Delivering on the Promise: Using Community-Based Research to Influence Public Policy

Delivering on the Promise:
Using Community-Based Research
to Influence Public Policy

CUexpo Workshop
May 2008

Bob Gardner
Director Policy and Research

© The Wellesley Institute
www.wellesleyinstitute.com

Why Worry About Policy?

• we are all interested in CBR that changes people's lives and contributes to
tackling social and economic inequality
• a major focus of Wellesley's work is on the social determinants of health
and health disparities – and policy changes needed to enhance health
equity – will use these themes to illustrate
• we know there are many elements to addressing health disparities:
– community capacity and resource building
– community mobilization to address the structural problems that underlie
health disparities
– better service provision
– self-empowerment for individuals → to better control their health and
health opportunities
• but much of these changes flow through government policy in one way or
another
• maximizing the policy impact of CBR is the focus of this workshop
© The Wellesley Institute 2

The So What and Now What
Workshop

• you‟ve done some good CBR -- you‟ve identified unmet needs, gaps
or barriers in existing services, problems that need solving
• So what?
– what action conclusions – specifically, what policy or programme action
is needed to address the problems identified?
– which almost inevitably requires changes in public policy
– at best, you‟ve identified possible policy and programme solutions to the
problems or opportunities the research found
• Now what?
– what needs to happen to get these solutions implemented?
– a critical part of Now What is ensuring the research results have an
impact with policy makers


Wellesley Institute

• funds and supports community-based research on
housing, poverty, social exclusion, and other social and
economic inequalities as key determinants of health and
health disparities
• commissions comprehensive comparative and other
policy research
• identifies and mobilizes for policy alternatives and
solutions to pressing issues of urban health and health
equity
• works in diverse collaborations and partnerships for
social innovation and progressive social change


Getting Going

• most research projects start from an environmental scan – so
should we:
– what regions are people from?
– what sectors – community, service provider, academic, research/policy
institute, government/public sector?
– how many directly involved in CBR projects?
– how many involved in CBR that has been part of winning policy
change?
• briefly introduce yourself:
– what organization you are from?
– why you need to know more about policy analysis and knowledge
exchange – do you have a particular project in mind?
– what is the most important policy issue facing your organization or
sector?


Agenda

• we‟re going to work on:
– assessing policy implications of your research
– identifying policy options that can address the problems identified by the
research
– analyzing the most effective – and winnable -- options
– developing them further into concrete recommendations
– getting these recommendations and alternatives into the policy mix, and
– developing effective advocacy strategies to get them adopted
• with two exercises on:
– how to identify the policy implications or potential of your research
– how to effectively translate your findings and implications into winnable
policy options and demands


Starting Points

To turn community-based research into policy action requires that:

1. policy makers know about the research and its implications →
knowledge exchange strategy for all CBR projects
2. policy makers understand the basis of the problem → means CBR
reports have to clearly set out the policy implications of their findings
3. you give policy makers concrete policy solutions or alternatives that
will address whatever the problem is → the more „policy-ready‟ the
recommendations you can provide them are, the better
4. policy makers have the political will to act – often beyond the power
of individual CBR projects → where advocacy, alliances and
coalitions come in


Ensuring your research has
impact: knowledge exchange

• Key principles include:
– identifying who needs to know about your results – includes who can act
on the findings or who can build support for action
– know your audience
– design your roll-out and KE strategy specifically for each audience
– write results up in clear and accessible language, also geared to
specific audiences and purposes
– but putting them up on Web or sending a report to a few people won‟t
be enough, also need to do systematic outreach to get results to key
stakeholders
• lots of good tools and material on developing a knowledge
exchange strategy – Cdn Health Services Research Foundation
• we‟ll focus on how this works for policy makers


First Of All: Know your
Policy Environment

• to be able to do policy relevant research and assess the
policy implications of your findings, you need to know:
– the policy framework for your particular issue
• e.g. which levels of govt, and which Ministries or depts govern your
issue?
• what are the main formal policies that shape your area?
• just as impt – what are the unstated assumptions and constraints
that shape the sphere?
• what are trends in govt funding and policy in the area?
– some general facets of how policy is developed and changed
within governments – players, processes and constraints
– and some specific aspects of the government of the day:
• how does your issue relate to its overall agenda?
• where is it in the electoral cycle?


Then Identify the Policy
Implications of Research
Assess implications of What can be done with this
research findings knowledge

• new needs or gaps in existing • service providers adapt or
services identified expand services, govts fund
• community preferences or • policy or resource allocations
priorities determined reflect community priorities
• barriers to getting services or • programme or policy changes
support identified to reduce barriers
• innovations or „best practices‟ • other providers take them up
• pilot test works • adapt and generalize
• systemic inequities uncovered • policy changes to address
systemic basis


Exercise 1: Identifying the
Policy Potential of CBR

• quickly discuss the CBR projects that you know or have been involved in
that showed:
– how existing policies or programmes were contributing to the particular
problem being researched?
– key gaps where new govt programmes were needed?
– where existing programmes were not working well or did not have
enough resources?
– where changes in existing policy were needed?
• pick one good example of research with real policy potential and fill out what
this potential is
– our research documented Problem X and that its basis was Policy Y
– if the policy was changed in this way, then the impact on the problem would be Z
• have someone report your example – and its policy potential – to the group


Policy Analysis into Action

To have policy impact we need to:
• understand the political and policy environment and policy process
within governments
• analyze the problem(s) identified by research and identify potential
policy solutions
• assess the pros and cons and cost benefits of various policy options
• choose and develop policy options that can work
• make a convincing case for them -- at best, with concrete
recommendations that can be acted on
• develop a targeted knowledge exchange strategy to get the analysis
and options to those who can decide


What drives political/public policy
decisions?

• Timeframe of government‟s business/election cycle –
make the tough decisions early
• Short attention span of politics, short shelf life of policy –
“In two years, it‟s not my problem”
• Government‟s policy agenda/priorities – where does this
issue „fit‟ within govt priorities
• Government‟s communications agenda/priorities – at
crudest, how will acting on issue make the govt look? Is
this consistent with how govt wants to present itself


Policy Drivers II

• Current/prospective state of government finances – and
costs and benefits of particular policy alternatives
• Current/prospective economic cycle –view from Bay/Wall
Street, global markets
• Values, beliefs, ethics – is there a social consensus
around this issue?
• Stakeholders and interests – what competing interests
and perspectives need to be taken into account?
• Media attention/perspective, opinion polls – understand
the public mood

How the System Really
Works
The Players:
– role of legislators is quite limited (remember this for
policy advocacy strategy)
– Ministers and Cabinet make policy
– political staff in Ministers and Premier‟s offices are very
important
– complex hierarchy of civil servants – Deputy Ministers,
ADMs, Directors, analysts and programme officers, etc.
• trick is to get to the right person/place
• who is responsible for the „file‟ and has authority to act
– the courts

How the System Really
Works II

The Process:
– so many demands, so little time; intense rivalries
– daily fire-fighting; often chaotic, reactive decision-
making process
– highly risk averse (all the more so with new emphasis
on “accountability”)
– critical role of central agencies – Finance, Cabinet
Office
for research to have an impact within govt →
need to know who decides what, when, how

Think of Policy Development
as Process

• a particular policy – or policy framework – is the result of decisions
made about how to address a particular objective or problem
– sometimes this can be a deliberate decision not to address the
particular issue
• within the public service there is a generally a careful process of:
– identifying objectives
– assessing a range of possible actions to achieve the result
– analyzing them against number of factors – effectiveness, cost,
political context, public and community support, etc.
– always trade-offs, compromise , different “publics” effected


Identifying Policy Options

• you also need to know what the current policy
situation/environment is for your issue
– to be able to couch your argument/demand – your „ask‟ – in
ways that are understandable to policy makers -- and winnable
– to avoid embarrassment if your options have been tried already,
and didn‟t work or were rejected
• then you need to assess possible policy alternatives that
will address the barriers or problems your research
found
• then you assess which option is most effective for your
purposes – and most „winnable‟

Look Widely For Ideas and
Options

• if possible, research what policy alternatives have been
tried or considered in other jurisdictions:
– how other jurisdictions have addressed similar policy problems
– depending upon the issue – might mean other large cities, other
provinces, comparable countries
• this can yield:
– new ideas or options
– examples of effective policies/programmes that could be
adapted for your purposes
– justification for your alternatives – e.g. if cost-benefits and
effectiveness were demonstrated elsewhere

Analyzing Options
• policy options are the different programme, funding, and ways
governments can act to meet your objectives
• to identify the best options, think of a wide range of factors such as
– how complex and big a policy change you are looking for
– impact (balancing criteria such as equity, efficiency, stability)
– cost – be specific -- is it short-term, capital or operating, one-time or
continuing, etc.?
– versus benefits – specify here too – are the benefits short-term or more
long term -- such as eventual reduced health care expenditures as a
result of upstream investment in health promotion and prevention?
• for government, assessing cost-benefits of options is a standard part
of policy process
– for you, posing recommendations/demands in terms used and
understood within the policy process increases your credibility and
usability


Assess the Pros and Cons
• outline the pros:
– effectively addressing problem that needs solving
– the wider benefits for govt -- e.g., delivers a government
commitment, equity, accountability/governance, social
consensus, good messages
– or what lessens risk
• versus the cons
– the costs – in terms of spending or time required
– stakeholder opposition
– or what increases risk -- e.g., lack of “fit,” inequitable impact,
liabilities (financial, legal), complexity, lack of constitutional
authority
• this is never a neutral or non-political process

Consider Complexity of
Implementation

• assess the best means to achieve the policy objective –
to implement your recommended changes
• in the language of policy makers -- which „instrument‟ will
be used to implement the policy
• some are easier to implement than others:
– changing legislation or regulations is most difficult
– finding large amounts of funding is harder than smaller – esp. in
fiscally conservative climate
– changing funding or focus within existing allocations or
envelopes is easier
– changing policy guidelines and procedures of existing
programmes is easiest

Choosing Options: What Turns a
Policy Option into a Decision?

• It‟s solidly grounded – your research evidence is clear
and convincing
• It works – it solves the problem or at least makes it go
away
• It reflects current or emerging values – it‟s grounded in
social consensus, it seems like the “right thing to do”
• Its benefits outweigh its costs
• It manages risk well – it‟s relatively “safe”
• Its investment can be justified – it‟s cost-neutral or cost-
effective


Choosing Options II

• your alternative's timing is good – in terms of govt
agenda, electoral cycle or other issues
• It “fits” – it delivers on the government‟s policy,
communications, and/or fiscal agenda
• It‟s a new way of doing things – it‟s innovative
• It reflects “good government” – it shows political or
community leadership to move towards social consensus
• It‟s a simple concept – it‟s easy to understand
• It‟s a great story – it‟s easy to explain, has a human
dimension, has clear key messages

CBR → ‘policy-ready’

• to get your findings to the intended decision makers – in ways they
can understand and use – always involves translation
• partially this is cultural
– into the very different languages and mind sets of govts
– into „policy speak‟
• partially this is very concrete – translating your findings into:
– specific actionable policy options and recommendations
– that will work in the existing policy environment
– couched in the formats – cabinet briefing notes – and
frameworks – cost-benefit analysis and risk management – that
govts use
• the more „policy ready‟ → the more chance for influence


Exercise 2: Developing
Policy Options
• pick one issue per table in which CBR you were involved
in had clear and significant policy implications
• go through the kind of analysis we have been discussing
– identify implications, assess the policy environment,
analyze options, pick the most effective and winnable for
your purposes
• work up concrete policy options and recommendations
that you can take to govt to put your alternative into
action
• appoint one person to make the usual two minute report
outlining your policy issue and why the option you have
chosen should be adopted

Case Study: Street Health

• long-established community organization providing health and other support
services to inner city homeless people in Toronto
• did a major survey of health status and needs of homeless people in winter
2006-07 – replicating pioneering study from 15 years earlier
• the best kind of CBR – driven by homeless people's needs, peer
researchers did the interviewing and homeless people were involved
throughout all facets, community and cross-sectoral advisory committee,
and resulting in clear action plan and advocacy strategy
• found horrible health situation of homeless people – and huge barriers to
getting health services they need
• uncovered the systemic basis of these problems – poverty as root of
homelessness, lack of affordable housing, constant stress and danger
• set out clear programme and policy action plan


Case Study: Street Health II

• their research documented the horrible health conditions
homeless people face and the systematic barriers to the
care they need
• they identified ways that these problems could be
addressed
• the broke up areas where action was needed and
developed concrete recommendations for each:
– addressing poverty and inequality that underlie homelessness
– improving access to affordable housing
– improving living conditions for homeless people
– improving access to health care and support


Case Study: Street Health III

• they translated this action plan into „policy speak‟:
– with targets, indicators, cost benefit analysis
– with concrete and actionable policy and programme recommendations
– specifying which level of government and agency needed to act on what
• they identified target govt and media audiences for their findings and
undertook sustained outreach to get their recommendations taken
up
• WI worked with Street Health to broker links into:
– local regional health authority
– the Minister of Health
– Cabinet Office, leading health and other officials
• they are doing a series of more detailed bulletins on specific facets
of the research – the first was on Hepatitis C and harm reduction


Making the Case

• Reference the issue and how you‟ve framed it – this
solves the problem as we understand it
• Translate the policy solution into a communication
strategy – this is what it means
• Explain the “why” - summarize and highlight the
rationale, including the political benefit – this is why
we‟re recommending this
• Analyze and acknowledge the risks – legal challenge,
cost pressures, inequity/disparate impact, adverse
public/media/community reaction, being off-message,
stakeholder pressures (“floodgates”), timing, etc.

Knowledge Exchange for
Policy Makers
• know your audience -- and the policy environment and way of
thinking within govts
• customize reports for policy audiences
– separate/short policy implications summaries
– translate into terms they understand and with concrete
recommendations they can act on
– use the forms they are used to – decks and briefing notes
– e.g. always address cost benefits, risk management, options and other
factors that govt policy makers think about
• systematic outreach and follow up with policy makers
– identify people who could be making the decisions – audience again
– get findings & policy implications to them
– meeting is best, plus covering letter/brief
– as part of long-term strategy to build relationships with key policy
makers in your spheres


Enhance Impact Through
Partnerships

• policy analysis is a specialized – and often arcane –
trade
• it isn‟t effective to try to learn it all for yourself
• who can help?
– get experienced policy people on CBR advisory team early on
– even better, get Ministry, dept or other officials you hope to
influence involved from the start – get them to help define the
questions they need answered
– get advice on policy analysis or the environment for your issue –
one source is service provider or professional associations


Wellesley Institute Role

• work with projects we fund and other research partners:
– provide advice on policy implications and environment from design
stage onwards
– help in translating findings into policy ready analyses and
options/recommendations
– help to broker contacts with appropriate officials and stakeholders
– promote particular projects, and CBR in general, in the wider policy
circles in which we work
• have developed various workshops focusing on exactly this problem
of translating results into policy alternatives, knowledge exchange,
policy advocacy and effective presentation to policy makers


Policy Advocacy

• to win the policy changes you have identified you need:
– luck – “the right issue at the right time” -- but be ready to seize
opportunities when they arise -- proactive opportunism
– broad understanding of the issue and the political and public
policy context in which it exists – emphasized earlier
– relevance of your objective to the govt's needs, priorities,
context, constraints
– translating your findings and recommendations into „policy
ready‟ terms as much as possible
– situating your issue as part of a broader coalition or campaign
– and pulling all this together – an advocacy strategy


Social movements and
political change

• the most effective advocacy campaigns – with the best chances of
success – are part of wider coalitions and movements
• it‟s movements that win real change – not just individual advocacy
campaigns, however good they are
• think of the really significant historical shifts in public policy and the
role of govts – where did they come from?
– employment equity would not have happened without strong
women's and labour movements
– Medicare and public health system was the result of long
campaigns
– treatment and funds for HIV/AIDS were won by grass-roots
organizing


Take the ‘Long View’

• think long-term – significant policy change can take many years
• but also look for immediate winnable issues
– to build momentum and hope
– but be careful of co-optation & short-term reforms that deflect
from long-term goals
• Caledon Institute for Social Policy has term “relentless
incrementalism”
• have good peripheral vision -- situate your issue in relation to
– other comparable issues → to build coalitions – the wider the
better, with „unusual suspects‟ as well
– the overall govt policy agenda -- back to „fit‟


Opportunity: Realizing the
Policy Potential of CBR
• the strategic environment for policy impact of CBR may be
promising:
– govt and other policy stakeholders increasingly – if unevenly -- see
CBR as a credible and valuable method
– good CBR can yield the „evidence‟ that is supposed to drive policy
making in modern governments
– a stronger claim = CBR yields better knowledge of needs, perspectives
and strengths of the most marginalized communities → vital to policy
action on health disparities and many other problems
– emphasis on community engagement in govt planning has also created
more space for community-driven methods
• to realize this potential we need to ensure that CBR:
– is seen as evidence -- different but just as valuable as traditional
quantitative data that is the norm in govt circles
– is scientifically sound, rigorous, solidly rooted in communities and
policy relevant

Key Messages

• to ensure our CBR has a real impact on policy requires:
1. understanding the environment in which govt policy decisions
are made
2. getting research findings to the right people – in terms they can
use
3. being able to identify the policy implications of our research and
to translate that into concrete policy options to solve the
problems we have found
4. assessing the most effective – and winnable – policy options
5. being able to make an effective – and winning -- case for our
policy recommendations
6. tying our research and policy advocacy into wider campaigns
and alliances for social change will maximize its impact


Further Resources

• Wellesley has a page on enhancing the policy impact of
CBR at
http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/issues/community-
based-research/cbr-policy-impact
• CCPH also has material on its site at
http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/index.html
– including Cassandra Ritas‟ Speaking Truth, Creating Power
guide to policy work for CBR practitioners at
http://depts.washington.edu/ccph/pdf_files/ritas.pdf
• the Kellogg Foundation has useful guides and toolkits on
influencing public policy at
http://www.wkkf.org/default.aspx?tabid=75&CID=280&NI
D=61&LanguageID=0

Contact Us

• these speaking notes, further resources on
community-based research with policy impact,
and a great deal more on health equity and the
social determinants of health are on our site at
http://wellesleyinstitute.com
• my email is bob@wellesleyinstitute.com
• I would be interested in any comments on the
ideas in this presentation and on initiatives or
experience you‟re involved in that address these
challenges


Delivering on the Promise: Using Community-Based Research to Influence Public Policy

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