Certificate in Campaigning

"The Certificate should be essential training for all voluntary and community sector organisations – regardless of whether they currently undertake campaigning or advocacy or not."
Mark Reedman, Chief Executive LGBT Consortium

The Certificate in Campaigning is the first course of its kind for campaign and policy professionals. Run by Campaigning Effectiveness, NCVO and accredited by the University of Roehampton, the course covers all aspects of good practice campaigning over 10 modules. 

The course will improve your skills in areas such as planning, delivery, evaluation and strategic thinking and directly focuses on how you can campaign effectively and how you can bring about a 'high impact' at all levels of an organisation.

Series 7 is now fully booked. To register your interest in series 8 contact Davinder Kaur at davinder.kaur@ncvo-vol.org.uk or 020 7520 2505.

The course is delivered via:

• 10 core one-day seminar-based modules
• Two written reports that will be assessed both internally and externally
• Expert tuition, speakers and group work-based learning

Learning outcomes for the course:

• Understanding of core theories of effective campaigning
• Understanding of political institutions and policy and decision-making processes
• Understanding of what makes an effective campaigning organisation
• Improved practical skills in campaign planning, evaluation and strategic thinking
• Understanding of how operational delivery works in practice (for example in relation to media work)

The sessions will be highly interactive with activities, case studies and presentations and offer plenty opportunities to engage with trainers and other delegates through Q & A, debate and discussion.

As the learning methods suggest, the course is not intended to be a one-way flow of information. You will be expected to undertake reading and reflection prior to each session and selected participants will be expected to lead discussion (seminar style) on the reading themes for most sessions. You will gain most from the course if you fully involve yourself in exercises and engage in workshop activities, discussion and group work throughout the programme.

Find out more from previous participants about how the course can support you.

Modules

The course comprises ten modules in total. Delegates must attend seven core seminars and then choose one further from a possible three options:

1. An introduction to effective campaigning
2. Governance, ethics and the law
3. Objectives and strategy
4. Evaluation and impact
5. An overview of UK and EU institutions 
6. Institutions outside Westminster and a closer look at influencing 
7. Communications and tactics

Delegates must attend a minimum of one elective module:

1. Public campaigning and media management 
2. Influencing public policy and successful lobbying
3. E–campaigning and course review 

Including the completion a mid-term assessment and a final assessment.

Speakers from previous series have included:

• Brian Lamb, Director of Communications, RNID
• Mark Lattimer, Director, Minority Rights Group International
• Michael Meacher MP
• Dame Sally Powell
• Lance Price (former special adviser to Tony Blair)
• Martin Salter MP
• Bruce Wylie, Head of Activism, Amnesty International UK
• Liz Snook, Plane Stupid
• Jonathan Ellis, the Refugee Council

Want to know more?

How it could change your campaigning

"I have no doubt that NCVO's ground-breaking Certificate in Campaigning will be producing many, if not all, of the coming generation of top-flight campaign managers. If you intend to change the world, this is the course for you."
Participant, series one

"The Campaigning Effectiveness Certificate should be essential training for all voluntary and community sector organisations – regardless of whether they currently undertake campaigning or advocacy or not. The insights one gets from the course helps to de-mystify the common assumptions so often made in the voluntary sector. Just having one’s eyes opened to the systems and processes one should (or could) use is worth its weight in gold"
Mark Reedman, Chief Executive Consortium of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Voluntary and Community Organisations

"The course combines theory with practical examples to encourage us to apply what we have learnt to our own situation.  We are learning the specific skills and techniques to help develop a successful campaign.  Being able to deploy those techniques saves time and other resources, but most importantly helps to identify the quickest route to achieving change."
Andrew Campbell, Development Manager Voluntary Norfolk

Read Times, Public Agenda feature on how Julie Bentley, former chief executive of the Suzy Lamplugh found the course here

For further information contact Davinder Kaur at davinder.kaur@ncvo-vol.org.uk or on 020 7520 2505.

The Certificate in Campaigning is part of the campaigning and advocacy workstream, led by NCVO and funded by Capacitybuilders.