Activist Experience Review

UK Arm of Global Human Rights Organisation

A UK human rights charity improved activist support and data security through a strategic review of activist experiences, leading to enhanced guidance, new contact channels, and an executive-led change initiative.

Sector: Third Sector

Location: UK

Ownership: Charity

Duration: Short Term

Challenge

The organisation is crucially dependent on the role of its activist supporters, across policy development, campaigning and governance. However, there was a history of frustration and complaints about how salaried members of staff and the wider organisation interacted with, responded to and supported activists.

After a competitive tender process, we were selected to conduct a review and help build a strategy to improve the activist experience.​

Solution

We undertook an extensive Discovery process, comprised of:​

  • Data analysis and creation – analysed: online information and knowledge; supporter & activist contact data; internal systems, processes & data flows. In addition to gaining insight into the nature of activist contact and queries, this allowed identification of where systems and processes failed to capture data​

  • Experience capture - capturing experiences and perceptions through 30 interviews with activists and other internal stakeholders, both one-to-one and through facilitating small group sessions​

Activist role definition – describing new roles and expectations of activists, where ‘gaps’ existed, and some were undervalued and/or under-utilised. ​

Activist and supporter journey mapping was undertaken to illustrate what activists sought and how the organisation was or wasn’t meeting their needs.​

Risk identification – identification of risks especially around the handling and security of activists and personal data​

Outcome

  • Recommendations immediately adopted and used to form an internal change project with executive level sponsorship

  • Improved signposting, guidance and expectation management for supporters and activists

  • Roadmap for adoption of new contact channels to deliver accessibility allied to consistent outcomes and data integrity & security