Time, Stress & Work Life Balance for Clerks with Beckie Whitehouse
CTA Roadshow 2018 - Making Your Voice Heard
1. Making Your Voice Heard
@CTAUK1|#CTARoadshow
Kira Cox
Project Manager
2. Outcomes of the session
To think about how to promote Community Transport by:
• Engaging with MPs
• Using social media
• Working collaboratively
• Talking to the media
3. In an ideal world…
Throughout the DfT consultation on section 19/22 permits , community
transport has been in the limelight more than ever…
But, if there had been no consultation and no urgency to show the value of CT
to politicians, or the public, would we be using the same tactics and talking
about it in the same way as we are now?
5. Talking to MPs
All Party Parliamentary Group - All-Party Parliamentary
Groups (APPGs) are informal, cross-party groups formed
by MPs and Members of the House of Lords who share
a common interest in a particular policy area, region or
country.
Early Day Motion - Early Day Motions (EDMs) are used
by MPs in the Commons to draw the attention of the
House to a particular issue, event or campaign. Other
MPs may show their support for an EDM by adding their
own signature to it.
APPG
EDM
6. Talking to MPs
Parliamentary Questions - A Parliamentary Question (PQ) is
a question put formally to a government minister about a
matter they are responsible for by an MP or a member of
the Lords. PQs may be asked orally - during ministerial
question time in either Chamber - or in writing.
They are used to seek information or to press for action
from the Government.
Filibustering - Filibustering is to deliberately waste
time during a debate by making overlong speeches or
raising unnecessary procedural points. In this way a Bill or a
motion may be 'talked out': stopped from making
progress within the time allowed.
PQs
Filibustering
7. Talking to MPs
• Start with what you do, not what you want
• Find ways to involve/engage them in your work
• Fit into their agenda and know what’s important to them
8.
9. Talking to MPs
• Start with what you do, not what you want
• Find ways to involve/engage them in your work
• Fit into their agenda and know what’s important to them
• Consider constituencies
• Talk about different options for concrete action
• Ask for their advice – and don’t ignore it!
10. Talking to MPs
• I know my MPs name
• I know which party they are in
• I have wrote to my MP since the DfT 31 July 2017 letter
• I have met with my MP in the past year
• My MP has asked a question about community transport during transport
questions / PMQs
• My MP attended the Westminster Hall debate on 10th May
• I am going to contact my MP about the APPG on Community Transport
after this roadshow!
12. Using Social Media
In 2017, Facebook had 1.79 billion monthly active users, Twitter had
317 million monthly active users and LinkedIn had 467 million
members.
13. Using Social Media - Volunteers
• Using social media is a great way to engage people (particularly younger
people) in your organisation.
• Initially it can take time to set up and get the hang of, BUT...
• It can be a big stepping stone to recruiting volunteers who can use their
time to support the organistion’s activities – social media or otherwise!
17. Working Collaboratively
What do you value when working with other organisations?
Change cannot happen without the active involvement, support and cooperation
of others. Collaboration therefore often lies at the heart of successful campaigning
and influencing and can be central to achieving lasting change.
Benefits of working together:
• Bring together a range of expertise knowledge, and experiences
• Lead to the sharing of resources and workloads
• Allow access to a broader base of supporters and therefore reach a greater
number of targets
• Enable you to apply pressure to decision makers at various levels
• Make a greater impact
19. Talking to the media
• What are the different types of media?
Print media – newspapers / magazines
Broadcast media – radio / TV / podcasts
Online media – websites / blogs / social accounts
20. Talking to the media
• Think about your proudest achievement in the past 18 months..
• Who did you tell about it?
• Often, we talk between ourselves but not outwardly about our
achievements
21. Talking to the media
Press coverage is still one of the
best ways to spread the word about
your charity on a budget.
It is important to have one key
person who deals with press
enquiries – particularly if they want
to use quotes!
22. Talking to the media – Think Local!
• Talk about real people
• Take advantage of breaking news stories to promote your organisation &
work
• Build relationships with journalists and producers
• Make the most of social media
• Be creative
• Say thanks!
23. Talking to the media – Press Releases
Why?
• It’s the best format to get your story to the media
• It will help you to get your story straight
• It will provide content ready for you and the media to use
When?
• Is it new?
• Is it unusual?
• Is it interesting?
• Is it about people?
• Is it relevant to the media you're targeting?
• Is it easy to understand?
24. Talking to the media – Press Releases
Main facts of your story
More detail
Additional
Background
25.
26.
27. Talking to the media – Press Releases
• Keep the paragraphs short
• Use simple, everyday language
• Provide facts, not opinion
• Offer extra content – pictures,
interviews etc.
• Keep the audience in mind – what will
interest and persuade them?
• Try to say too much
• Use jargon or acronyms
• Send it as an attachment – paste
it into the body of the email, it's
quicker and journalists are more
likely to read it!
28. Talking to the media – Press Releases
• Going back to your proudest achievement in the past 18 months, spend the
next 10 minutes drafting a short press release about it!
