Assessment 3 Action Plan for Change

Assessment 3 (30%): Action Plan for Change (2,000 words)

This assessment asks you to put forward a detailed action plan for change regarding a specific policy challenge that you have identified. The idea of this assignment is not only to put forward ideas for actual policy change, but also about the pathway to that change. This plan should demonstrate your knowledge of ideas about policy cycles, ‘problem making’, agenda setting, the use of language and rhetoric, and how various sectors of the community become involved in policy change.

This is also a good opportunity to present information about the particular context in which this policy change is sought, including whether the change is within Australia or in another country, what particular contextual needs should be considered and whether policy change is more relevant to local authorities or more national bodies.

Some suggestions for structuring your action plan:

• Description of the policy challenge. What’s the challenge? What are the problems you are aiming to address and why?

• The policy response you are seeking. What policy approaches are you looking for? Education campaigns, more research, legislative change, funding of services? A combination of instruments? Why? What evidence is there that these will be effective?

• The context. Which governing bodies are involved? Who are the policy ‘actors’? Which bureaucracies, networks and people need to be considered? What are the political considerations?

• Use of language. How is language used in relation to this policy field and particularly in relation to this challenge? What ‘stories’ are told; what metaphors are used?

• How will you go about advocating for change? How will your policy change get on to the ‘agenda’? What new language needs to be used? What is the relevance of a ‘policy cycle’ in this particular context, and where do your ideas for change fit? What forms of power might you use to advocate for change?

Note: You may summarize in one tabular form and attach as annexure but does not include the word count.