CHALLENGES FOR ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE (CoP) IN OUR PROFESSION

Public Policy Advocacy in the European Union continues to evolve as a professional project and the current ubiquity of its practice presents a number of challenges for the development of a Community of Practice. Firstly, how do we locate and engage with the community we want to reach ? Practitioners might be recognised by the contexts in which they work, by job titles as diverse as public affairs, policy, government affairs, government relations, parliamentary affairs, parliamentary relations, political lobbying and advocacy, European affairs, political advisor, political researcher, external affairs, external relations, campaigns, corporate communications, corporate affairs, stakeholder relations and stakeholder management. Their work combines government relations, media communications, issue management, corporate and social responsibility information dissemination and strategic communications advice. They aim to influence public policy, build and maintain a strong reputation and find a common ground with  stakeholders.           

Senior practitioners might also be recognised by the social, cultural or economic capitals  mobilised by the agency, organisation, institution or sector in which they are located. On the other hand, the identification of practitioners might be measured in terms of the social and cultural capitals they are able to mobilise as individuals.  

• What models of professional development do we need to put in place to be able to develop and support the learning Public Policy Advocacy demands?
• How are expert practices and expert practitioners made visible?
• What is the nature of the knowledges and practices common to ‘seniority’ and is it possible to identify a community of practice?
• Where are the communities of practice, professional practitioners participate in and learn from?
• How do those communities of practice co-create the higher order thinking tools required to bring everyday concrete experience into dialogue with disciplinary knowledge and effect social transformation?
• More importantly, what are the conditions and tools that scaffold the qualitative change required for the shift from competent to senior practice?

Today, there is an absence of clearly articulated professional development pathways that move beyond competence frustrated practitioners’ efforts to render their learning progression, and seniority thus, visible.

When we decided to establish a Community of Practice, our first thought was to connect people in the field of Public Policy Advocacy. Perhaps the scope may be too broad and it may need to be narrowed down so people have enough in common, a shared identity to band together as a Community of Practice.

Practitioners can be described by a whole host of different words in job titles and this can effect whether they identify with a community of practice or not.

What is the descriptor that you can best identify with ? Practitioners may engage stakeholders in order to explain the organization’s actions and strategies, provide information and lobby on issues which could impact upon the organization’s ability to operate successfully. Their  work may combine government relations, media communications, issue management, corporate and social responsibility, information dissemination and strategic communication. They may seek to influence public policy, build and maintain a strong reputation and find a common ground with stakeholders. They may be involved in political lobbying and advocacy, able to analyse, understand, and describe the communication environment; able to give a strategic advice on a communication policy and interest representation;  able to develop a plan on corporate communication, concern communication, publicity, or development of grassroots support; able to advise on evaluation.

They may work with business, NGOs, and their activities might entail Interest representation, Issues management, Corporate Branding, Corporate Affairs, Digital Public Affairs, Public Affairs 2.0, Political Marketing, (Social) Media Management, (In)direct Lobbying, Issue monitoring, Environmental scanning, Stakeholders mapping, Political audit and analysis, Strategy development, Advice to management, Networking, Political marketing and Alliance campaigning.

Here is the Occupational Title for a Lobbyist (USA)

"Contacts and confers with members of legislature and other holders of public office to persuade them to support legislation favorable to client's interest: Studies proposed legislation to determine possible effect on interest of client, who may be person, specific group, or general public. Confers with legislators and officials to emphasize supposed weaknesses or merits of specific bills to influence passage, defeat, or amendment of measure, or introduction of legislation more favorable to client's interests. Contacts individuals and groups having similar interests in order to encourage them also to contact legislators and present views. Prepares news releases and informational pamphlets and conducts news conferences in order to state client's views and to inform public of features of proposed legislation considered desirable or undesirable. Plans and coordinates meetings between members and elected officials to discuss legislative issues and proposals and allow officials to respond to membership concerns. May contact regulatory agencies and testify at public hearings to enlist support for client's interests. May be legally required to register with governmental authorities as lobbyist and to submit reports of regulated expenditures incurred during lobbying activities. May attend and represent local organization at state and national association meetings. May instruct individuals or organization members in lobbying techniques
 

In view of the wide scope of titles, tasks and functions performed in our profession, how would you define who you are: ‘I am a  ______________' (Please fill the blank). In order for our Community of Practice to emerge, we need to have people who identify with the descriptor.

A Community of Practice ties to what is called a “practice.” Three characteristics or qualities define a “practice”:

1. Joint Enterprise. The members of a Community of Practice are there to accomplish something on an ongoing basis; they have some kind of work in common and they see clearly the larger purpose of that work. They have a “mission.”
2. Mutual Engagement. The members of a Community of Practice interact with one another not just in the course of doing their work but to clarify that work, to define how it is done and even to change how it is done.
3. Shared Repertoire. The members of a Community of Practice have not just work in common but also methods, tools, techniques and even language, stories.