How do we get the credit?

I was running a campaigning webinar recently with colleagues across Bulgaria, and I was asked – how do we get the credit?

The point was expressed that you can do loads of campaigning work, develop evidence and policy, build support and get policy or practice change. But how do you get your target, for example, the government, to acknowledge your work and give you credit?

Interesting question. And one that I have heard raised many times. I think key to answering this question is why are you doing your campaigning? Is it to achieve change on your issue or is to raise the profile of your organisation? If it is the former, then you will be relaxed about a lack of credit.

But my view has always been, you will probably not get the credit you seek from your target. That’s life! It is rare that you build a big campaign to pressure say a politician to change a policy, and then that politician gives you attribution.

What I think is more important is that your key people know the impact you are making. So while you may never receive credit from your target, you can let your supporters, allies and funders know what you have been doing to bring about change. If these people know, then surely that is enough?

So maybe for a campaigner this is the wrong question? The critical point surely is how do we bring about change? What do you think?