“You are the ‘big society'”, said David Cameron to community organising group Citizens UK, in 2010. Now we are living through the largest cuts to Britain’s public spending since the second world war and people are taking to the streets: spring’s march against the cuts, Occupy London and countless other local protests. These are communities organising themselves, but I doubt this is the big society Cameron quite had in mind…
Amid the passion, discontent and plethora of voices, what can campaigners in the voluntary and community sector do to make an impact?
Sarah Gilbert is an experienced campaigner. She is an independent consultant and runs projects for NCVO on campaigning and influencing, including the Certificate in Campaigning and Leadership in Campaigns. She also coaches campaigners, has guest lectured for Roehampton University, and is a member of the advisory board for the University of Westminster's MA in Campaigning, Communications and Media.
Sarah sits on the Campaigning Effectiveness Advisory Board and writes blogs, articles and tweets about how to influence people and the sector’s role in campaigning. 
