AAC Training Hub

Advocacy Capacity Strengthening for the advocacy community

Advocacy Capacity Strengthening is one of the Advocacy Accelerator’s key focus areas, building the capacities of advocates, technical assistance providers (TAPs), and donors.  

Since targeted advocacy requires specific skills, tools, tactics and strategies, we recognize the need for providing learning spaces across sectors and regions required for durable and impactful advocacy.  The Advocacy Accelerator approach is values driven with the goal of driving locally based advocacy. 

The Advocacy Accelerator provides diverse advocacy learning spaces both interactive in-person and virtual spaces alike, helping strengthen core advocacy skills. 

The Advocacy Accelerator provides public benefit opportunities of learning at no cost as well as bespoke organisational training programs to numerous advocacy organisations, networks and movements as well as donor advocacy ecosystems The Accelerator is increasingly recognized as the partner of choice for advocacy capacity strengthening. 

The Advocacy Accelerator has developed flagship programmes in response to needs identified in the African advocacy ecosystem.  These trainings are developed based on priorities and needs curated from advocacy stakeholders and are continuously evolving.

Current Flagship programmes are below, with the option to sign up for information for interested courses: 

AAC TRAINING PROGRAMMES

Advocacy 101

This course is designed for those new to advocacy, and tackles the varying advocacy tools and models to take participants through the steps in developing an advocacy strategy. The training covers : what is advocacy, advocacy planning cycle, developing an advocacy strategy, advocacy messages, building support, and measuring success. The training also covers mental health considerations for those doing advocacy, knowledge management for advocacy, power dynamics of the advocacy system itself and an intersectionality matrix for advocacy. 

Sign-up here

Digital Advocacy

The advocacy capacity strengthening programme is informed by innovative digital campaigning from across Africa, in aims to strengthen the impact of advocates’ work for change through the use of digital tactics and approaches. The training helps advocates develop an understanding of digital advocacy strategies and tactics, share digital advocacy tools and resources, and learn to utilise a variety of tactics and campaigning strategies for digital advocacy impact. 

Sign-up here

M&E for Advocacy

The ability to demonstrate impact – for institutional growth and to report to donors – is a key element of advocacy work. Monitoring progress can be difficult given the uncertainty and long-term nature of advocacy despite the typically short-term nature of advocacy funding. The M&E for advocacy training topics include understanding results, challenges, and opportunities, and M&E tools including theories of change for advocacy. 

Sign-up here

Feminist Advocacy

Feminist Advocacy refers to social, economic, and political equality. This training is a capacity strengthening programme for feminists and gender justice activists working in Africa, with a tailored approach intended for feminist advocacy organisations from across the continent. The programme is carefully designed to optimize peer learning as well as to leverage the skills and experience of feminist activists and advocates within each training cohort. 

Sign-up here

Campaign Accelerator

Who wins lasting change in today’s world? Nimble teams that build creative and transformative advocacy campaigns that engage people in meaningful ways. 

That’s why we developed the Campaign Accelerator, a collaborative planning process that blends tried and true strategy tools with the best of design thinking, lean start-up principles, and participatory approaches to problem solving. The result? Greater insight, innovation, and alignment, leading to greater campaign success. 

Sign-up here

Advocacy Communications

In an ever-changing world, Advocacy Communications lies at the root of effective influencing. To shape advocacy communications strategies, advocacy goals are translated into a concise and compelling call-to-action – leading to change. This course explores the relevant how-to aspects, how to choose and leverage the right communications channels, as well as the ins and outs of setting a communications strategy that engages and persuades audiences. 

Sign-up here

Resource Mobilization

Fundraising for advocacy can be a challenge, particularly under the current socio-political climate in many contexts. This online, 6-session in-depth training enhances participants’ capacity to understand, assess, and select the right resource mobilisation options and significantly improve their ability to identify and engage with donors. Participants will also learn to construct a robust resource mobilisation plan, maximise the process of grant seeking and establish self-generated income mirroring the advocacy cycle.  

Sign-up here

Knowledge Management for Advocacy

This training course will cover essential introductory aspects of knowledge management and the evolution to a modern knowledge management paradigm. Participants will gain an initial understanding of some of the key knowledge management tools and implementation strategies that best support advocacy organisations and those that support advocacy. The training course aims to prepare you to implement knowledge management for advocacy to support a broader campaign or advocacy initiative. 

Sign-up here

Mental Health for Advocacy

The Mental Health Considerations for Advocacy training highlights the importance of recognising the mental health issues that might affect advocates, changemakers, activists, human rights defenders, and others who make up the advocacy ecosystem being mindful of the stressful nature of advocacy and pushing for change. It aims to improve mental health levels, as well as boost overall well-being and self-care.

Sign-up here