By Step Step. What is Lobbying? Lobbying is telling the people who make decisions about the issues/problems that concern you and trying to get them to

byby

StepStep

StepStep

What is Lobbying? Lobbying is telling the people who make decisions

about the issues/problems that concern you and

trying to get them to understand your problems

and what is needed to be done to fix it.

Why Lobby? Self advocacy groups lobby decision makers because

they want to change the way things are done some

of the things groups might lobby about include: closing institutions more accommodation for people with disabilitiesbetter jobsbetter employment and more

A campaign is a number of different activities you do to try and change serious things that lots of people are not happy about. Campaigns can last a long time.

Housing Plain EnglishBreast Cancer

Why start a campaign?You start a campaign because there is something

that people are not happy about and it is really

important that this changes. You might also start a

campaign because lobbying has not worked.

Some of the things self advocacy groups do in

campaigns are:

• Lobbying• Teaching the community about the issues

this is called community awareness raising• Getting the message into the papers• Petitions• Getting well known people to help promote

or talk about the issue• Demonstrations

STEP 1 - Starting a Campaign

Campaign Steps

What is the problem or issue?

STEP 1 – What is the issue/problem? The first step you must take is deciding on the issue that you want to campaign about.

Issues You have an issue that is a problem for you and members of your group. Issues might be:

• Not enough accessible public transport• People are bossed around in CRU’s• Not enough housing for people with a disability• Closing institutions

Is it a good Issue?Before you decide to start the campaign you need to

think more about the issue including:

• Is it an issue that only affects one person ?

• How many people does it affect• Is it something we think should change ?• Is it a human right?

STEP 1 – What is the issue/problem?

SHUT IN

Campaign to Close Institutions

Shut InA Campaign by Reinforce and VALID

What is the issue?Reinforce and VALID want all institutions for people with an

intellectual disability to close in Victoria and then in Australia

Is it a good Issue?

• Is it an issue that only affects one person ? NO

• Is it something we think should change ? Yes!!! Many of our members have lived in

institutions and know how bad they are. We do not know of any one who has left an institution who wants to go back.

• Is it a human right issue?

Yes – all people have the right to full community inclusion. Institutions exclude people from the community

Shut InA Campaign by Reinforce and VALID

The next step is to decide exactly what you are asking for?You also need to decide what you are not asking for.

Shut In

Reinforce and VALID made a list of institutions in Victoria e.g Calounda, Sandhurst etc

They are asking the government make the decision to close all institutions in Victoria and give money to make it happen.

This campaign is only about institutions on the list not about CRU’s

STEP 1 – What is the issue/problem?

STEP 2 – Who can help us?

Campaign Steps


Who can help us - partners and allies?

To run a good campaign it is a good idea to work with other partners or groups and people. Ideas for partners might include:

Other advocacy groups that want the same changes as you.Other people who are affected by the problemPeople who are experienced in running campaignsPeople that have lived the experience of the issue – their voice is the strongest in your campaign


Shut In

VALID and Reinforce are partners in the SHUT IN campaign. They set up a working party which meets each month. Theyasked other groups to join the working party including AMIDA and AFDO. SARU also goes to the meetings to give advice.

The working party also includes people who have lived the experience of been in institutions


Write a list of other people who can help you and how they can help you. Ideas might be:

Politicians that you know feel the same way you doDisability Advisory boardsAdvocacy organizationsPeople that have information or info about the issuePeople who have lived the issue


Shut In

The Shut In working party met and wrote down a list of people that could help them:

members of the National and State Disability Advisory councils to bring up the issue at their meetings

People who have lived in institutions to be spokes people about their experiences

Media person who has videos about the issue and who is helping to make a logo


Campaign Steps



Getting to and working with decision makers

STEP 3 - Who makes the decisions and what do we tell them?

You want things to change – so the next step is finding out who has the power to make the changes you want. The people who make the decisions will be different for different issues but might include:

Politicians –including MinistersLocal Councils and councilorsTransport companiesService providersUnions


Shut InThe SHUT In working party met and wrote down

a list of people that have the power to make the

decision to close institutions this included:

The Minister for the Department of Human Services


Lisa Neville

What do you tell them?So know you now you have decided who you need to contact

you should make a plan about how you are going to get them to listen to what you have to say including:

Get all your information together make sure it is correct.

Write down why your issue is importantGet evidence to support what you are sayingCollect people’s storiesPetitionsDVD


Shut InThe working party of the SHUT IN campaign decided that would try

and meet with the Minister of Human Services. They talked about the information they had including:

The number of institutions still in VictoriaThe number of people in institutions in Victoria Information about how people’s life's have

improved since moving out of an institutionThe reason why some people think there should be in institutionsWho is saying that the institutions should stay open.The stories of the people who have lived in institutions Institutions and human rights


Campaign Steps


Campaign Steps




Community, Media, and Lobbying

Step 4 – Lobbying, Community, and Media

LobbyingSo you have met with people who make decision but how do

you keep them from forgetting. You need to do some lobbying including:

PetitionsSending out information kits – peoples stories, films, postersMaking badges, posters, fliersWrite a paper about your issueEveryone visit you local MPEmailsMeetings

Step 4 – Lobbying, Community, and Media

Community

It is important in you campaign that you work to let people in the community about the issue. Politicians listen to voters and if enough people start to support you that can help you.

It is also important that the community know about the issue as they may be able to help you and also learn about the problems people face.

Step 4 – Community, Media and Lobbying

Community

Ideas to help the community learn about your issue include:Arts projects and exhibitionsPublic information seminarsStreet stallsStickers, fliers, postersTheatreFilmsUse technologyPublic eventsMeeting with other groups


MediaOne way to let the community and the decision makers know

about your issue is to get it into newspapers, TV and Radio. The things you can do to get the media to listen includes:

Send out press releases Write letters to the editorRing talk back radioFind a media person who is interested in your issuePlan events that the media will want to go toMake a press kit – people to be interviewed,

DVD’s, personal stories,Press releases.


SHUT IN

Some of the things the SHUT in campaign are planning to do include:

PetitionArts exhibitionBadgesContacting different groups that can

help spread the message


Campaign Steps


Campaign Steps





Step 5 – Timelines and Jobs

Timelines and jobs

Step 5 – Timelines and JobsNow you have decided you campaign plan and what you

are going to do it is a good idea to write a timeline.

It is also a good idea to include in your plan and timeline the different jobs people will be doing and the support they will have.

Everyone should get a copy of the timeline and the jobs list.

Campaign Steps


Campaign Steps





Step 6 – GO!!!!!!!!

Timelines and jobs

GO!!!

Now everything is ready so you can begin your campaign but remember:

It may take a long time so do not give upMake sure that you have fun and

enjoy some of the things you are doingIf you get stuck or need training or ideas

you can contact the SARU or the DARU.

GOOD LUCK

Step 6 – GO!!!!!!!!

Documents

By Step Step. What is Lobbying? Lobbying is telling the people who make decisions about the issues/problems that concern you and trying to get them to