Engage and support policy and decision makers in government and organisations
Overview
This standard addresses the strategic (upstream) issues of social marketing where engaging and supporting policy and decision makers are involved. The engagement activities aim at informing and assisting with policy decisions and developing further understanding of social marketing programmes.
Even if rigorous research has been carried out, it is impossible to predict fully the results of engagement with policy and decision makers. Engagement activities need to remain flexible and responsive to emerging results. The policy and decision makers may either be in government departments, authorities or agencies or within organisations which use, or could use social marketing to help achieve their objectives.
This standard is for professionals in managerial or operational roles who engage directly and indirectly with policy and decision makers in government and organisations to inform and assist with policy decisions as part of the social marketing programme.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
- identify the range of policy and decision makers for potential collaboration in social marketing programmes
- establish policy and decision makers' current roles and positions in relation to objectives of the programme
- engage with policy and decision makers to develop their understanding of social marketing and its potential in achieving their policy objectives
- evaluate the policy and decision makers' suitability and reliability
- identify any risks to engagement with policy and decision makers and determine how these risks are to be mitigated
- address and resolve any issues, misconceptions and impressions policy and decision makers may have about social marketing
- monitor and review the methods of promoting the benefits of social marketing amongst policy and decision makers
- provide support to policy and decision makers in the development of their social marketing strategies
- monitor the policy and decision makers' social marketing strategies and activities and provide expert advice where required
- collate public opinions through community actions and consultation events to assist with further engagement with policy and decision makers
- collate the evidence, factors and arguments that have the potential to inform and assist with policies and decisions
- prioritise and select measurable behaviours of individuals, organisations or policy makers to influence
develop the
interventions required to inform and assist with policy decisions and policiesadjust your approach to engagement with policy and decision makers and use the lessons learned to inform future opportunities for collaboration
- ensure compliance with the legal, organisational, code of practice requirements and policies relevant to your role, your organisation and the activities being carried out
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
- how to identify the relevant policy and decision makers in relation to social marketing programmes
- how to prioritise and select measurable behaviours of individuals, organisations or policy makers to influence
- the range of roles and positions of policy and decision makers in relation to objectives of the programme
- the methods, tools and techniques of engagement with policy and decision makers
- how to evaluate the policy and decision makers' suitability and reliability
- the risks to engagement with policy and decision makers and the mitigation strategies to minimise these
- the types of issues, misconceptions and impressions policy and decision makers may have about social marketing
the methods of promoting the benefits of social marketing amongst policy and decision makers
the policy and decision makers' social marketing strategies and activities
- how to collate public opinions through community actions and consultation events
- the evidence, factors and arguments that have the potential to inform and assist with policy decisions
the relevant interventions aimed at informing and assisting with the policy decisions and policies
the methods of monitoring the engagement activities and the outcomes of the social marketing programme
- the importance of keeping up to date with evidence based best practice guidance
- the legal, organisational, code of practice requirements and policies relevant to your role, your organisation and the activities being carried out
Scope/range
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Social marketing programme
As used in the standards, "social marketing programme" encompasses longer-term (3 years) programmes, medium-term (1-3 years) campaigns and short-term (<1 year) targeted initiatives.
Risk
This means the chances of an event happening and the seriousness of the consequences of that event. Risk does not of itself have a negative connotation; there can be both positive and negative consequences of an event. One of the key risks in carrying out a test marketing activity is that the results become contaminated by changes in other environmental factors.
Risk management
This includes: assessing the risks, taking action to avoid events that have negative consequences, planning to minimise the negative consequences and maximise the opportunities if events do occur.
Policy and decision makers
A distinction is made between policy makers (i.e. those who formulate policy) and decision makers (i.e. those who decide whether formulated policies should be implemented). In some contexts these may be the same person, but in government contexts the policy maker may be a civil servant or local government officer, while the decision maker may be a minister or elected member (or a group of ministers or elected members – e.g. cabinet, parliament or council).
Links To Other NOS
External Links
Academic Competencies in Social Marketing developed and approved by International Social Marketing Association (iSMA), European Social Marketing Association (ESMA), Australian Association of Social Marketing (AASM). https://socialmarketing.blogs.com/rcraiiglefebvres_social/2014/09/academic-competencies-for-social-marketing.html
Social Marketing Statement of Ethics: https://www.instructus-skills.org/documents/SM%20statement%20of%20ethics%20FINAL%2006032020.pdf
Global Consensus of Social Marketing Principles, Concepts and Techniques by ESMA, AAS, SMANA, iSMA: https://europeansocialmarketing.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ESMA-endorsed-Consensus-Principles-and-concepts-paper.pdf