Brainstorming advocacy

Activity: this is a brainstorming activity that can be conducted using both online resources or just using post-its and a flip chart.

Through this brainstorm, focused on the advocacy and volunteering topics, participants will try to answer the following questions: what to advocate? who are the stakeholders and the target groups of an advocacy intervention? how to do it?

Time: 20 minutes.

Materials: post-its, pens; or computers to work online via the Dotstorming web site.

Dotstorming (https://dotstorming.com/) is a free interactive online tool you can use to help brainstorming ideas. It allows you to share images and text – chat with others and vote for the best suggestions.

Step 1

Description: present the following situation to the participants.

You recognise that volunteering is a fantastic way for young people to make their mark on a cause and learn new things along the way. You are part of a group in your local region seeking to raise the profile of volunteering and want to provide a way for youngsters to identify and select volunteering opportunities.

Visit the YouthMetre Dotstorming page and share ideas by answering these questions:
i) what will you advocate for?
ii) who are the key people to target for an advocacy campaign, and
iii) how will you achieve the goals of your campaign?

Note: you can create your own free DotStorming account and set this activity up independently of the one provided here for the groups you work with.

Step 2

Follow the sequence:
a) Add your ideas to Dotstorming
b) Examine all the ideas – add comments to the most interesting ideas, use the chat to discuss any issues
c) Vote for the best ideas (each person has up to 3 votes)
d) Combine ideas to make a synthesis of the best suggestions

Step 3

Brainstorming tips
− Build on the ideas of others
− Encourage wild ideas
− Go for quantity
− Be visual – DotStorming allows you to share images as well as text.
− One conversation at a time
− Defer judgement
− Stay focused on the topic

Debriefing: Cluster the ideas & synthesise the outcomes

Which were the most significant? – maybe having the greatest impact or needed most
Which are the hardest to achieve? – in terms of the process, or the resources needed