COMMUNITY ORGANISING TRAINING
4. Planning Campaigns and Actions
Turning Strategy into Public Impact
Campaign planning is the bridge between ideas and visible results. It transforms shared purpose and goals into a structured plan of action that engages people, influences decisions, and strengthens the Association.
A campaign is more than a single event. It is a series of coordinated actions that move your community toward a goal, build credibility, and demonstrate what collective effort can achieve.
Planning campaigns carefully ensures that energy, time, and resources are used effectively and that every action contributes to progress.
1. Understanding What a Campaign Is
A campaign is a focused effort designed to achieve a specific outcome within a defined period of time. It is built on three essential elements:
- A clear and achievable goal
- A realistic timeline
- A strategy that connects everyday actions to the final objective
Campaigns can take many forms: advocacy for a local decision, a community event that raises awareness, or a project that delivers a visible improvement to the area.
Whatever the form, the purpose is the same — to demonstrate organised community influence.
Practice:
- Write a short description of your campaign goal and what success will look like.
- Identify who has the power to make the decision or change you are seeking.
- Set a timeframe. When do you want to see the first outcome?
Trainer’s Reflection:
In one early campaign, we began without a clear end date. Meetings felt busy, but progress was slow because there was no agreed point of completion.
Once we set a date for presenting our proposal to council, everything became more focused.
A deadline gives structure, and structure gives momentum.
2. Building a Strategy
Strategy is the plan that connects where you are now to where you want to be. It outlines how your
Association will use its resources, relationships, and timing to influence the outcome.
A strong strategy includes:
- A power map: identifying decision makers, allies, and opponents
- A timeline: setting key stages and milestones
- A communication plan: deciding how information will reach members and the public
- Roles and responsibilities: assigning clear tasks to individuals or teams
Try this approach:
- Gather your core team to map who holds influence on your issue.
- Identify who supports your goal, who might oppose it, and who could be persuaded.
- Decide what actions or messages will reach each group most effectively.
In Practice:
During one local campaign, we created a simple power map using sticky notes on a wall.
Decision makers went in one column, potential allies in another, and community supporters in a third.
Seeing these relationships visually helped us understand where to focus energy and who to speak with first.
That exercise alone saved weeks of unfocused effort.
3. Choosing the Right Tactics
Tactics are the actions your group takes to apply pressure, build awareness, or demonstrate support. They make your campaign visible.
Good tactics are creative, achievable, and aligned with your purpose. Each one should build participation and move you closer to your goal.
Common types of tactics include:
- Direct communication, such as letters or meetings with decision makers
- Public events that draw attention to your cause
- Media engagement, such as opinion pieces or local news stories
- Petitions or submissions that show measurable support
- Visible actions that highlight the issue without alienating potential allies
Practice:
- Brainstorm a list of possible actions, large and small.
- For each idea, ask: Does this advance our goal? Will it attract people or divide them? Can it be achieved safely and legally?
- Select a mix of actions that vary in scale and visibility.
Trainer’s Reflection:
The best tactics often come from the group itself, not from one person’s plan. I once assumed a large event would make the biggest impact, but it was a small, well-timed photo in the local paper that gained council attention. The lesson was clear: effectiveness matters more than size or noise.
4. Managing Time and Momentum
Every campaign has a rhythm. There are moments of energy and periods when progress slows. Good planning anticipates both.
Create a timeline that includes preparation, launch, follow-up, and review.
Keep meetings focused on the next immediate step, and celebrate small wins along the way.
Try this approach:
- Break your timeline into three stages: build-up, action, and reflection.
- During the build-up, focus on preparation and communication.
- During action, maintain clear coordination and visibility.
- During reflection, evaluate what worked and plan the next phase.
In Practice:
Our group once ran a campaign that lasted six months. At the halfway point, enthusiasm began to fade. We paused to hold a community event that celebrated our progress and reminded everyone why we started. That renewal of purpose carried us through to the finish.
5. Coordinating Teams and Roles
A campaign’s success depends on cooperation. Clear roles prevent confusion and make participation rewarding.
Assign responsibilities for communication, logistics, media, event management, and follow-up.
Encourage members to take ownership of small but meaningful tasks that use their strengths.
Practice:
- Create a written list of campaign roles with names beside each.
- Make sure every person knows who to contact for decisions or updates.
- Rotate roles occasionally so that more members gain experience.
Trainer’s Reflection:
One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was trying to do everything myself. Delegation is not just about workload. It is about trust. When others take on responsibility, they invest emotionally, and the campaign becomes theirs too.
6. Communicating During a Campaign
Communication keeps people connected to the purpose of the campaign.
Update members regularly, share progress, and ensure everyone understands how their efforts contribute to the wider goal.
Externally, consistent messaging builds credibility and helps the public see that the Association is organised and representative.
Try this approach:
- Choose one person or small team to coordinate messages and updates.
- Keep communication factual, timely, and positive.
- Encourage members to share successes on social media or through local newsletters.
Trainer’s Insight:
During one campaign, we made it a rule that no update was too small to share. Every milestone, from a letter received to a small media mention, was reported. This constant communication built morale and made everyone feel part of the movement.
7. Reviewing and Learning from Campaigns
Every campaign, whether it achieves its goal or not, teaches valuable lessons.
Reviewing what worked and what did not helps future actions become more focused and effective.
Reflection:
- After a campaign ends, gather your team and ask: What went well? What surprised us? What would we do differently next time?
- Record these lessons in a shared document or folder for future members.
- Acknowledge everyone’s contribution, regardless of the result.
Trainer’s Reflection:
Some of our best improvements came after campaigns that did not go as planned. When we looked back, we realised our greatest mistake was failing to evaluate properly. Reflection is not about blame. It is about growth, and it is how good organisers become great ones.
Summary:
Planning campaigns and actions brings strategy to life. It connects people, purpose, and timing in a way that produces measurable change and lasting confidence.
Through clear planning, realistic goals, and shared leadership, your Association demonstrates that organised communities can act with influence and integrity.
This topic prepares you for the next stage: Communication and Public Engagement, where you will learn how to amplify your message, build alliances, and represent your cause effectively.
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Next Steps
Once your group is active and organised, use the Heritage Australians Constitution Toolkit to formalise your Association, elect a committee, and connect into the wider movement.