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Advocacy and Policy

Impacting Public Policy

Published on February 28, 2010

Why do important ideas to improve public policy seem to rarely get implemented? Is signing another petition going to achieve the results you want to see? Free and democratic societies need the active and vigorous participation of individuals and non-governmental organizations in order to thrive. We all benefit from greater involvement by civil society in the public arena of ideas in an increasingly digital world. Most of us have experienced the fact that impacting public policy requires more than just a passion for a cause and good research.

Five Good Ideas

  1. Building coalitions of people with diverse backgrounds
  2. Identifying champions and opinion leaders
  3. Developing an effective online presence
  4. Focused media and communications strategies
  5. Being prepared to act at key moments of change

Resources

  1. The Art of Possible (a handbook for political activism),
    Amanda Sussman, 2007 McClelland & Stewart
  2. What is Policy?, Sherri Torjman. Ottawa: Caledon Institute
    of Social Policy, 2005.
  3. Memorandum To Cabinet (Templates) by Privy Council Office, Government of Canada.
  4. Writing for Government: How to Write a Briefing Note, Susan Doyle, University of Victoria.
  5. Taking It to Hill Complete Guide, David Mcinnes, University of Ottawa Press