Training Session on Stakeholder Mapping for Volunteer Digital Advocates
Narratives do not exist in isolation. They gain meaning through stakeholders who influence decisions, shape opinions, drive change, and support a cause. Identifying and engaging key stakeholders ensures that advocacy moves beyond words into real-world impact. Strategic understanding of stakeholders transforms communication into purposeful and effective advocacy.
These core principles were discussed during an interactive lecture on Stakeholder Mapping organized for the participants of the IPS Digital Advocacy Volunteership Program – Batch IV. The Digital Advocacy Program is a dedicated initiative aimed at training young volunteers to build, shape, and share responsible narratives in the digital space. Designed to strengthen critical thinking, communication skills, and strategic outreach, the program equips participants with practical tools to engage audiences effectively and contribute meaningfully to public discourse. Through online engagement and interactive learning sessions, the program prepares youth to become informed digital advocates and confident voices for positive change.
The session was conducted on February 9, 2026 by Anum Akhlaq, Deputy Manager Outreach, IPS, as part of the program’s ongoing capacity-building efforts. It aimed to provide participants with practical insights and strategic techniques to identify, analyze, and engage stakeholders while developing impactful advocacy narratives.
The lecture emphasized the importance of moving beyond random online activism toward structured and targeted communication. Participants were introduced to essential concepts such as stakeholder identification, categorization, power-interest analysis, and engagement planning. Through practical examples and exercises, volunteers learned how to map decision-makers, allies, opponents, and influencers within a comprehensive digital advocacy framework.
The session concluded with a hands-on exercise in which participants applied stakeholder mapping to real-world scenarios. Volunteers actively contributed to discussions, demonstrating strong enthusiasm and a growing understanding of strategic advocacy planning.
This training marks another important milestone in strengthening the skills of young advocates to create responsible, informed, and effective digital narratives.
