The Advocacy Accelerator is an innovative platform that actively tracks trends and practices to respond to the needs of advocacy actors. The organization facilitates roundtables for advocacy initiatives and uses innovative approaches to build networks, communities of practice (COPs), and advocacy skills.
Advocacy Accelerator can also be described as a pan-African platform for African advocates looking to generate, disseminate and promote advocacy capacity strengthening resources with a focus on grass-roots campaigns and local knowledge initiatives. The goal of the Advocacy Accelerator is to strengthen the field of advocacy by providing in-person and online platforms for country-based advocates and their supporters to share experiences, evidence, and approaches.
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, Advocacy Accelerator has a number of projects with which they foster greater alignment and collaboration between individual advocates, advocacy organizations, and technical assistance providers on the continent, some of which includes peer learning and opportunities for coaching and mentoring.
One of which is “Digital Advocacy”, a free online training session open to all change-makers throughout Africa offered both in English with simultaneous French translation. This program seeks to strengthen the capacity of advocates working in the African advocacy ecosystem with the intent to use digital strategies and tactics, tools, and resources applicable to the African advocacy ecosystem.
They also engage in a 3-part Advocacy Studio on Monitoring and Evaluation for Advocacy (M&E for Advocacy). This program is done twice annually to provide an opportunity for CSOs to connect with each other, as they share perspectives, experiences, and best practices for monitoring and measuring advocacy projects and Programmes. Additionally, the Studio is structured to enhance skills by providing a platform to share best practices and principles in monitoring and measuring advocacy projects and Programmes. Participants are connected to the relevant curated M&E for advocacy resources for continuous learning.
Other programs of The Advocacy Accelerator include Knowledge Management for Advocacy, Campaign Accelerator, Advocacy Communications, Feminist Advocacy, Monitoring and Evaluation for Advocacy, and others. The AAC has a vast library that caters for gathering and sharing high-quality data, research, and lessons learned across the field of advocacy.
It is interesting to note that The Advocacy Accelerator offers fellowship allowing individuals to enrich their understanding of advocacy or a specific subject matter by engaging in particular aspects of the capacity enhancement opportunities provided by the AAC. Fellows work closely with function staff to help implement defined bodies of work and conduct ongoing activities. The fellowship is a three-month term position,
One other project of note is the “Youth Advocacy project” in partnership with Amref which seeks to support youth advocacy for sexual and reproductive health and rights in Kenya. The project is designed to help with capacity strengthening initiatives across Kenya and foster collaboration across youth organizations and networks on youth-identified priorities.
The Advocacy Accelerator through its various programs is striving to achieve a greater impact on grassroots and national advocates in Africa by equipping them with the information, tools, and resources needed. They go the extra mile to create opportunities for in-person and online learning within and across sectors and regions that are self-paced and easy to use and also implement.
Find out more about such programs here