What Matters To You: Influencing national policy through community voice
Local voices can drive national change.
In advance of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, What Matters to You (WM2U) aimed to shape Scotland’s national policy to ensure that the lived experience of families and communities in areas of social and economic deprivation like Dundee and Clackmannanshire would meaningfully contribute to future policy.
Based on WM2U’s work in Dundee and Clackmannanshire, they believed they had a workable blueprint that could improve lives across Scotland.
To achieve this, WM2U partnered with Perceptive Communicators to strengthen political engagement, create an impactful manifesto, and secure national recognition for a voice‑led approach to public service reform.
Our approach
Creating an impactful manifesto
Perceptive worked closely with WM2U to create and impactful manifesto which ultimately resulted in strong political engagement, national positive recognition of WM2U’s approach, extensive media coverage and powerful endorsements from target key stakeholders and opinion formers.
At the outset we developed a compelling manifesto that demonstrated powerful evidence from Dundee and Clackmannanshire. It showed how shifting power, budgets and decision‑making into the hands of local families leads to better outcomes and reduces the need for crisis support.
“By empowering local communities and working hand-in-hand with the public sector, WM2U is enabling people to co-create the solutions they believe will give them, and future generations, the opportunity to thrive, transforming neighbourhoods into communities of hope and possibility.” WM2U manifesto
This clarity of purpose, backed by lived experience, data and community‑led solutions, resonated strongly with political leaders, funders and practitioners across Scotland.
We then secured strong endorsements from key stakeholders and relevant opinion formers, including from Rachel Searle, Foundation Scotland:
‘The WM2U manifesto provides both clarity and inspiration for a movement that some communities and funders are already building.’
And from the Poverty Truth Community:
‘If we are serious about giving every child in Scotland the chance of a better future, we must be willing to trust families, shift power and back what works. The WM2U manifesto shows this can be achieved. Now it is up to Scotland’s political leaders to act.’
Strategic stakeholder engagement
Perceptive developed a targeted political engagement strategy to reach councillors, MSPs, MPs, party leaders, key civil servants and sector experts.
The manifesto was shared with:
47 councillors
17 MSPs
4 MPs
6 Scottish party leaders
7 party spokespeople
This ensured WM2U’s evidence and asks were placed directly in front of Scotland’s most influential decision‑makers.
This outreach led to high‑value political engagement, including:
Positive responses from the Public Service Reform Minister, recognising WM2U’s approach “has strong connections with several strands of our wider Public Service Reform agenda” and proposing a follow‑up meeting with civil servants.
Meetings with a local SNP candidate who later became an MSP, and the Scottish Labour Communities spokesperson, both expressing support for community‑led decision‑making.
National media impact
To amplify WM2U’s message, Perceptive led a coordinated media launch across radio, print and online channels. Coverage included:
Go Radio, featuring multiple interview excerpts throughout the day with a WM2U participant
Thought‑leadership articles in The Scotsman and Third Force News, with endorsements from respected sector leaders including David Duke MBE
Inclusion and endorsement in national round‑ups of charitable sector manifesto asks
A high‑profile endorsement from philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter
In total, the media campaign generated an estimated 15,000 views, reached 2 million readers and listeners, and secured 55 social media engagements.
The results
National recognition WM2U’s voice‑led approach gained significant traction across political, civic and third‑sector audiences, strengthening the case for community‑driven public service reform.
High‑value political engagement Meetings with senior politicians and civil servants opened new pathways for influence, including direct engagement with the Public Service Reform Minister’s team.
Strong sector endorsements The manifesto attracted praise from funders, practitioners and community leaders, reinforcing WM2U’s credibility and the strength of its evidence base.
Widespread media coverage National and sector press coverage amplified WM2U’s message, positioning the programme as a leading example of community‑led transformation.
Outcomes & impact
A platform for lasting change WM2U successfully elevated community voice to the national stage, ensuring the programme’s legacy continues to influence Scotland’s policy landscape long after its conclusion.
Strengthened political alliances The manifesto and engagement strategy opened new doors for future dialogue with MSPs, civil servants and party policy teams.
Increased public and sector awareness Media coverage and endorsements helped shift the narrative from localised community work to a national movement for change.
Client Feedback
“Perceptive Communicators helped us significantly to identify and facilitate the best means of relationship building with the right key stakeholders to meet the objectives of our approach. In establishing an effective working relationship, they helped us to identify how best to influence a range of national stakeholders and they secured endorsements of the importance and impact of WM2U's work from among national politicians, civil servants and the third sector and worked persistently to secure our profile in the national media - TV, radio and press.”
Jackie Brock, WM2U Programme Manager
