Time is flying and our third module has come and gone already! Participants are beginning their deep dive into policy work and everything that surrounds it. We explored a multitude of topics this session, and participants are starting to develop the direction of their policy asks. Follow along to take a sneak peek into the themes we explored in this module.
Theory of Change
Aslam Bulbulia taught folks about Theory of Change within policy work and its relationship with practical versus complex changes. Participants connected Theory of Change with their policy asks and brainstormed which systems of power could be in play.
What is a Theory of Change? “A Theory of Change can be defined as the conceptual model for achieving a collective vision. A theory of change typically addresses the linkages among the strategies, outcomes, and goals that support a broader mission or vision, along with the underlying assumptions that are related to these linkages. Theories of change can be expressed in many forms but ultimately should explain how you get from ‘here’ to ‘there’.”
Through these teachings, participants were able to map out potential roadblocks in advancing their policy asks and brainstorm ways to overcome these challenges. Thank you for your knowledge, Aslam!
Stakeholder Analysis
Andrea Reimer joined participants for the afternoon session to teach more about stakeholder analysis. We learned about what stakeholders look like in a system, process, organization, and in public policy. Some questions that we explored included who a stakeholder is, if they all hold the same power or decision making ability, and how we can increase the voices of key stakeholders who may not be in decision-making roles.
So what is stakeholder analysis? Every community is compromised of multiple stakeholders who may have similar or competing interests. A stakeholder can be any person, group, or organization that is affected by an issue or action. Certain stakeholders tend to be heard louder and have more influence and power while others’ voices are often ignored. The participants learned about the different types of power and how to work with other types of power. We can’t thank you enough for everything, Andrea!
Finances Surrounding Advocacy Work
vibhor garg spent the day with us to share about the financial aspect of policy work. Participants learned about how finances intersect with the work they will do and reviewed definitions of budget, surplus, deficit, cashflow, revenue, return on investment, debt and in-kind costs in relation to policy work. vibhor talked about the importance of getting paid for your time, and how if they value you they will always find the money to pay you. He also shared about the importance of keeping track of administrative expenses, counting in-kind or donated items, and how to reallocate funds.
Participants learned about the importance of meeting with government officials who share common values as your policy ask, and how this can create movement, access information on who you should talk to, and help you gain an understanding of what relevant areas of government are already working on these issues. Folks even got to create a mock budget for an ask and worked through what finances were prioritized and where the money was coming from. Thank you for your time, vibhor!
BC Human Right Commissioner on Advancing Racial Equity
Kasari Govender wrapped up the final day of Module 3 with participants and shared more about her role as a BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner. Kasari led an interactive session full of dialogue among participants and deepened their knowledge of how the government advances recommendations made by a human rights commissioner. Folks learned more about how information is passed along the different levels of government and how the Humans Rights Code is about preventing discrimination. Kasari’s presentation on the BC Human Rights Commission coincides with what participants learned in Module 2 about Members of the Legislative Assembly and how to lean into the power they hold to help advance their policy asks. Thank you for your time and knowledge, Kasari!
Module 4 is just around the corner. Make sure to follow along on our Instagram stories for live updates on everything we’re learning together!
Stay in touch with the LEVEL YPP for more updates: https://levelvf.ca/#stay-in-touch
Learn more about the faculty and participants here: https://levelvf.ca/youth-policy-program/faculty-and-participants-2022/