Qualifications for Campaigners
The first UK qualification for campaigners has been launched recently and will run from October 2006 to November 2007. Unfortunately for New Zealanders, you have to be able to attend some modules in person, so it's not yet a distance learning qualification.
Is a qualification for campaigning a good idea? How well can theory support practical experience and do we need a qualification at all? From the course content, it appears to have more of a social marketing type of focus, so may only address some aspects of campaigning. Check out the course guide for more information and see what you think.
The UK programme is funded by the UK Lottery Fund as part of the Campaign Effectiveness Programme for voluntary organisations. The CEP is a three year programme, run by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which will also include research into best practice, and hold regional capacity building workshops, leading to a national campaigning conference in March 2007.
The Campaigning Effectiveness website has a programme overview, which includes as one of the goals: "act as an advocate for the campaigning function of the voluntary sector."