I work at the McPin Foundation – a charity that aims to put lived experience at the centre of mental health research – which means we have both evidence-backed recommendations on what is and isn’t working in the sector, and a wealth of lived experience voices within our network.
Putting these two things together to influence the bigger picture through campaigning felt like a natural next step for us, but knowing how to do it felt like a bit of a mystery.
I have a communications background, my role at McPin is Senior Research Communicator, so, coming from a small organisation that doesn’t have loads of extra resource or campaigning experience, I wanted to dip my toe into this world to see if it was something we could do more of.
By hopping onboard SMK’s Campaign Carousel™, I’ve been able to get a good grounding on how to use what we already have to work smarter, not harder.
I’ve particularly loved the pick and choose element of the course, which allowed me to effectively build a syllabus that works for me.
It’s also been really great hearing from different experts in the area, and the blend of theoretical and practical is brilliant – I’ve come away with so many tools I can use day-to-day in my work.
All the sessions have been great but the digital campaign workshop had a great blend of case studies, theory and tools, which I’ll definitely be using – for example, the social change grid, and the formula for how to prioritise digital channels when planning a campaign.
What I’ve learnt from the case studies I’ve seen on the Carousel is that campaigning genuinely gives people the power to make a difference – and even if it’s not always successful immediately, it’s often a great way to start something so others can build on your work.
Everyone on the course has been incredibly supportive of each other. It’s been great to hear ideas of what’s worked in other sectors, and it’s inspiring to see a community of people who care about social change – which I think will be a real boost at times when things inevitably feel a little less optimistic!