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How to plan, write and communicate an effective Policy Brief: Three steps to success

By Research to Action 27/10/2014

This guide outlines how to make the most of your policy brief, by using strategic planning and targeted engagement with policy actors, to help you achieve positive policy influence. It is intended for use by researchers, knowledge brokers and communications professionals.

This guide is part of the R2A launch of Policy Brief Week held from October 27th-31st, 2014. Over the course of the week the R2A team will be showcasing new guidance, commentary and an animation that brings into focus the value of the policy brief, while also seeking to help you understand more clearly what an effective policy brief looks like.

Title: How to plan, write and communicate an effective policy brief: Three steps to success Author: Laura ffrench-Constant Year: 2014

Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last week's #R2AImpactPractitioners post shared a report, from the Institute for Government, filled with practical strategies to boost the impact of academic research in policy.

🔗🔗Follow the link in our bio to read the full article.

#PolicyEngagement #ResearchImpact #EIDM

Last week's #R2AImpactPractitioners post shared a report, from the Institute for Government, filled with practical strategies to boost the impact of academic research in policy.

🔗🔗Follow the link in our bio to read the full article.

#PolicyEngagement #ResearchImpact #EIDM

As part of our new Youth Inclusion and Engagement Space we are profiling some of the initiatives having real impact in this area. First up it's @GAGEprogramme...

Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) is a groundbreaking ten-year research initiative led by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). From 2015 to 2025, GAGE is following the lives of 20,000 adolescents across six low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, generating the world’s largest dataset on adolescence.

GAGE’s mission is clear: to identify effective strategies that help adolescent boys and girls break free from poverty, with a strong focus on the most vulnerable, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By understanding how gender norms influence young people’s lives, GAGE provides invaluable insights to inform policies and programs at every level.

The program has already made significant impacts. GAGE evidence was instrumental in shaping Ethiopia's first National Plan on Adolescent and Sexual Reproductive Health and enhancing UNICEF’s Jordan Hajati Cash for Education program. Beyond policy change, GAGE elevates youth voices through their podcast series, exploring topics like civic engagement, activism, and leadership.

In crisis contexts like Gaza, GAGE advocates for the inclusion of adolescents in peace processes, addressing the severe mental health challenges and social isolation faced by young people, particularly girls.

GAGE also fosters skill development and research opportunities for youth, encouraging young researchers to publish their work. Impressively, around half of GAGE’s outputs have co-authors from the Global South.

👉 Learn more about GAGE’s impactful work by following the Youth Inclusion link on our Linktree. 🔗🔗

As part of our new Youth Inclusion and Engagement Space we are profiling some of the initiatives having real impact in this area. First up it's @GAGEprogramme...

Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE) is a groundbreaking ten-year research initiative led by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI). From 2015 to 2025, GAGE is following the lives of 20,000 adolescents across six low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, generating the world’s largest dataset on adolescence.

GAGE’s mission is clear: to identify effective strategies that help adolescent boys and girls break free from poverty, with a strong focus on the most vulnerable, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By understanding how gender norms influence young people’s lives, GAGE provides invaluable insights to inform policies and programs at every level.

The program has already made significant impacts. GAGE evidence was instrumental in shaping Ethiopia's first National Plan on Adolescent and Sexual Reproductive Health and enhancing UNICEF’s Jordan Hajati Cash for Education program. Beyond policy change, GAGE elevates youth voices through their podcast series, exploring topics like civic engagement, activism, and leadership.

In crisis contexts like Gaza, GAGE advocates for the inclusion of adolescents in peace processes, addressing the severe mental health challenges and social isolation faced by young people, particularly girls.

GAGE also fosters skill development and research opportunities for youth, encouraging young researchers to publish their work. Impressively, around half of GAGE’s outputs have co-authors from the Global South.

👉 Learn more about GAGE’s impactful work by following the Youth Inclusion link on our Linktree. 🔗🔗

The latest #R2AImpactPractitioners post features an article by Karen Bell and Mark Reed on the Tree of Participation (ToP) model, a groundbreaking framework designed to enhance inclusive decision-making.

By identifying 12 key factors and 7 contextual elements, ToP empowers marginalized groups and ensures processes that are inclusive, accountable, and balanced in power dynamics. The model uses a tree metaphor to illustrate its phases: roots (pre-process), branches (process), and leaves (post-process), all interconnected within their context.

Discover more by following the #R2Aimpactpractitioners link in our linktree 👉🔗

The latest #R2AImpactPractitioners post features an article by Karen Bell and Mark Reed on the Tree of Participation (ToP) model, a groundbreaking framework designed to enhance inclusive decision-making.

By identifying 12 key factors and 7 contextual elements, ToP empowers marginalized groups and ensures processes that are inclusive, accountable, and balanced in power dynamics. The model uses a tree metaphor to illustrate its phases: roots (pre-process), branches (process), and leaves (post-process), all interconnected within their context.

Discover more by following the #R2Aimpactpractitioners link in our linktree 👉🔗

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Research To Action (R2A) is a learning platform for anyone interested in maximising the impact of research and capturing evidence of impact.

The site publishes practical resources on a range of topics including research uptake, communications, policy influence and monitoring and evaluation. It captures the experiences of practitioners and researchers working on these topics and facilitates conversations between this global community through a range of social media platforms.

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