Step 11
Ensure change: Try to improve the law
Understand
The civic monitoring process can make young people aware that they can act both locally and nationally, making efforts to change the ‘rules of the game’. This is particularly important when the issue being monitored is regulated by national laws, hence requiring a change from the top. Thus, your group can ask to promote a deeper and more radical action of change leading to the removal of regulatory obstacles.
In doing so, you may encounter some difficulties. It may be challenging to identify who you should address, i.e. who is responsible for reforming or implementing the law or a public policy, and to clearly find which part of it does not work, i.e. the origin of the impediment. Indeed, perceiving what is not working or what you want to ask, does not necessarily mean having a clear understanding of technical and -regulatory problems. Remember that experts and local organisations may be helpful allies: you can embrace this battle together!
Experience
To ensure positive change, work with your community to determine how to change the law and public policies, or improve their implementation, without trying to replace the legislator’s work, but pointing out useful paths to follow. In this, rely on experts;, they will be able to frame your action. Moreover, find out who can sustain your action and disseminate your message. Your monitoring community can engage those who agree with your message: the more you are, the easier it is to have your voice heard. Always remember that, depending on the target audience, different voices may have different impacts. Therefore, it is useful to try to implement different strategies. Find a young influencer who, sharing the community’s cause, is willing to relaunch it; a respected person (journalist, artist, intellectual, etc.) who can legitimise your fight; an association or local reality that can support the monitoring action.
