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by Jay Kennedy, Policy Officer, Directory of Social Change
In our October quick survey we asked: Changing the world? Do you make a difference through lobbying, advocacy, campaigning, protesting, or petitioning? Find out what DSC says about changing the world.
The results – 355 responses*
- Lobbying – 41%
- Advocacy – 57%
- Campaigning – 55%
- Protesting – 19%
- Petitioning – 21%
*Respondents could select more than one option – the percentage next to each option indicates the proportion of respondents who selected that particular option.
There were also 81 written comments received. Several themes emerged in the comments that people left.
A number of people noted that education, training, and learning are also important ways of ‘changing the world’.
"All of the above have their advantages, however, the one thing you have either overlooked or chosen to leave out is LEARNING, this is what I would say is the most productive way for individuals, groups, community and society to make a difference."
"And information sharing - knowledge being the key to individual and collective empowerment…"
"You should have 'other' as effective change is often achieved through education, information, forum and discussion."
Others pointed out that providing help directly to people was an important way of achieving change, and was fundamental to what the sector is all about.
"Whilst I am also a Trustee of an organisation helping people with their problems (Counselling), I work for a charity delivering Lifelong Learning. I am therefore disappointed you have left off 'direct service delivery' from your list. We believe we change the world by helping people to change through the services they receive. Is not our sector about people at the end of the day?"
"None of these - we change the world by making a difference to individual peoples' lives."
Some people suggested that taking individual responsibility was key.
"The world is too big but we can change our parts of it by our actions with each other. It is the small things in life that really change things."
"Giving money and how I live my own life. 'Be the change you wish to see'. And membership of relevant groups."
A few respondents felt that it wasn’t possible to distinguish between the categories, or that they were all necessary in different ways:
"I'm not clear about the point of this distinction - we campaign, which necessarily involves some lobbying and advocacy, and sometimes some protesting too - but constructively!"
"Horses 4 courses. Timely dose of carrot and stick specially dealing with any aspect of central or local government’s policy is the best way of getting attention…timely mixture of all of the above is usually a good way of getting somewhere and still retaining your own sanity."
"No one area works without the others."
And finally, some sage advice that defied categorisation:
"Small and steady incremental steps deliver change."
"And a long term view - built on a sense of humour."
Find out what DSC says about changing the world.