Take a Step: a guide to local influencing

Getting to grips with local influencing is essential: more decisions about how services are run are being made at a local level and voluntary organisations and their clients are crucial to supporting local democracy.

Influencing your local councillor, media or partner organisations may seem daunting, but there is no one in a better place to do this than you. You’re the expert on your community and you’re the person or organisation that will be directly affected by local decisions. Because of this, it’s you that local decision makers want to talk to most.

That’s why we’ve worked with our members to create this resource, taking you through the key steps to influencing local decision makers and providing tips and tools to help you along the way.

Have a plan
Clarify what the specific issues are in your local area and what it is that you want to change.
Work in partnership
In any local influencing work, you will need to decide who you want to target and how to approach them.
Run a campaign
Campaigning is an effective way of bringing about change by raising awareness of an issue and giving people a voice to take action against it.
Work with your council
Your council has the power to make decisions about how your community is run and to commission services.
Involve the media
Telling your stories through media and social media will help raise awareness of your cause, and could help you gain support.
Take a Step
What practical steps are people and services taking to end homelessness and rough sleeping?