Step 2 — SWOT analysis

SWOT analysis is a simple and well-known tool. If done properly, it can be the basis of your advocacy work. The acronym stands for:

• Strengths — what you or the idea (in this case, soil literacy) is good at. Internal.

• Weaknesses — what the challenges can be, what may be too difficult to embrace or implement, what may need too much effort. Internal.

• Opportunities — what element of the environment (media coverage, legislation in the pipeline, wish to change) can help the realisation of what you want to achieve. External.

• Threats — what are the main obstacles that can be in your way. External.

Strengths and Weaknesses are internal; you may even be able to improve and eliminate some weaknesses. Opportunities and Threats are external; they do not depend on you, and it may take a lot of advocacy effort to minimise threats.

Perform a SWOT analysis of the policy environment, the institutional environment, financial provisions and the public opinion in your own context (your school) to assess what are the main barriers to achieve your goal, and what are the supporting factors.