Step 1 — Stakeholder mapping

Identify stakeholders: List all individuals and groups involved in decisions related to soil literacy at your school: teachers, parents, local authorities, environmental organizations, etc.

Categorize stakeholders: Use a stakeholder map to place them into quadrants based on influence and interest:

• High interest + low influence → Keep informed and satisfied

• High interest + high influence → Manage most closely and thoroughly

• Low interest + low influence → Monitor with regular minimal contact

• Low interest + high influence → Keep informed, anticipate and meet needs

For each target group, decide which quadrant they belong to and what tools can be used for engaging them by answering:

1. What do they know about soil literacy in your context? If you provide too basic information, that may be redundant and you lose their interest. If you do not ensure a common ground, it can cause problems later on.

2. What beliefs may influence them in supporting your goal? How do they see the goal of schools? Do they see the benefits of student-centred methods? Do they believe in shared leadership? Do they like to control things? Do they truly support child rights? Do they know the limits of the schools' responsibility?

3. What personal interests can have an impact on their support? Do they have children who may participate? Are they up for re-election? Could it offer media coverage for them?

4. What can be the impact of their support on your goals? It is important to understand how their direct support can help you in implementing a soil literacy programme, but it is equally important to see what might be the impact of their not doing anything or directly acting against your goals.