We Need Toremindworld Leadersthat Every Child Needs a Teacher.Your MP Isyour Local Contact

MP toolkit

We need toremindworld leadersthat every child needs a teacher.Your MP isyour local contact in a chain that will take yourmessages all the way to worldleaders.

Sending messages helps the campaign by showingworld leaders that ordinary people likeyou care about education. Organising a visit or meeting is also a great chance to learn aboutcitizenship and important ideas about democracy and representation.

MPs are used to receiving invitations to meet peoplein their constituencies and usually dotheir best to meet as many local people as they can. It’s their job. They won’t be surprised tobe invited to your school, and may have visited already.

Contacting your MP

Findcontactdetails

For a local event, such as a school visit,it’s usually best to send the invitation tothe local constituency office. Some MPsdon't have a constituency address, inwhich case just send your letter to themat the Houses ofParliament.

Photo:Staff and pupils from Ysgol Pen Y Bryn and Ysgol St Elfod delivered their teacher messages to No 10 Downing Street inperson, following their MP’s visit to the school.

Your MP's name and constituency office address should be on the coveringletter that camewith yourfree Send My Friend to Schoolpack. If you've mislaid it, don't worry: go to enter your school’s postcode. This will provide you withinformation including your MP's name and contact details. Most MPs also havea websitewith contact details and news about recent constituency activities.

Choose a date or dates

It's a good idea to suggest meeting on a Friday, as MPs are normally in their constituencieson this day. Parliament is in recess, or on a break, between22 May and 1 June, so your MPis also likely to be available in your constituency during this period.

Make your email or letter precise and brief. Explain the purpose of your meeting and thetime(s) and date(s) you’d like to meet. MPs are busy, so be prepared to be flexible.

Send your invitation

If you don’t receive a prompt reply, then you should re-send the invitation to your MP’sparliamentary office at Westminster.

MPs and their staff deal with a large number of requests from constituents, so follow up yourwritten invitation with a phone call. Ask to speak with your MP’s ‘diary secretary’ and try tomake sure they’ve seen your invitation and are acting on it.

Preparing for your meeting

There's no need to be nervous! Your MP won’t expect you to be an expert and many MPsare not experts themselves. You simply need to let her or him know how passionate you areabout education for all, and ask her or him to do something about it.

Use the resourcesandfactsheetsat help you prepare.

Find out about your MP

Check whether your MP is already a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on GlobalEducation, and find out more about how the Global Campaign for Education UK (thecoalition behind Send My Friend to School) is working with MPs at

Photo: Pupils of Bedaleschool, Yorkshire, invitedtheir MP, William Hague, to attend a specialassembly to present their incredibly long 1GOAL supporter scarf.

© Mark Chilvers/ ActionAid

Use your MP's website,or find outwhat, if anything, they've said aboutglobal education.

Ask for something

Make sure you ask your MP to dosomething, e.g.: to join the AllPartyParliamentary Group on GlobalEducation, or to write tothe Secretary of State for International Development asking howBritain will help ensure that every child attends primary school by 2015. This gives you areason to stay in touch with your MP to hold him or her to account for their promises.

Make an impression

Send My Friend to Schoolprovideslots of opportunities to get creative, so think about howto make a colourful impact with yourteachermessages. You could really go to town withdrama, music or even puppets! However, remember anything you do should support astrong message and not overwhelm it, and keep in mind how much time you have available.

There arefactsheets,PowerPoint presentations,logos and graphics available at you.

Aim to demonstrate how much support for education for all you have from other youngpeople. Refer to activities you’ve helped to organise and include evidence e.g. artwork, photos etc.

Plan and rehearse

Decide who is going to say what. If you are a group, divide your presentation into separatesections and rehearse. Think about any props and visual aids you’re going to use.

Record what happens

Choose someone to take notes of any comments orpromises your MP makes, and someone to takephotos of your meeting, particularly if you'veorganised something visual such as a display,handover or stunt. Photos will really help to spreadthe word about your event.

See our Press pack formore tips.

We hope you’ll meet your MP again so try to build upa friendly relationship even if you disagree politically.

After the meeting

Stay in touch

Write to your MP to say thank you for the meeting, and to remind her or him of any promises madeduring the meeting. Your MP may well post somethingon their own website or blog if they have one, so include copies of photos.

Track your MP’s actions by setting up an email alert from

Find outif he or shespeaks in support of Education for All. Aim to build a relationship with your MPand keep in touch.

Spread the word

Write a press release and send it to your local newspaper, or any popular local news blogs,along with a photo of your meeting. This should be done within a few days of the meeting.

Usethe templatesand tips inour schools Press Pack, available at

Don't forget to publicise the meetingin your own school's newsletters, website etc., and useour online totaliserat share your photos and stories.

What if my MP can’t come to my school?

MPs are busy and may not always be available to meet you in school. However this doesn’tmean you can’t make your voice heard.

First check if your MP can meet you at their constituency office or at Westminster instead. Most MPs run weekly local surgeries for constituents, and it may be possible to make anappointment.

If it is not possible to meet your MP, write to her or him and send the creative materials youwould have included in your presentation. This should include your school’sbuddy chain, and any other materials you produce,e.g.posters, videos, collages. Yourcovering letter should bear in mind the same points covered above – make sure you askthem to do something specific.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Foreign policy and international developmentare largely dealtwith by the WestminsterParliament on behalf of the devolved nations,so we would still encourage you to contactyour MP at Westminster about global education.

Scotland does have an International Development Fund, so if you live in Scotland you couldask your MSP about how it contributes to the Millennium Development Goal of education forall.

If you prefer to contact your Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), Welsh AssemblyMember (AM) orNorthern Ireland Assembly Member (MLA), members’contact details may be found at:

Treat your MSPs, AMs and MLAs as you would your MP, but remember that the devolvedadministrationshave different powers and responsibilitiesfromthe UK government. Thismeans your MSP, AM or MLA is more likely to provide your campaigning with publicity andsymbolic support,rather than a direct link with a UK government minister.

Moreresources at