Current environment

Coalition government, new policy priorities, huge cuts and restructuring, localism, the Big Society... what does it all mean for campaigning and influencing? This page brings together a range of resources and thought pieces exploring these issues and more.

• New campaigning landscape
• New influencing opportunities
• What might the future hold?

New campaigning landscape

New research report from NCVO

Campaigning is dead. Long live campaigning! Has the General Election last year given rise to a radically new environment, where campaigners are challenged to rethink existing strategies to achieve social change? How can we understand any implications for campaigning?

Our latest research finds the evidence through a mix of case studies, focus groups and survey, sharing learning, insights and reflections, addressing key issues confronting campaigners.

Download the free pdf A new campaigning landscape? Implications of the of the 2010 General Election

Influencing coaltions: Learning from the world outside of Westminster

Guest blogs from Alision Goldsworthy offering up insight and tips for working with and influencing coalition governments drawn from the wealth of experience already out there from local councils, Wales, Scotland and wider.

Other resources

Keynote speech by Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of Shelter, from our 2011 Campaigns Conference in which he sets out the current environment for campaigners and lessons for campaigning club...

A new landscape for campaigners? blog by Philip Hadley, NCVO
After the election of the Liberal Democrat-Conservative Coalition Government in May this year, there has been much discussion within the voluntary and community sector on how to engage with the new government and its policies, including understanding what impact it is having and is likely to have in the future. 

NCVO's Campaign Conference a few thoughts from the day blog by Philip Hadley, NCVO
The day was a hive of activity, with morning and afternoon workshops discussing a wide variety of issues, sharing learning, experiences and insight. The Speaker of the House of Commons, Jon Bercow, kicked off the day, talking of the challenging year ahead, and suggesting campaigners scrutinise that every 'input' they work on leads to a greater output.  

Chloe Hardy from the National Housing Federation describes how you can use discourse analysis to better understand the current priorities of a political party (or any other organisation) by analysing the language they use on a particular topic.

E-seminar - New Political Landscape

Back in the summer of 2010 the Forum for Change ran an e-seminar exploring the new political landscape and working with coalition government. Have a look through the videos.

Working with a coalition government - in context

Watch Peter Harlock, Chief Executive, ComRes talk about the setting the political scene 

Watch Akash Paun, Senior Researcher, Institute for Government talk about how the Coalition Government is working

Working with a coalition government - in context practice

Watch Liam Laurence Smyth, Clerk of the Journals, House of Commons talk about Parliamentary procedures

Watch Rachel Castle, Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Volunteering England talk about gaining cross party support

This presentation from our Forum for Change seminar on working with a hung parliament shares some of Cancer Research's experiences of working with coalition governments across Scotland and Wales and Europe more widely.

New influencing opportunities

What new influencing opportunities are emerging from the new campaigning landscape?

New Opportunities for Influencing Legislation: Consultations, Petitions, referendums  Presentation Edward Andersson
(From the NCVO Campaigns Conference 2011 New opportunities for influencing legislation workshop)

Using Freedom of Information as a campaign tool Video interview: Katherine Gunderson, Campaign for Freedom of Information, Ann Feltham, Campaign Against Arms Trade and Simon Birkett, Campaign for Clean Air London
(From the NCVO Campaigns Conference 2011 Using Freedom of Information in campaigning workshop)

Using Freedom of Information (and EIR) powers in campaigning Presentation Simon Birkett:
(From the NCVO Campaigns Conference 2011 Using Freedom of Information in campaigning workshop)

In the spirit of transparency the number 10 website holds department structures charts for all Government departments including details of all senior civil servants. View on the number 10 website Who does what in Whitehall

What might the future hold?

Analysing the external environment

NCVO Third Sector Foresight helps organisations to understand how the world is changing around them and use this knowledge to make better decisions. On their website you can access a free bank of 'drivers' (trends and forces in the external environment) and a short guide to how to make sense of your environment through strategic analysis http://www.3s4.org.uk/how-to

We ran two joint events with NCVO's Foresight team in October 2011 exploring the possibilities social media brings for involving people in creating and shaping campaigns. The e-seminar covered two topics:

The role of co-creation in online campaigning

Amy Sample Ward, Global Community Development Manager for NetSquared explored

What co-creation means and why it’s important What’s changing online for you and your supporters Threats and opportunities for co-created campaigns

Watch Amy's short film exploring these issues
Have a look through Amy's presentation the role of co-creation in campaigning

Ecampaigning in a leaderless world

Liam Barrington-Bush, Concrete Solutions explored 

• Why Twitter is serious campaigning tool
• Why traditional organisations need to think about new ways of working online
• How to 'plan' a ‘leaderless’ campaigning strategy

Have a look at Liam's short film 

What will campaigning be like in 5 years' time?

This guide by Third Sector Foresight, NVCO, looks at the main drivers impacting on campaigning and influencing, including: how it might evolve over the next few years, the growth of new technologies, professionalisation of the discipline and the growth of consumer activism. The concise guide breaks down these issues into accessible chunks and has tips and suggestions that you can build into your organisational planning.

Download your free copy from Third Sector Foresight's website