A new toolkit to help policy makers contains useful advice for charities who want to influence government, says Andrew O'Brien of the Charity Finance Group.
Those of us working in policy often get the impression that colleagues view our field as something akin to the ‘dark arts’. Equally, for those of us working to influence government policy, the civil service can feel like a bit of a ‘black box’.
Sure, we know that they do consultations, roundtables etc. but what goes on at the heart of the machine?
Shortly before the election, and without much fanfare, the Cabinet Office published online the Open Policy Making Toolkit bringing together the latest techniques to improve and deliver policy.
It’s a bit heavy on social media (or perhaps I am old fashioned) but the toolkit is a treasure trove of useful overviews and tips on the methods that are available to the modern policy maker such as crowdsourcing, deliberative dialogue and behavioural insights.
The toolkit is a welcome opportunity to see how civil servants are trying to adapt to new methods, but why are they important for in the charity sector?
Firstly, it is important that we put our views and ideas forward in a way that has credibility with policy makers. This toolkit enables us to understand the approaches being taken by civil servants and shows us how they are seeking to gather evidence for policy change. We need to take on board these approaches and integrate them into our work so that policy makers feel confident about the validity of our proposals.
Secondly, whilst the approaches outlined by the toolkit are useful, those charities that work in complex policy areas know the limitations and weaknesses of some of the methods outlined in it. For example, this toolkit lacks advice for civil servants on how to work with stakeholders to involve communities that may be difficult to reach or how to work with advocates to get the views of those who have difficulties communicating. Looking at this toolkit can help us think about how we can support government in developing policy and making our expertise available.
Finally, over the past few years policy teams have come under increasing pressure and teams working in some parts of the sector have been significantly cut or lost altogether. This means that charities that have traditionally not been engaged in policy making will need to step up. As a sector we have a responsibility on behalf of our beneficiaries to make sure that government and regulators put forward the right policies that create positive outcomes.
However many charities don’t know where to start when it comes to developing policy ideas. This toolkit provides a welcome start for those that want to understand how they can source ideas and build the evidence base to make the case for change.
Of course, all this should come with a massive caveat. Most charities don’t have the resources available to central government when it comes to policy making, so don’t be daunted by the scale of the techniques outlined in the toolkit. Nearly all can be adapted and scaled down to meet your organisation's need. So whether you are a one-man band or a whole department, there is something of use for you.
Methods for policy making are constantly evolving, the subtle interaction of ideology and technology. As critical parts of the policy making process, charities have to adapt and keep on top of the latest techniques.
At the start of a new Parliament charities have the opportunity to shape the future policy direction of this government. It takes time and developing ideas and building the evidence base is only part of the process, but this toolkit is a useful starting place for any charity that wants to begin engaging in this work.
PS. Another useful primer is Sir Michael Barber’s latest book: How to run a government so that citizens benefit and taxpayers don’t go crazy. It is full of useful insights into how the modern process of government and implementation works as well as methods that he has used to help government identify problems and find solutions.
Andrew O'Brien is head of policy and public affairs at the Charity Finance Group.