About This Course
In this course, we will focus on the crucial task of developing policies for movement-based parties (MBPs) to increase their chances of being elected. While MBPs may initially rely on voter dissatisfaction to gain support, in order to broaden their appeal and transition from a party of protest to a party of power, it becomes essential to establish a clear and credible policy agenda. Through this course, you will learn valuable strategies and techniques to effectively develop and write policies, enabling you to strengthen your party's appeal and maximize its chances of success in the political arena. Join us on this transformative journey as we equip you with the skills needed to shape your MBP into a force to be reckoned with.
In this course you will learn about the policy process, how to include citizens and your party members in defining policies and how to communicate your policies to voters.
Course Staff
Slobodan Milic
Senior Advisor with 20+ years of experience, Slobodan designed and ran political party developmentprograms across MENA and Eastern Europe. He is a master trainer having designed curricula for over 300 high-profile targeted training/consultancy programs in over a dozen countries worldwide.Before joining NDI Slobodan was a youth political leader at the Civic Alliance of Serbia, and later on a member of the party’s Executive Board, in charge of the internal party communication. Slobodan earned a Master’s degree in International Development from the University of London’s SOAS.
Guthrie Kuckes
Guthrie Kuckes is a Program Associate at the National Democratic Institute (NDI). He is an expert in the use of social media in political campaigns and an avid student of political party competition in electoral authoritarian contexts, with a passion for understanding the sociology behind political party movement building. On the NDI Political Parties Team, Guthrie helps implement programming around social media and disinformation, LGBTQI+ inclusion and political parties, and movement based parties. Prior to joining NDI, Guthrie worked with the OSCE monitoring the 2022 US midterm elections, as well as at the Carter Center. Guthrie received a Bachelor of Arts degree awarded summa cum laude from Boston University in International Relations with specializations in International Systems, World Order and the MENA region.
Rachel Stromsta
Rachel Stromsta is a program officer at the National Democratic Institute, where she works on the Political Parties team to support the development of vibrant, accountable and inclusive multiparty systems. Rachel specializes in party programming in fragile, closed and closing contexts andpolitical polarization, dialogue, and collaboration. She provides technical party expertise for programming in the Central and West Africa and Middle East and North Africa regions. She has supported the Institute’s programming that focused on developing the effectiveness of political parties to contribute to and ensure responsive citizen representation in political processes in Ethiopia. Rachel has also supported the implementation of the regional Political Party Leadership Institute for youth party leaders to increase their capacities to meaningfully engage in formal political processes in Southern and East Africa. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Human Rights and Humanitarianism from Macalester College.
Kellor Yde
Kellor Yde is a Program Manager at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, a non-partisan, non-profit organization that works abroad to increase the effectiveness of democratic institutions. He works on the Political Parties team, supporting the development of vibrant, accountable and inclusive multiparty systems that offer citizens meaningful choices and opportunities for political participation. On the team, Kellor has provided party expertise to country programs in Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East, and Asia. He also leads the team’s cross-party collaboration and best party practices initiatives. Prior to joining NDI, Kellor worked in local politics in the state of Kansas. He helped implement campaign and local branch development for the Kansas Democratic Party, including directing the field operations for several campaigns during the 2018 election cycle. Kellor graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in political science, international affairs, and economics from the University of Kansas.
