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Political Literacy Audit - Community organisations and NGOs

Choose all or part of your organisation to assess for political literacy. Tick the column that most accurately describes you or your organisation. Follow the instructions to find the percentage of political literacy potential being achieved by you or your organisations.

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Context

1. Paid and unpaid staff understand their value and their role in the organisation.

2. Staff understand the lines of command within the organisation.

3. Staff understand how laws are made and amended.

4. Staff are aware of legislation which influences the operations of the organisation.

5. Staff understand organisational priorities.

6. PR, lobbying, policy and research staff all understand government priorities influencing the sector.

7. Managers regularly update staff on policy and legislative changes which are underway, and explain the rationale for changes.

8. Staff are encouraged to read newsletters, media releases, and other literature from Parliament, government agencies and from elsewhere within the sector.

9. Staff are trained to ask questions about the best practice for the development of campaign advice or implementation of policy.

10. Staff are aware of amendments and policy developments which will effect the operations of the organisation.

11. Staff are aware of the decision- making structure of the organisation and how to influence it.

12. Staff are aware of the decision making structures of government, parliament and cabinet and how to influence them.

Collaboration

1. Managers and staff are encouraged to work with counterparts in other NGOs and community organisations.

2. Managers, research and policy staff regularly meet with counterparts in government agencies operating in the sector.

3. There are mechanisms for communicating with relevant sector groups.

4. Lobbying, policy and research staff maintain active relationships with international counterparts.

5. Managers actively seek input and advice from other community and NGO organisations

6. Networks are regularly maintained and updated.

Parliamentary resources

1. Someone is responsible for monitoring relevant parliamentary literature

2. The person responsible for monitoring parliamentary activity brie fs the rest of the staff on a regular basis.

3. Staff understand the parliamentary timetable.

4. Managers and staff have access to reference resources which identify and explain parliamentary personalities and processes.

Report writing

1. Writers know and understand for whom they are writing.

2. Writers understand the expectations and needs of the sector.

3. Writers seek input and feedback from other staff members and key stakeholders and are able to incorporate feedback into the final document.

4. Writers are able to use a range of language styles to meet the needs of target readers.

5. Writers understand the need for well-researched choices backed up by an understanding of political imperatives.

Agendas

1. Managers are able to communicate the organisation’s agenda and the timeframe for achievement.

2. Managers and staff are aware of conflicting political agendas and the potential impact on current operations.

3. Staff actively seek opportunities to influence political agendas.

4. Managers understand the political climate and look for opportunities to advance the goals of the organisation.

5. Managers and staff understand the context of local agendas in the national and global context, including the relevance of international agreements (e.g. Declaration on the Rights of the Child).

6. Staff and managers work with other advocacy and activist organisations to develop political strategies for action.

7. Managers regularly meet with Ministers and Government advisors for briefings and discussion.

8. Managers are aware of significant personalities and their political agendas.

Campaigns

1. There are effective channels for contributing to current or on-going campaigns, which impact or influence the organisation.

2. Your organisation has protocols for dealing with media questioning and probing and everyone is aware of these.

3. All staff understand campaign objectives and timeframes.

4. Staff are encouraged to ‘schmooze’

5. Staff understand the difference between leading, and contributing to, campaigns.

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