Effective Policy

Advocacy
Beth and Benjoe
 OUTLINE
1. Definition of advocacy and policy advocacy?
2. Purpose of policy advocacy.
3. Elements in policy advocacy.
4. Developing and Using Power in the Policy-Enacting Task
5. Developing Political Strategy and Putting it to Action in the
Policy
6. Class sharing (How would you use them under present
pandemic conditions?)
Diversity and Advocacy
When we discuss about diversity, some automatically cite
unique cultures and perspectives of specific groups, such as
women, indigenous people, LGBTQIA+, PWD, senior citizens,
etc. But in social work we tend to go deeper to what is in our
basic understanding of diversity. We have to level of on how
these group of individuals were discriminated and judged.
Discrimination and prejudice already exist in contemporary
society, until now. Most affected population are called vulnerable
populations.
How are we going to minimize or
eradicate discrimination and
prejudice?
 It involves pressure to create change .
Proposing changes to an existing policy or
even create one if there is no policy being
made yet. It informs, educates, and
communicate to the people the benefits of
socio-economic policies that might impact
on their lives (Winjobi, 2013).
 The act or process of pleading or arguing
in favor of a cause, idea, group or policy. It
can be conducted at international, national,
regional or local levels (Sonke Gender
Justice Network, n.d.).
 Types of advocacies:
Feminist
Gender
Environmental
Confrontational
Legitimate
POLICY ADVOCACY
Egocentric
Demonstrative
Sectoral
Economic
Social Service
This advocacy involves executive or the legislative
sector of the government, taking action towards
changing the existing programs and policies or
enacting a new one for the benefit of all (Winjobi,
2013).
 It is solution-based. Instead of solving for one
person at a time, or simply raising awareness about
the problem, we can analyze the causes of a
problem and develop a policy-based solutions to
address these in a manner that creates sustainable
and enduring change (O’Connell, n.d.).
 PURPOSE
Is to get involve all authorities in dialogue so as to make
change in the existing policies that are anti-people and not
poor-responsive.

If there are no policies enacted before, the aim or purpose is

to push authorities to enact new policies that could support and
assist solutions to emerging issues that affect people’s lives.
Elements of Policy Advocacy
1. Legislative
a. Elected officials
b. Unelected officials or Bureaucrats
c. Lobbyists and Interest Groups
d. Public
e. Advocacy Groups

2. Media

3. Mobilization
LEGISLATIVE
- Political institutions have an enormous impact on social policy.
- There are three branches of government. Legislative
- These legislators have the responsibilities and powers that often
rival those of heads of government
- They can develop, approve, and reject legislation.
- They have the power to respond to legislation proposed by heads
of government and to introduce their own legislation
- When it comes to budgeting, legislators include the budget of the
proposed legislation. Although heads of government have their budget
plan but they cannot exceed the sum of the annual budget of the
legislators.
If a problem is found
- They can amend the legislation
- Convince executive branch officials to
correct the problems
- They can use public hearings to expose
issues, educate the public, hear feedback on
proposed legislation, and put political pressure
on heads of government and their appointees to
correct the problems.
MEDIA
- A method or strategy of advocacy
- Media has the power to influence anything and that includes that image of the government. The role of making a positive image to the audience can make an advocacy successful
- Constructs awareness and can even change audience’s opinion on issues
- Pushes public to action
- It could be a tool to pressure actors like government by placing them in the spotlight
- Investigate and exposes issues
- Influence government policy
Types
1. Print media (newspaper,
journals, magazine, etc.)
2. Electronic media (television
and radio)
3. Social media (twitters,
Facebook, Instagram, tiktok, etc.)
MOBILIZATION
- It subsumes synergizing the critical masses of the people,
financial, material and technical resources for a common purpose.
Resources includes individuals, groups, money, contribution in
kind, labor, expertise and administrative support, including premises
for meetings, supplies and equipment.
- Mobilizing the community is an essential strategy especially
when the legislation benefits them.
- Community mobilization is important because it improves
program or policy design, result and evaluation. The more they
participate, the feeling of ownership increases which could result to
community satisfaction.
 - Resource mobilization is also important to sustain the program or policy.
Here are some important things to remember when mobilizing resources:
A. Personal contributions – subscriptions, contribution in kind, income
generation activities, from all the members of the advocacy group.
B. External contribution – donation, legacies, sponsoring, collections,
contributions from institutions, companies and various organizations that
have been approached.
C. Letter writing – written message packaged and sent to someone for a
purpose including the conventional messages sent by post and email
messages sent through the internet. This is such a flexible technique that it
can be used in different ways. Letters can be directed to the necessary
authority to make a change on the issue addresses.
What are common to legislative, mass media
and mobilization policy advocacy?
 These are the elements used in social change through social policy
formulation, process, and implementation.

These serve as different arenas in a road map that play an important part
in policy advocacy.
What is unique to each one?
1. Legislative
- It involves elected officials, non-elected, advocates, lobbyists,
bureaucrats, and public
- Approves and rejects proposed legislations

2. Media
- Tool used to inform, pressure, and agitate individuals.

3. Mobilization
- It tackles more on the utilization of resources from the proposal to
assessment stage.
- skills development, budgeting, implementing and assessing.
Methods
1. Advocacy issue
2. Target person/group/institution
3. Advocacy objective
4. Evidences to support the advocacy
5. Skills and resources of your coalition
6. Timing – external political events, when a law is still in draft
form, immediately before a budgeting process, time of year, stage
of advocacy process.
In mobilizing on advocacy here are some concerns…
a. Magnitude of the problem
b. Political support
c. Socio-cultural context
d. Resources
e. Organization
f. Feasibility of Responses
g. History of community participation
h. Accessibility
i. Representativeness of other areas in the country
 Developing and using Power in the Policy-Enacting
Task
Real power involves transactional rather than unilateral relationships and
choice. Power’s transactional nature has important consequences for political
strategy.

Bachrach and Baratz “ force is not power because it gives people little or no
choice.
Person-to-person power is the process where the policy
advocate sometimes exert power in personal discussions with
others. It is most effective when the sender selects the kind of
power that the receiver is likely to honor.

Power resources includes expert, coercive, reward, referent and

authority, position, information, connections and value-based.
Lobbyists may use a variety of power resources in combination.
These power resources are particularly effective with legislators.
There are other power resources we have to learn beyond person-
to-person power.

1. Substantive power
2. Decision or procedural power
3. Process power
When to challenge policies or practices that you believe to be
unethical and that are supported by higher level staff and
officials?
 Discretion
This may depend on how the agency works whether top-down or
bottom-p. Some agencies depend on the higher ops to decide on
such issue but some let the lower ops decide since they have the
first-hand experience handling with clients. The only issue with
this is that some professional may take advantage of the power,
discriminating and isolating some of the clients.
 Compliance
Sometimes policies in an agency are unethical but still you are
asked to follow it. However, in this book, it teaches us how to
handle such situation. Keep noncompliance a secret even from their
supervisors by bending or ignoring rules. Comply with the official
policy but use every possible means to seek exemptions for specific
clients. Comply with official policy in every respect, even while
believing it to be defective. Comply while trying to change it.
Changing colleague’s behavior may also be one of the solutions in
changing a policy.
 Whistleblowing
An emerging literature suggests that staff members can ethically
publicize flawed policies and actions by divulging information to
persons outside the organization, such as members of the mass
media, legislators, state authorities, regulators, or funders. It is an
attempt to correct lapses by calling external parties into the
conflict.
How to obtain power resources in
policy enacting task?
 By building one’s credibility
Such tactics can emphasize that the individuals are reasonable and
pragmatic team players affiliated with successful institutions, who
have integrity and authoritativeness and a positive track record.

Appearing reasonable and pragmatic

Appearing to be a Team Player
Personal Integrity
Authoritativeness
Developing a positive track record
Affiliating oneself with Successful Institutions
Using Machiavellian Tactic
Illustrations from Policy Advocacy Challenge 10.7
 Networking
Extending the numbers and range of supportive relationships a
person has. It may be lateral network, vertical and subordinate
network, and heterogeneous network.

Enhance personal visibility

Obtaining Inclusion in Decision-Making Bodies
Seeking Mentors and Inclusions in Informal Groups
Developing Link with Social Movements
Developing and Implementing Policy
Advocacy Strategies 
What is a strategy in the context of policy
advocacy?
A strategy refers to a sequence of actions and verbal
exchanges that advocates believe will increase the
likelihood that a proposal for change will be enacted
Factors to Consider in Developing Strategy
-establish objective
-select extent of policy changes
-select a time frame
-examine distribution of powers
-identify contextual factors
-examine situational factors
-construct alternative scenarios
-develop a strategy
Seven (7) Steps in Formulating and Implementing Strategy
-organize a team or coalition
-establish policy goals
-specify a proposal’s content and get early sponsors
-establish a style
-select power resources and frame strategy
-implement strategy
-revise the strategy
Application of the 7 Steps to 3 Settings
-agency
-community
-legislative
Importance of the Following to Policy Advocacy
-working with task groups
-forming coalitions
-establishing networks
Major Strategies Used for Policy Advocacy
-Legislative 
-Media 
-Mobilization
How to do Policy Advocacy
under the Present Pandemic
Conditions
-mediatization 
-resource mobilization
Lessons from Social Sector Reform Cases
 Analytical Framework
‘The case studies use a conceptual framework that draws on the
long-running debate in political science concerning the
relationship between “structure” and “agency” to understand the
process that shape social sector reform outcomes.
 1. Reform processes are often long and complex. 
2. Reform processes are typically non-linear. 
3. Reforms need to be technically sound and politically possible. 
4. Effective coalitions and networks are essential to reform. 
5. The role of values and motivations in reform coalitions is unclear. 
6. Passionate, well-connected leaders drive change. 
7. The chief executive is important but there are limits to presidential
power. 
8. Framing the issue in a non-confrontational manner avoids unnecessary
controversy
9. Reform strategies require flexibility. 
10. External technical and financial support can be helpful. 
11. Align the stars and connect the dots. 
Vaccines, vaccines, vaccines ngayon!
Vaccines, vaccines, vaccines agad!
Vaccines, vaccines, vaccines nasan? 
How would you use them under present
pandemic conditions?
References

Jansson, B. (2014). Becoming an Effective Policy Advocate: From Policy Practice to Social Justice, 7th edition,

O’Connell, S. (n.d.). Policy Development and Policy Advocacy.

Sonke Gender Justice Network (n.d.). Policy Advocacy Toolkit: How to Influence Public Policy for Social Justice and Gender Equality in Africa

Winjobi, T. (2013). Essential Elements of Advocacy.