How UNICEF Australia partnered with Advoc8 to supercharge its grassroots advocacy.

Partner Profile

UNICEF Australia is a national committee of UNICEF, which advocates for the rights of all children and works to improve public and government support for child rights and international development. A core part of its advocacy strategy involves building trusted relationships with government representatives, and leveraging their vast network of sponsors and supporters.

Business Need

UNICEF Australia partnered with Advoc8 to support the advocacy efforts of its child rights advocacy and youth participation work. This grassroots work gives young people a platform to speak up for children’s rights and discuss policy issues that affect their lives. Part of this work involved a week of face-to face meetings between UNICEF Australia’s Young Ambassadors and 50 Federal MPs.

Before Advoc8, UNICEF Australia’s policy and government relations teams used spreadsheets to track stakeholder interactions and relationships. The spreadsheets didn’t talk to each other, and contacts were held across multiple team members. This meant that UNICEF Australia staff and the Young Ambassadors wouldn’t have quick and easy access to meaningful information about MPs when they needed it most - busy days in Parliament. Meetings with MPs were many but brief, so they had to be productive.

Working in Partnership

Using Advoc8’s web app, staff and the Young Ambassadors were able to make the most of their meetings. A real-time record of meeting notes and activities ensured their messages were consistent, and time wasn’t wasted covering old ground. Everyone arrived on time to meetings thanks to the Parliament room numbers Advoc8 stored, and staffer details UNICEF Australia tracked in their account.

UNICEF Australia and the Young Ambassadors were also able to more readily engage MPs by preparing interactive maps showing the organisation’s presence in their electorate and leaving behind printouts.

“Many MPs were interested in connecting with Young Ambassadors from their electorate, with some MPs subsequently becoming more involved with us.”

– UNICEF Australia Head of Govt. Relations

Results

1. 1 day a week in admin saved (contact management, research and report writing)
2. 85% return on investment
3. Engaging content for MPs
   

In their own words…

According to UNICEF Australia’s Head of Government Relations:

UNICEF Australia has benefited from Advoc8. It has reaped the rewards of Advoc8’s software and data, and improved communication across the organisation. As a result of Advoc8, we have found it easier to work with Government, helping us to establish the relationships needed to be successful in our advocacy deliverables within the Australian Political landscape.

We now have a clear line of sight over who is meeting with whom; what’s discussed; outcomes and follow up, which allows us to easily pick up the conversation and quickly build upon earlier interactions without spending too much time covering old ground.