Tidal Power in the Severn Estuary

Lessons for Advocacy

Martin HarperHead of Sustainable

Development

What is advocacy?

• Advocacy is effectively communicating with and influencing a target audience who can deliver your objective

• An advocacy programme is the way that we equip and organise ourselves to deliver a set of agreed advocacy objectives (usually to secure change in policy, legislation, attitudes or behaviour).

Strategic objectives

• To save the Severn• To tackle climate change• To protect the EU Nature

Directives

26 January 2009 Announcement• Shortlist of 5 options including CW

barrage• £500,000 for innovative solutions with

commitment to consider at end of phase 2.

Result – score draw?

But it is only half time…

Advocacy lessons

• Clarify advocacy objectives• Identify target audiences, stakeholders,

partners• Power analysis• Determine critical path• Use tools and tactics which match the situation• Review and prepare to adapt tactics• Be persistent• Evaluate success• One minute advocacy message

Power analysis

+ve favourability-ve favourability

+ve importance

-ve importance

x

x

x

xx

Critical Path

• How do you want the outside world to be different if you are successful?

• What needs to change in order for you to make progress towards your objective?

Questions

1. What practical ways do you think we could have improved our advocacy plan?

2. How can you practically apply these lessons to your situation?

3. What other top tips for advocacy and campaigning would you like to share?

One minute advocacy message• One statement• One fact• One example• One recommendation