Stronger Health Advocates Greater Health Impacts: Tools of the Trade

According to PATH, local health advocates play a pivotal role in the development and implementation of policy change to improve health in their countries. Having the potential for a deep understanding of the issues and strong, established relationships with members of their communities and governments, these advocates may have the knowledge and connections to get their voices heard as they seek to ensure that necessary resources, policies, and political will are available. These resources are designed to help both new and experienced advocates assess policy advocacy options, plan goals and activities, and develop a comprehensive strategy for advocacy impact.

PATH has developed an approach to policy advocacy strategy development [PDF] based on a 10-part framework [PDF] to help assess policy advocacy options and make strategic decisions about policy advocacy goals and activities. This 10-part framework, available in English and French, provides the foundation for a policy advocacy strategy workshop that is designed to enhance the capacity of organisations to make an impact at various levels (global, national, sub-national) through strategic policy advocacy.

Designed for individuals who work on health issues in low-resource settings, the purpose of the 3-day Workshop Curriculum on Policy Advocacy Strategy Development is to increase the understanding and skills among participants to:

• Differentiate policy advocacy from other types of advocacy.
• Identify the components of a policy advocacy strategy.
• Identify policy advocacy solutions to address global health challenges.
• Design tactics to influence decision-makers.
• Develop a policy advocacy strategy using a 10-part framework.

Stronger Health Advocates Greater Health Impacts: A Workshop Curriculum on Policy Advocacy Strategy Development is a menu of tools is meant to enable advocates and facilitators to build the capacity of their own and other organisations. It includes the following:

• Stronger Health Advocates, Greater Health Impacts: A Workshop Curriculum on Policy Advocacy Strategy Development, Facilitator's Guide [PDF] - available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Vietnamese. The curriculum package includes the following materials needed to conduct a policy advocacy strategy workshop: workshop objectives; daily agendas and session learning objectives; step-by-step instructions to facilitate sessions, activities, and small group work; suggested talking points; PowerPoint slides; case studies on a number of global health issues; activity materials and exercise worksheets; and auxiliary materials, including workshop planning and evaluation tools.
• Stronger Health Advocates, Greater Health Impacts: A Workshop Curriculum on Policy Advocacy Strategy Development, Facilitator's Slide Set [PPT]
• Stronger Health Advocates, Greater Health Impacts: A Workshop Curriculum on Policy Advocacy Strategy Development, Training of Facilitators Manual [PDF] - available in English, French, Spanish
• Stronger Health Advocates, Greater Health Impacts: A Workshop Curriculum on Policy Advocacy Strategy Development, Training of Facilitators Slide Set [PPT]
• Stronger Health Advocates, Greater Health Impacts: A Workbook for Policy Advocacy Strategy Development [PDF] - available in English, French
• G/3 Learning, a PATH site that offers a programme with comprehensive information and interactive learning opportunities in global health advocacy and policy.

In addition to the above, there is a Workshop Curriculum on Strengthening Advocacy Coalitions. Packaged as a 4-day intensive workshop, it is designed to help new coalitions:

• Craft an inspirational mission statement.
• Identify the coalition's advocacy goals.
• Determine membership criteria and a structure for leadership and coordination.
• Develop operational tools and processes to encourage productivity and efficiency.
• Create a preliminary coalition charter, advocacy work plan, and fundraising strategy.

This package includes:

• Stronger Health Advocates, Greater Health Impacts: A Workshop Curriculum on Strengthening Advocacy Coalitions, Facilitator's Guide [PDF]
• Stronger Health Advocates, Greater Health Impacts: A Workshop to Strengthen Advocacy Coalitions, Facilitator's Slide Set [PPT]