Long-running Home Stretch campaign reveals the keys to influencing government

The “Home Stretch” campaign is now supported by more than 200 organisations, 12,000 individuals, political parties on all sides, and 20 philanthropic organisations. At last count, more than 5,000 young people were beneficiaries of the change. The effort stands as an exemplar of working with government while also collaborating with an array of supporters.

According to Home Stretch, about 45,000 children are in state care and thousands were previously forced to leave care when they turned 18. For years, advocates believed that was far too young, and several government inquiries also recommended an extension. Of those forced out of care, nearly half found themselves homeless, jobless, in jail or pregnant in the first year out of care. A high proportion (44%) have a First Nations background.

Led by Anglicare Victoria, the Home Stretch effort shows that not-for-profit (NFP) leaders serious about influencing government policy must forge alliances and maintain the course in a sustained effort.

The campaign to influence government employed:

• strategic government engagement
• economic evidence
• coalition-building
• sustained advocacy.

The success of Home Stretch provides some important lessons other NFPs can apply.

Keep the message simple and on target

Paul McDonald, Anglicare Victoria’s chief executive and the national chair of the Home Stretch campaign, said message discipline was essential, and he pressed this point upon campaign chairs in every state and territory.

“Whenever you’re with a minister, or a bureaucrat, or a stakeholder, you start the meeting with Home Stretch, you finish the meeting with Home Stretch, and in the middle, check in to ensure you’re still talking about Home Stretch.”

He said that in building relationships with government and keeping them engaged, “Keep it clear and unforgettable in all these conversations and the result will deliver. Persistence is your best friend. Home Stretch is a testament to that.”

McDonald said the single-minded focus of the campaign helped cut through the noise of competing policy issues, ensuring Home Stretch remained a priority in conversations with decision-makers.

Easy-to-recall slogans, such as the “Make it 21!” grab that McDonald used on high rotation, complemented the substance of the campaign’s advocacy work.

The Home Stretch effort appeared regularly in the media during Youth Homeless Week, Child Protection Week, Youth Week and other events.

Lead from the top

Leadership visibility played a critical role in the success of Home Stretch. McDonald personally led advocacy efforts, ensuring consistency and high-level engagement with policymakers and philanthropic supporters.

“For me, it was important to own these social welfare issues because it’s the leadership that gives the profile.”

Lean on the evidence, and the feels, to make your case

One of Home Stretch’s strategies was its use of cost-benefit analysis. Initially focused on Victoria, the campaign commissioned Deloitte to quantify the economic impact of extending care to 21 years.

In all, Home Stretch commissioned six reports – funded by philanthropic supporters – providing metrics on a national level, and specifically for the NSW and Queensland governments.

The research, which demonstrated that for every dollar spent, governments would save two, captured the attention of policymakers.

“The evidence was irrefutable, and we used these stats to keep governments’ attention. We needed to be clear: If the Australian government extended care, these are the savings.”

McDonald and his team also crafted messaging that resonated personally with policymakers. One effective argument: “Premiers and ministers around the country are not planning to exit their own children from their homes at 18 years.”

Build a broad coalition without overburdening partners

A key factor in Home Stretch’s momentum was its ability to build a broad coalition of support without making participation onerous. Rather than asking organisations to take on significant commitments, McDonald simply asked for their endorsement: “I said, if you agree with this problem and the objective, send me your logo.”

This low-effort approach allowed Home Stretch to quickly establish a diverse and influential coalition. Logos on campaign materials signified broad support, reinforcing the coalition’s credibility when McDonald and others spoke with governments and funders.

“There’s collaboration and then there’s authorisation. Adding a logo gave me authorisation,” McDonald said.

“And it meant we could confidently show philanthropists and government that we had quite an eclectic group of supporters, just by a quick scan of logos.”

Creating a movement that’s bigger than your organisation

Rather than advocating under the Anglicare Victoria banner, the campaign created an independent identity with its own name, logo and website. Positioning Home Stretch as a “movement” rather than an organisational initiative attracted supporters beyond Anglicare’s traditional base.

“That movement now has over 12,000 individual supporters. Those funders and supporters we treat like partners – we tell them what’s going on with the campaign, including the positives and the challenges.”

Maintain momentum to lock in lasting change

Achieving policy commitments is one thing, but ensuring they are sustained long-term is another. Recognising this, Home Stretch is continuing its advocacy efforts even after securing extended care in all states and territories.

In May, Home Stretch will host its fourth national symposium in Melbourne at which it will launch phase two of its campaign.

While details of the new phase are still under wraps, McDonald did reveal that he was “on the cusp” of convincing one government to pass legislation affecting “corporate parents” (organisations with children in their care) and “care leavers” (young people who have “aged out” of foster care or state care).

He said that the Home Stretch campaign continued.

“Prior to the Home Stretch movement, no Australian state, territory or federal government, with the partial exception of the ACT, had indicated any interest in extending support to children in its care past 18 years.

“[Now] extended care is offered in all eight Australian jurisdictions, and at last count, 5,000 young people are in extended care arrangements to 21 years across the country. But the work won’t stop here.”