The second module of the training for trainers on Developing and Implementation of advocacy campaigns was held on the 5^th, 6^th and 7^th of July in Skopje. The focus of this second module of the training was set on detailed revision, analysis and practical development of each of the steps that every advocacy campaign should contain.

The concrete topics of the second module were the following:

• issues and objectives and elements of an advocacy campaign;
• stakeholder analysis;
• developing a message;
• strategic communications, including negotiations and lobbying;
• building of networks and coalitions and community mobilization;
• implementation plan;
• monitoring and evaluation and future steps.

Through intensive practical and group work, the participants were able to develop their initiatives and proposal for advocating into real and original advocacy campaigns. By the end of the training, the participants received Certificates for successfully attending and completing the training on trainers.

The Advocacy Center will continue to have direct and open cooperation with all of the civil society organizations whose members were attending the training, through advices and mentorship, in order to actively take part and assist them in the realization of the developed advocacy campaigns. All of the information regarding the actual campaigns, their course, activities and successfulness, will be followed and published through the Advocacy Center.

The first module of the training for trainers on Developing and Implementation of advocacy campaigns was held on 24^th and 25^th of June 2010 in hotel Continental in Skopje, by the Advocacy Center.

This module was composed of three sessions which were concentrated on:

• session on planning and conducting successful trainings, training methods, preparation of presentations and presentation skills, as well as channels for delivering message;
• session on Web 2.0 – social media and creating contents on the Internet;
• session on the definitions and the meaning of the concept of advocacy.

The participants at this training were members from civil society organizations, and the organizations that took part are the following:

• Association for Creative Tactics
• National scouting organization of Macedonia
• Community Development Institute – Tetovo
• National council of women of the Republic of Macedonia  - UWOM
• Youth forum – Bitola
• Association of special education workers and professional associates “PODAJ RAKA”
• Youth council – Prilep
• Women`s organization of the municipality of Sveti Nikole
• Center for international cooperation, development an implementation “CEKOR +”.

The first module of the training was a combination of theory and practice in the form of mini lectures, including group work of the participants through role plays, mutual experience exchange regarding the conducting of advocacy campaigns, and practical assignments for implementation of the acquired knowledge from this first module, which will be presented during the second module of the training.

The second module of the training will be held on 5^th, 6^th and 7^th of July 2010 in Skopje, during which the participants will be able to develop their future ideas for advocacy campaigns through practical advice and mentorship by the trainers.

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The Advocacy Center invites members from civil society organizations from the territory of Republic of Macedonia to apply for a training of trainers on

Developing and implementation of advocacy campaigns
which will be conducted in two modules(on 24^th and 25^th of June,
and on 5^th,6^th and 7^th of July 2010) in Skopje

The goal of the training is to contribute towards improvement of the knowledge and skills of the selected representatives from the CSOs in RM to conduct advocacy campaigns using different methods, tools and techniques.

The focus of the training will be set on:

• definition of the concept of advocacy and its` elements;
• introduction of the advocacy process and the steps for organizing and conducting an advocacy campaign;
• tools for realization of each of the steps with special accent on lobbying as one of the tools for advocacy implementation;
• special highlight on conducting advocacy campaigns through social networks and new media;
• enhancement of presentation skills;
• public relations and relations with stakeholders.

At the end of the training, the participants will gain expanded knowledge of the whole process of organizing and conducting advocacy campaigns and will receive Certificates for successfully attending and completing the training. The Advocacy Center will continue to serve the participants with advices and mentorship regarding all of their future initiatives and advocacy campaigns.

You can find more information here or you can contact us on +389 2 30 60 091 and contact@advocacy.org.mk.

Interested candidates should send their motivation letters, in which they will state their previous experience and plans for work in the area of the training, as well as CVs, not later than 21^st of June, 2010 and not later than 16:00 o`clock, on e-mail: marijana@advocacy.org.mk.

The second module of the regional training on: Advocacy and lobbying within the Project TACSO (Technical Assistance for Civil Society Organizations) financed by the European Union, was held on the 25^th and 26^th of May 2010, in Becici, Montenegro. The participants in this second module of the training were also representatives from 8 countries from the Western Balkans and Turkey, including a representative from the Advocacy Center. In this second module, the focus of the training was set on:

• improvement of presentation skills;
• enhancement and improvement of discussion skills;
• techniques and methods for conducting negotiations through negotiations simulation;
• conducting and practicing a lobby meeting through lobby meeting simulation;
• methods and techniques of training design.

All of the participants after the ending of the training received   Certificates for successful completion of the training and for successful realization of the foreseen practical assignments. As a part of the training, all of the participants are supposed to conduct trainings on advocacy and lobbying in their own countries. The details regarding these trainings and the conditions for participation at these trainings, you will be able to receive through the Advocacy Center.

In the period from 7-9 of April 2010, in Tirana, Albania, was held the first module of the regional training: Advocacy and lobbying within the project TACSO (Technical Assistance for Civil Society Organizations, www.tacso.org) financed by the European Union. Participants in the training were representatives from 8 countries from the Western Balkans and Turkey, including a representative from the Advocacy Center. The objective of the training is to deepen the participants` knowledge of the concepts of advocacy and its elements, to improve their skills and to develop new methods and techniques to conduct advocacy and lobbying campaigns.

The subjects included in this first module of the training were:

• Concepts and definition of the Policy Influencing process;
• Steps in Policy Influencing process;
• Principles of Advocacy and Lobbying;
• Identification of Advocacy issue and creating Advocacy messages;
• Stakeholders analysis and mapping of policy processes;
• Development of an Advocacy strategy;
• Monitoring and Evaluation.

Each of these subjects besides being theoretically and thoroughly elaborated, were also practically implemented throughout group work, practical assignments and sharing of experience among the participants, representatives from the regional countries, to ensure that the participants comprehend the concepts and elements of advocacy and are able to independently develop and implement strategies for advocacy campaigns.

The second module of the training will be held on 25-26 of May in Montenegro.

The research conducted by the Advocacy Center by sending a questionnaire* to over 200 citizens’ organizations in Republic of Macedonia, produced the following results:

• only a small number of organizations are introduced with the concept of Advocacy and only a part of them have the experience in conducting advocacy campaigns;
• the activities included in their advocacy campaigns were mainly consisted of offering legal assistance, proposing amendments of laws and organizing educational workshops i.e. activities directed towards improvement of the social and legal conditions for their functioning and for the realization of their campaigns;
• most of the used tools during the conduct of the campaigns are: direct meetings, inquiries, interviews, public hearings, debates, tv adds and press conferences, but only a small number of organizations use the internet and all of its’ tools and opportunities that can increase the efficiency of their campaigns;
• large number of the organizations has planned to start advocacy campaigns and are interested in attending trainings about advocacy which will build their capacities for running campaign. According to their needs, these trainings should cover several issues such as improving of their communication skills, media presentations, methodology, process and stages of advocacy and creating advocacy networks, which indicate that they have necessity for deepened and practical knowledge for the whole process of organization and realization of advocacy campaigns.

According to the given results, the Advocacy Center will direct its’ activities towards providing theoretical and practical assistance and support to the organizations for building their capacities for organizing and conducting advocacy campaigns. In these terms the Advocacy center will organize trainings regarding the whole process, elements and stages of the advocacy process with special focus on the usage of the internet as an efficient tool for realization of campaigns and it will provide consultations and mentoring. Through these activities the Center will accomplish its’ goal to contribute towards steady participation of the citizens organizations in the policy and decision making processes.

* The sample used in this research was not representative