Stronger voice: Influencing locally

This session is now full, but we have a waiting list - email events@clinks.org to join it!

About the training

The aim of this three hour online workshop is for participants to understand where power lies at different levels of local and devolved government, how it can be challenged, co-opted and changed, how different types of local government work and how to engage with councillors and officers.

Participants will:

• Gain an understanding of how local government works and how formal local power is structured
• Look at the local civic infrastructure more widely to understand where power lies in a locality. This will include Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), NHS trusts, local press and others.
• Understand how to identify, explore and leverage sources of power in your area.

Who this event is for

This is aimed at a beginner and intermediate level organisations working in the criminal justice system who might rarely engage with policy and want to learn how they can influence decision makers; or have some experience but want to expand their knowledge.

For example, you know how regional or local policy impacts you but don’t know how to change it; you have been involved in campaigns before and want to learn how you can lead them in the future; or you know some of the levers of change but want to further develop your toolkit to achieve greater impact.

Training opportunities for organisations more experienced in policy and influencing will be made available later in the Stronger voice programme.

Eligibility criteria

As Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales is funding this programme of work, we are asking for the following criteria to be met:

• These events are open to any voluntary organisation working in the criminal justice system, though each event has a different capacity of attendee numbers to ensure the training is effective
• Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis, subject to eligibility and availability, though Clinks will reserve specific spaces for organisations working with people in contact with the criminal justice system that are led by and focussed on racially minoritised people
• Please only book one ticket per organisation as we expect there to be high demand for these events.

About the trainer

Chris Fairley is a grassroots campaigner, trade union organiser and laughably amateur carpenter from Luton.

Before working at SMK, Chris was a researcher and organiser in HOPE not hate’s Policy Team, exploring vulnerability and resilience to the far-right and fascism in England and Wales. He also ran the Development and Fundraising Team at Cambridge House, a social justice and anti-poverty centre in South London.

An experienced grassroots organiser, Chris is the founder of Britain Has Class, a Working Class youth campaign; a co-founder of health and human rights campaign In Your Corner; and a Director at the New Economy Organisers Network.

About Stronger voice

The Stronger voice training programme brings together experts across policy, campaigns and communications to support organisations of all sizes to influence decision makers. This programme is being delivered as part of Clinks’ three-year Stronger voice programme, funded by the Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales, and aims to help the voluntary sector working in criminal justice to develop a unified and influential voice, at both a national and regional level.