Young people and campaigning

Campaigning is organised action. It is a planned, coordinated and focused attempt to change something. It's not just something that happens out of thin air!

Campaigns are specific and need to have objectives and targets, often something needs to be done differently to achieve these targets.

Campaigns aim to bring about change and to make something substantially different from what it was before!

1. Law or policy: Such as laws on children in prison or a policy of a local authority to close a local youth centre.
2. An institution: Such as changing how a school operates or how a hospital deals with complaints.
3. Behaviour: Such as getting people to change negative attitudes towards children and young people or people from a minority group

Once you've decided what you want to achieve and who is going to help you then the fun can begin! You now need to persuade people to make change happen and here are a few ways you can do it...

A petition is a short statement calling for people to take action, which is then followed by a list of named supporters. It can help others see the strength of feeling on an issue. Remember though to keep it brief and focus on what you want your target to do and why it is in their interests. Always ask for a reply!

A demonstration is a gathering of people, usually with placards and banners, protesting about an issue; a march is a procession that moves between two places. Demonstrations and marches can be a lot of fun – they draw public attention to an issue and are loud and colourful. They make great media stunts and can produce good photos and videos!

Many politicians are very active on social networking sites like Twitter and most blog. You could comment on their blogs or even send them a tweet telling them what you’re doing. You may want to set up a Facebook page or blog about your campaign; it can take just minutes to set up and can become a real hub for you to spread the word. Remember to update your pages frequently and link to any campaign websites - it will ensure you keep people engaged throughout!

It’s not always easy to get a face-to-face meeting with the right people, but sending a letter is a good option. It can be the first step in building a relationship with decision-makers, helps get answers to important questions, and may even lead to a face-to-face meeting. Try to be as brief as possible, put your key messages at the beginning, and be clear about what you’re asking them to do!

Crowdfunding is a way of funding a specific project by raising donations from usually through a time limited campaign. You need to be clear about how much money you need and where it is going to go. As well as asking for funds you can also ask people to donate time and skills towards projects. And remember to encourage people to share your campaign when they donate!

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