Home
>
You can help
>
Campaign with us
>
Campaigns Handbook
>
Step 3: Identify and influence your target
My Breakthrough
Step 3: Identify and influence your target
With your campaign issue in mind, you need to think carefully about your target and routes of influence before you develop your campaign activities.
A target is the person, group or institution that has the power to decide whether or not to make the changes in policy or practice that are being sought by your campaign – they are the ones who can really make a difference. They can be both local and national: the Chief Executive of your local Primary Care Trust (PCT) is an example of a local target, whereas the Secretary of State for Health or the Prime Minister is a national target.
In some cases you might be able to go directly to your target to raise your campaign issue. However, it’s more likely that you’ll need to work through others to reach them – these are your routes of influence. Routes of influence don’t have the power to make the changes the campaign is seeking to make, but they might agree to help you make your case to the target. So key routes of influence like MPs or the media are able to influence your local or national targets.
Lots of campaigners think that as long as they write a letter or meet their MP they have run a campaign, but you need to make sure your activities are really going to help you reach your target.
It can be confusing thinking about who exactly has the power to make changes happen. We’ve outlined some, but by no means all, targets and routes of influence that you might find yourself approaching as your breast cancer campaign develops, as well as some ideas about other groups you could build alliances with in support of your campaign.
If you need more help, contact the Breakthrough staff, who are always available to provide you with expert guidance and support about who can effect positive change on your personal campaign issue and who you should speak to.
In some cases you might be able to go directly to your target to raise your campaign issue. However, it’s more likely that you’ll need to work through others to reach them – these are your routes of influence. Routes of influence don’t have the power to make the changes the campaign is seeking to make, but they might agree to help you make your case to the target. So key routes of influence like MPs or the media are able to influence your local or national targets.
Lots of campaigners think that as long as they write a letter or meet their MP they have run a campaign, but you need to make sure your activities are really going to help you reach your target.
It can be confusing thinking about who exactly has the power to make changes happen. We’ve outlined some, but by no means all, targets and routes of influence that you might find yourself approaching as your breast cancer campaign develops, as well as some ideas about other groups you could build alliances with in support of your campaign.
If you need more help, contact the Breakthrough staff, who are always available to provide you with expert guidance and support about who can effect positive change on your personal campaign issue and who you should speak to.
