As the culmination of phase one of APCASO’s Community Advocacy Initiative,
APCASO is pleased to launch its latest publication:
HIV Advocacy from the Ground Up:
A Toolkit for Strengthening Local Responses.
Community Advocacy Initiative
APCASO’s goal is strengthened national and regional responses to HIV and AIDS across the Asia Pacific region. In order to progress towards this goal, APCASO, in partnership with the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) and with support from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), began implementation of the Community Advocacy Initiative (CAI) in 2005.
Since mid-2005 CAI has focused on strengthening the advocacy capacity of a select group of community leaders and their organisations in Thailand and Indonesia, working with them to develop policy and advocacy-related strategies and plans. Over this time the CAI programme has implemented a range of activities including the development of community advocacy training materials, train the trainer workshops, community level workshops, and community advocates network meetings.
With the ongoing support of AusAID, the APCASO CAI programme is to be extended for another 3 years. During this time the programme will continue to build on its successes in Indonesia, as well as expand to include advocacy capacity development activities with CBOs and NGOs in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
The overall objective of the CAI is to expand and strengthen country-level community sector advocacy capacity. The workshop materials - HIV Advocacy from the Ground Up: A Toolkit for Strengthening Local Responses - will remain a core resource in future CAI activities.
Toolkit
HIV Advocacy from the Ground Up:
A Toolkit for Strengthening Local Responses
This Toolkit has been developed for HIV and AIDS related NGOs and CBOs working ‘on the ground’, and directly with most affected communities. Operating at the frontline of HIV and AIDS responses, the experiences and knowledge of these organisations are critical in the development of policy and programmes that reflect community needs and concerns. This resource will provide CBOs and NGOs with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively influence policy-makers at the local, national and regional levels.
Introducing a range of practical advocacy processes, skills and techniques, the Toolkit aims to strengthen the capacity of CBOs and NGOs to identify advocacy priorities as well as design, develop and implement effective advocacy programs.
In order to ensure its relevance, the Toolkit was developed in consultation and partnership with a range of community organisations including APCASO’s focal point organisations and those CBO’s and NGO’s participating in the CAI program in Thailand and Indonesia.
The toolkit adds to APCASO existing range of resources aimed at developing the capacity of NGOs and CBOs to undertake effective advocacy at the community, national, regional and international levels.
It is anticipated that the Toolkit will continue to be revised as the CAI programme expands into other countries and contexts. APCASO would also welcome feedback from any organisation that uses the Toolkit. Please write to us at cai@apcaso.org
The Toolkit is divided into four interlinking modules. These modules can be used together or separately.
The four modules are:
back to home page
HIV Advocacy from the Ground Up:
A Toolkit for Strengthening Local Responses.
Community Advocacy Initiative
APCASO’s goal is strengthened national and regional responses to HIV and AIDS across the Asia Pacific region. In order to progress towards this goal, APCASO, in partnership with the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) and with support from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), began implementation of the Community Advocacy Initiative (CAI) in 2005.
Since mid-2005 CAI has focused on strengthening the advocacy capacity of a select group of community leaders and their organisations in Thailand and Indonesia, working with them to develop policy and advocacy-related strategies and plans. Over this time the CAI programme has implemented a range of activities including the development of community advocacy training materials, train the trainer workshops, community level workshops, and community advocates network meetings.
With the ongoing support of AusAID, the APCASO CAI programme is to be extended for another 3 years. During this time the programme will continue to build on its successes in Indonesia, as well as expand to include advocacy capacity development activities with CBOs and NGOs in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
The overall objective of the CAI is to expand and strengthen country-level community sector advocacy capacity. The workshop materials - HIV Advocacy from the Ground Up: A Toolkit for Strengthening Local Responses - will remain a core resource in future CAI activities.
Toolkit
HIV Advocacy from the Ground Up:
A Toolkit for Strengthening Local Responses
This Toolkit has been developed for HIV and AIDS related NGOs and CBOs working ‘on the ground’, and directly with most affected communities. Operating at the frontline of HIV and AIDS responses, the experiences and knowledge of these organisations are critical in the development of policy and programmes that reflect community needs and concerns. This resource will provide CBOs and NGOs with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively influence policy-makers at the local, national and regional levels.
Introducing a range of practical advocacy processes, skills and techniques, the Toolkit aims to strengthen the capacity of CBOs and NGOs to identify advocacy priorities as well as design, develop and implement effective advocacy programs.
In order to ensure its relevance, the Toolkit was developed in consultation and partnership with a range of community organisations including APCASO’s focal point organisations and those CBO’s and NGO’s participating in the CAI program in Thailand and Indonesia.
The toolkit adds to APCASO existing range of resources aimed at developing the capacity of NGOs and CBOs to undertake effective advocacy at the community, national, regional and international levels.
It is anticipated that the Toolkit will continue to be revised as the CAI programme expands into other countries and contexts. APCASO would also welcome feedback from any organisation that uses the Toolkit. Please write to us at cai@apcaso.org
The Toolkit is divided into four interlinking modules. These modules can be used together or separately.
The four modules are:
 |
1. Understanding Advocacy Beginning with the question, “Why advocacy?” this book introduces the basics of advocacy, what it is and is not. Participants will gain a working definition and be able to relate it to their own local situation. Participants will also be able to arrive at an advocacy goal and understand the forms of advocacy and the elements that it comprise. | |
 |
2. Integrating Advocacy into Your Organisation This book begins by identifying the advocacy work that an organisation may already be carrying out. Using the 8-step framework, advocacy methodology and planning is explored in depth. A critical aspect of achieving success in advocacy work is identifying, understanding, measuring and reporting the impact of advocacy actions. The next part of the book explains the cycle of learning inherent in doing monitoring and evaluation at the ground level, and is preceded by a quick and fun exercise to review the stages of advocacy while introducing the need for and timing of both monitoring and evaluation in the planning process. The section ends with an assessment questionnaire which assist participants in creating a plan of action to integrate, or better integrate, advocacy into daily work. The book also contains an important chapter on gender and advocacy which includes ways to review methodology, actions, materials and networking so as to ensure that gender issues are incorporated in all that we do. | |
 |
3. Building Networks for Advocacy The overall aim of this book is to examine how networks can strengthen the impact of activities carried out by community-based organisations. The book further explains how through following eight key steps, networks can be sustained. The last part of the book of focuses on common issues that emerge in building networks and strategies in overcoming these strategies. | |
 |
4. Advocacy Action Tools This book contains ten action tools that comprise best practices that will help the user develop understanding and specific skills in the area of advocacy. The actions tools have been designed for development of specific skills that are needed in implementing the different forms of advocacy. It gives basic explanations of the most common activities, what to do and what not to do, in implementing the activity, tips, examples and samples of the activity where appropriate. The Advocacy Action Tools are on the following subjects: 1. Taking a seat at the table: Working inside the system 2. Affecting legislation and public policies 3. Lobbying or face-to-face meetings 4. Preparing a position paper and briefing notes 5. Writing and delivering a presentation 6. Understanding media advocacy 7. Writing and using a press release 8. Learning how to use media advocacy tools 9. Engaging the media 10. Using the internet for advocacy work |
back to home page