organisations all have a ‘Top Tips’ section; follow the links below:

• Sheila McKechnie Foundation: www.campaigncentral.org.uk/know-how/smks-top-10-campaigning-tips
• NCVO: www.campaigncentral.org.uk/know-how/top-10-tips-ncvo
• Saul Salinsky: www.campaigncentral.org.uk/know-how/saul-alinskys-rules-radicals

Tool Kits

There are numerous tool kits available on the web, and whether or not they specifically relate to disability issues, the campaigning framework remains the same.

The following are just a selection of ones that we have identified:

• NCVO produce a range of resources which you can use to help you plan your campaign. These can be found at www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/campaigning
• Campaign Central is an online community for campaigners and contains a mix of resources and networking opportunities with other campaigners: www.campaigncentral.org.uk
• KnowHow Non Profit website lists a range of key questions to ask yourself to help you to plan your campaign; go to www.knowhownonprofit.org/campaigns
• RNIB Campaign Tool Kit, which you can download in Word format; from www.rnib.org.uk/getinvolved/campaign
• Mencap have produced a tool to help local campaigners fight cuts to their council’s social care services: www.mencap.org.uk/face-facts-stop-cuts

The Elevator Pitch

An “elevator pitch” enables you to put the right message across in seconds. Every campaigner should have one!

Download the elevator pitch presentation October 2011

Campaigning v. awareness-raising

Campaigns are generally a response to an urgent problem that has to be made public in order to be resolved. We believe that there are a number of significant issues affecting DDPOs and Deaf and disabled people that need a campaign approach. Non-urgent problems may require education or information, but they are unlikely to justify campaigns; these need awareness-raising activities.

For more information about whether you need to campaign or raise awareness, go to www.campaignstrategy.org