Introduction for Advocacy
Trainer: Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan
Training will be delivered over two consecutive days:
Online - Wednesday 13 October and Thursday 14 October 2027 - 9.30am to 12.30pm
Please purchase only one ticket which covers both days.
Advocacy in the workplace is an increasingly important subject. This course introduces attendees to core approaches for defining the purpose of advocacy work and planning how to implement it. The course will introduce you to the following areas:
Defining what is advocacy
Objectives: defining what you want to achieve
Building your advocacy strategy – stakeholders, messages
Planning your advocacy work
Dealing with people
Tips and tricks
This course is suitable for people who are new to advocacy and wish to learn core concepts and tools for undertaking advocacy work. Whilst it is based around advocacy for archives it will be suitable for anyone in the cultural and heritage sectors.
The course includes handouts and there will be numerous tools and case studies to consolidate your learning. You will be invited to identify an opportunity for advocacy within your own context and work on developing a message and approach during the workshop.
Previous delegates have said:
“I found the workshops really useful, having the chance to talk through questions and scenarios with other professionals and listen to other people’s ideas and experiences was really valuable”
“The training gave real practical examples of how to take forward ideas and put them into action.”
“I am going to use my learning to devise an advocacy plan for the collections, identifying first steps and detailing what we need to get started.”
Learning outcomes
Understanding what is advocacy
Developing the skills to define advocacy objectives
Developing the skills to undertake effective stakeholder analysis
Understanding the types of barriers to advocacy and how to assess their potential impact
Understanding how to build a message
Understanding the basics of planning an advocacy campaign
The learning outcomes map to the following areas of ARA’s Archivist, Archive Conservator and Records Manager competency frameworks;
A3/RM3 Managing resources
A7/RM7 Sustainable practice
RM8 Performance and impact
AC6 Archive and conservation standards
A9/RM9 Professional Environments
A10/RM10 Developing self and others
A12 Collections Development
AC21 Advocating for conservation and preservation
RM25 Service evaluation
RM26 Advocacy
A27 Marketing, advocacy and outreach
About our trainer: Elizabeth Oxborrow-Cowan MSc FARA is a highly experienced senior professional archivist and qualified management consultant with extensive experience across all elements of the UK archive sector. Elizabeth brings her experience in the development of high-level strategy and advocacy for the archives sector into an accessible learning programme for those looking to develop their advocacy skills. Elizabeth is a Fellow of the ARA.
Booking and delegate fee: £100 for ARA members, £150 corporate members, £200 non-members
Please book your place here before Monday 11th October 2027 - you only need to purchase one ticket for both days.
Joining instructions will be sent 24 hours before the start date.