Introduction

Advocacy is a powerful tool in public health, central to protecting and promoting health and well-being. This toolkit aims to help all those working to improve health to think through, plan and undertake advocacy work. The toolkit provides a model for the advocacy process and can be used to identify training needs, point to resources for developing skills and competencies and provide a framework for action.  There is scope for the toolkit to continue to grow and develop, particularly if others in the public health community take ownership of it and contribute feedback, resources and suggestions. 

The toolkit is available both as a printed and web based resource. The printed version provides a basic guide to advocacy while the website, in addition to the toolkit, has cross-referenced resources to provide further information on each section of the model.

 

What is advocacy in the context of public health?

Quote
 ‘Advocacy is an important tool and includes lobbying, political organisation and activism, overcoming bureaucratic inertia, identifying a champion for the cause, enabling community leaders and mediating to manage conflict.’

5th Global Conference on Health Promotion

Advocacy is increasingly recognised as a key element of the public health role in promoting health and well-being.  Public health in the context of the toolkit includes all work to protect and improve health and involves people from all sectors and disciplines.
Advocacy can be defined as:
 ‘the pursuit of influencing outcomes – including public policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions – that directly affect people’s lives’.

As with other work to improve and protect health, advocacy requires careful planning to ensure effectiveness.  An effective advocate has been described as someone with the ability to 'utilise available evidence and knowledge about an issue to push for improved public health over the long-term'.

Advocacy can be carried out by the people affected by an issue or problem, by other people representing them, or by both groups together. Advocacy is often more powerful if those affected by the problem or issue are involved in or lead the process.
When acting as an advocate by representing others, it is important to ensure that their opinions and interests are presented fairly. This means having an understanding of the issue from a range of perspectives -  for example, from the evidence base found in the published literature - and how the issue is perceived by those most directly involved. In some instances it may be necessary to have permission from those affected by the issue to advocate on their behalf. Having permission or the 'right' to advocate for other people is known as 'legitimacy'.

It is also important to ensure that advocacy work is supported within relevant organisational systems, by managers, and by external funders but it is often the case that it will require 'advocacy' to gain their support!


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