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Social Change Training Manual
CAMPAIGN PLANNING
Presenter: Karen Alexander
This brief paper does not detail how to decide the priority of a particular nor the process of strategy planning. It is simply checklist of the sorts of things you would bring to a meeting which was going to address strategy, after you have decided a particular campaign is a priority.
CHECKLIST FOR PLANNING MEETING
1. Background information on issue and its context
What do we know about the issue and the possible on-ground solutions and the reliability of this information.
- What don't we know.
- What do experts think and what research/literature is there.
- Legislative background and opportunities.
- Any previous history on this issue from our group or other groups, within the bureaucracy or industry.
- Stakeholders - who are they?
- What other environment groups are doing
- What actions/policies do the other stakeholders have
- Decision makers: who precisely can make the final decisions to achieve your goal(s)?
2. Who are the possible decision-makers on the way?
Who or what influences these decision-makers (eg World Vision has an Advisory Board made up of business men, they could use them to influence Howard rather than a letter writing campaign reflecting voter interest) Do you know for sure who or what influences them? Be creative here but also try to be as specific as possible eg Public opinion is all very well, but WHO within The Public and why?
(Examples of influence: business community - but which bits, the voters - but which ones. Any information about the attitudes to the issue from any of the stakeholders.)
3. Timetable of:
- Known related events, possible decision-making dates;
- Draft ideas for dates for Strategic Plan.
4. Strategic planning:
Maybe draft Strategy Plan OR at least a proposal for a process to get a Strategy Plan including looking at the role of media, public awareness, long term objectives, short term aims, action plans to achieve them.
Image of campaign - direct action or the more established routes etc. Resources needed: eg training, equipment for those involved, what are the funding options, support base.
5. Check your assumptions
Our assumptions: what are our own biases eg do we really KNOW what some of the other stakeholders think or just what we read in the newspapers?
6. Who to get involved
Careful selection of those interested in issue within organisation PLUS people with any other skills/knowledge which have identified (unless get this ahead of time).
Draft agenda (preferably circulated for input), briefing notes, including jargon. Proposals re ongoing nature of group: whether it would be that group or something else, its nature - formal/informal, if there is to be a follow-up meeting, how results of meeting communicated to attendees.
3.2 CAMPAIGN IMPLEMENTATION
Presenter: Bob Burton
The following paper uses an imaginary case study as an example the of key facets which make up a process of considering and implementing a campaign.
The basics of the scenario:
A mining company has applied for an exploration licence over an area that adjoins the Lakes National Park in central west NSW. The Lakes National Park is noted for its migratory bird life and scenery. While the exploration licence is outside the park it overlaps with a proposed extension to the park designed to include the entire catchment of the Boondocks River. The area is little known by most conservationists, let alone the public.
The local Aboriginal community, however, know the area well. The Boondocks Aboriginal Corporation, have lodged a Mabo claim over the National Park and the surrounding area, including the area covered by the proposed exploration licence.
The exploration licence is for gold and the company is hopeful of finding a major deposit especially given that the area was mined for gold 80 years ago.
The mining company, Everyday Resources Inc, is a major Australian mining company with projects in Australia, including one 40 km away at Boondocks East. It also has a number of operating mine sites overseas. Everyday Resources Inc has hired a big Sydney PR firm, Bill & Hole, to run its campaign for its exploration activities and possible mine.
The proposed mine is opposed by the Boondocks Environment Centre that works on a range of issues including soil erosion, forestry and a local council recycling program. It has never been involved in mining campaigns before.
The BEC receives 80% of its income from the Federal Government's Grants to Voluntary Conservation Organisations scheme which enables it to employ one part time coordinator. The dozen regular volunteers are fully occupied keeping the centre running and working on existing priorities. BEC is a reasonably conventional organisation with a membership elected Executive and a commitment to non-violence.
Virtually no-one else in the environment movement has much to do with BEC, though a few read their occasional newsletter. Sometimes the BEC manages to get someone to the annual conference of the NSW Conservation Council.
DIRECT ACTION!, a radical direct action group that thinks Earth First! are a bunch of wimps, is looking around for a new protest.
The local council is largely comprised of conservative farmers as well as a real estate salesman from Boondocks. The one progressive councillor, a sociology lecturer from the Boondocks University, is isolated on the council, apart from which no-one can understand what he is talking about.
There is also a pro-development grass roots group, Boondockers for Balanced Development, who are looking for a new issue to revive their flagging membership. They are pretty rabid and have been known to resort to harassment to get their way.
The State Labor Government is largely supportive of the mining industry but is dependent on the support of a Democrat and green inclined independents in the Upper House. The mining union is influential in the ALP Left and is not surprisingly, strongly pro-mining.
The local media is strongly pro-development while the state and national media know little about politics in the Boondocks area.
The cast is:
- Boondocks Aboriginal Corporation
- Boondocks Environment Centre
- NSW Conservation Council
- Mayor of the Boondocks Council
- Everyday Resources Community Relations Manager
- Boondockers for Balanced Development
- Department of Environment
- Chief Adviser to the Premier: The Editor of the Boondocks Bugle
- Mr and Mrs Middle Australia
- Direct Action
Your planning, should you choose to do it ....should reflect on what Napoleon, Cropper, Robertson and Forbes had to say. The script of the hypothetical will be based on Moyer's eight phases of a movement campaign.
Specifically you should think about the following:
- The lodging of the exploration licence;
- Research on your opposition;
- Legal actions
- Blockades;
- Police;
- Harassment;
- Building alliances; (not restricted to other members of the cast)
- Freedom of information requests
- Claims of monkey wrenching and "eco-terrorism".
- Scientific experts
- Burnout;
- Annual general meetings
- Media - local, state and national;
- A commission of inquiry;
- Decisions by the minister for environment and the premier;
Karen Alexander
P.O. Box 309
Emerald, Vic 3782
Phone: 03 59684651
Email: kalexander@peg.apc.org
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