Unit 7: Tactics

7.1 Introduction to Unit 7: Taking action to make change happen

A campaigner poses as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak outside of the Palace of Westminister, supporting the Make Polluters Pay Campaign.

This unit is your chance to select the tactics you are going to use and to make your final preparatory steps to take action.

Over the last few units you have worked on some of the key elements of laying the foundations for an effective campaign and influencing strategy to make change happen.

Your strategy must now include a clear plan of actions, or tactics, designed to achieve change informed by your understanding about the context, power, target audiences, appropriate narratives and messaging, and the space available for different kinds of influencing.

Learning from what you might have tried in the past, from what others have done, drawing on the knowledge of allies, using your imagination and trying different things, will all be key.

Small steps can lead to a bigger change so don’t worry about starting gradually, as long as you know where you are heading. Sometimes you might find that your action takes two steps forward and one step back. Do not be disheartened by this. Reflect on what happened, learn from it, and do things differently next time. Use your best judgement, which will steadily improve the more things you try, and talk to others. Rest assured you will never have all the answers; nor will anyone else.

Making change happen is very much a journey into the unknown, in which you feel your way. Being alert and responsive to shifts in the landscape and adapting accordingly is what makes an effective changemaker. You will also need to be clear on the risks you or others you are working with will be taking and think about how you will manage these risks.

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The graphic depicts eight equal-sized circles. At the centre is circle one and the seven other circles orbit around this central circle. Arrows point between the central circle and the outer circles. In the central circle it says Unit 1 understanding ourselves and our own assumptions. The outer circles have the following text. Unit 2 understanding context and how change happens. Unit 3 systems and power. Unit 4 collective action, changemaker characteristics. Unit 5 influencing, power mapping, partners and allies. Unit 6 influencing strategies, messaging and stories. Unit 7 campaigning tactics, action plan, risks. Unit 8 reflection, adaption, overcoming challenges. The Unit 7 circle is coloured green and all the other circles are coloured blue. This emphasises that you are on Unit 7 of the course.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this unit you will:

  • identify your key tactics/activities
  • create an action plan for implementing your change
  • identify the risks you will need to take and how to deal with them
  • identify how you can track progress as you take action
  • engage in a change action.

7.2 A Analysing Campaign Strategy and Tactics