Strategic P lanning for NGOs: Tips for Effective Policy Intervention

1. Strategic Planning for NGOs:Tips for Effective Policy Intervention Rick Lines Canada Riga, Latvia – April 2003

2. What is Policy Analysis? Public policy analysis can be defined as the systematic study of the responses that governments take in trying to deal with social, economic, or political problems. Dr. Gerald Thomas John Howard Society of Canada

3. Why Should NGOs be Interested in Developing Policy? • Public policy has a significant effect on the political and social environment in which we work. • NGOs have unique and important experience and expertise to contribute to social and political decision-making. • Positively affecting public policy development and/or implementation can have significant positive outcomes for our constituencies.

4. The Policy Cycle

5. Barriers to NGOs Engaging in Policy Development • Perception of a lack of expertise • Lack of familiarity with the process • Limited resources • Burdens of front-line service delivery • Lack of confidence

6. What is your Policy Objective? • Highlight an issue or problem that the government is currently ignoring. (agenda setting) • Propose or explore potential policy responses to a given issue. (policy formulation) • Influence the selection of a potential policy response. (policy legitimation) • Improve the implementation of a law/ policy/program. (implementation) • Evaluate a law/policy/program that has been implemented. (evaluation) • Change/terminate an existing policy. (policy termination or change)

7. Preparation • Identify gaps in current knowledge or debate, or needs that are not being addressed. • Determine your own organisational position, and ability to respond. • Identify concrete ways that the current policy or response should change. • Prepare to defend your proposals. • Decide the best way to intervene.

8. Examples of Positive Policy Interventions • Pro-active vs. Reactive Interventions • Write a formal policy document on an issue • Primary or secondary research • Organise a policy briefing for legislators • Letters to decision-makers • Use of media

9. 10 Tips for Effective Policy Intervention • Don’t assume knowledge on the part of the decision-makers or legislators. • Target your intervention. • Provide positive proposals and options. Stay away from mere critique. • Keep it short and focused. • Provide case studies for illustration. • “How did this policy affect person x?”

10. 10 Tips for Effective Policy Intervention • Use national and international documents to support your position. • WHO, UN, EU, etc. • Use proxies wherever possible. • Opposition politicians. Larger NGOs. Coalitions. • Start with international best practice, and make recommendations to close the gap. • Link your position to resources. • Evaluate your intervention and build your credibility.

11. Sources Discussion with Shannonbrooke Murphy, Parliamentary Secretary for Aengus O Snodaigh, TD, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Justice, Equality, and Law Reform, Leinister House, Dublin (March 2003). Dr. Gerald Thomas. JHSC Policy Analysis Enhancement Project Participant Handbook, Version 1 (John Howard Society of Canada, Kingston: December 5, 2001).

12. Strategic Planning for NGOs:Tips for Effective Policy Intervention Rick Lines ricklines@yahoo.com