Human Rights Act Policy Academy
Supporting social justice policy and campaigns work, whether you’re at the start of using the Human Rights Act or it’s part of your everyday toolkit.
Applications NOW open – closing 1 May 2026
The Human Rights Act Policy Academy is a 5 day online programme, starting on Monday 1 June 2026, for policy, advocacy and campaigning professionals working across the UK’s four nations.
The Academy is designed to strengthen how the Human Rights Act is used in real‑world policy, advocacy, influencing and campaigning - moving beyond understanding or defence, towards fluent, confident and strategic application in complex and contested contexts.
At a time of ongoing debate about the future of human rights protections in the UK, this programme offers dedicated, protected space for professionals to deepen their practical knowledge, skills, judgement and confidence in working with the Human Rights Act (and through it the European Convention on Human Rights):
driving analysis and recommendations
shaping advocacy arguments
influencing policy and legislation
embedding human rights proactively in the official decision-making we’re each focused on.
Who can apply for a place on the course?
The Human Rights Act Policy Academy is open to up to 20 civil society professionals working across the UK’s four nations in policy, influencing, advocacy and campaigning roles.
Whether you are a seasoned rights advocate or civil liberties campaigner, or newer to working directly with the Human Rights Act, this Academy is designed for people who want to strengthen how they apply the HRA in practice. If human rights feature in your work - as a core focus or alongside other policy issues - this programme is for you.
Participants often work across multiple issues, communities and systems; the Academy reflects that reality. It draws on BIHR’s five thematic areas (Health, Care, Housing, Education and Welfare) as real life lenses, while focusing on the Human Rights Act as a cross‑cutting framework that applies across issues, intersections and priorities.
What will the HRA Policy Academy help you do?
Whether it's a parliamentary briefing, developing evidence, a government consultation response, a research paper, public communications, a campaign or other influencing work, by the end of the Academy, you will be able to:
✅ Use the Human Rights Act confidently in policy work: Identify engaged rights, make legally grounded recommendations, and spot human rights risks early.
✅ Strengthen campaigns with enforceable legal arguments: Frame campaign messages around legal duties, develop stronger asks, and name when decisions risk being unlawful.
✅ Influence decision‑makers more effectively: Challenge decisions using HRA obligations and shift conversations by asking sharper, rights‑based questions.
✅ Analyse policy through a human rights lens: Apply HRA frameworks to real proposals, identify who is most affected, and strengthen your strategic approach.
✅ Connect lived experience to human rights law: Link lived experience to specific rights and duties in ways that are credible, ethical and evidential.
✅ Respond confidently to attacks on the Human Rights Act: Tackle misinformation clearly and explain what the HRA actually requires in plain language.
Use the Human Rights Act confidently in policy work
Identify which HRA rights are engaged in draft laws, policies and consultations
Make clear, legally grounded recommendations, not general values concerns
Spot human rights risks and unintended impacts early, before decisions are locked in
Strengthen campaigns with enforceable legal arguments
Frame campaign messaging around legal duties, not just values
Develop clear campaign asks that decision‑makers can’t easily dismiss
Explain when an issue isn’t just unfair, but potentially unlawful
Influence decision‑makers more effectively
Use human rights legal obligations to challenge poor or harmful decisions
Ask sharper questions: Which rights? Whose duties? What evidence?
Shift conversations by speaking the language decision‑makers are required to consider
Analyse policy through a human rights lens
Apply human rights frameworks to real policy proposals
Identify who is most affected; and whose voices are missing
Strengthen strategy with robust HRA analysis
Connect lived experience to human rights law
Link people’s experiences to specific legal rights and duties
Harness lived experience in ways that are credible, evidential and ethical
Strengthen policy and campaign arguments, not leave them vulnerable to dismissal
Respond confidently to attacks on the Human Rights Act
Challenge misinformation clearly and calmly
Explain what the HRA actually does, in plain, accessible language
Support your organisation to hold the line strategically and publicly
When is the Policy Academy?
The course will run every Monday for six weeks from 1 June 2026, combining online full- and half-day group sessions with independent study.
*The programme will be delivered online to support UK-wide participation. BIHR is a professional training organisation skilled at online facilitation.
What will you gain from the course?
Greater confidence using the Human Rights Act across internal and external policy, advocacy, influencing and campaigning work
Practical tools for integrating legally protected rights into your internal and external policy, advocacy and campaigns work
A clear action plan to advance a human-rights-based approach in an area of your choice
Connections with a network of professionals committed to strengthening human rights across the UK
A course workbook containing practical human rights information to sustain your learning
The opportunity to share learnings and insights at our Annual Human Rights Day gathering in December
A certificate upon completion of the Policy Academy as a Human Rights Policy Lead.
Course Costs
We’re grateful to our funders for supporting this work to strengthen the championing of the Human Rights Act through its use, at this crucial time. Thanks to their support, we’re able to offer places on The Human Rights Act Policy Academy on a sliding scale, with free and subsidised places for smaller organisations to ensure equitable access. We do ask organisations to make a contribution aligned to their size and resources.
Annual Turnover | Cost for 1 place on BIHR’s 5-day course | Costs reimbursement for 10 December Event in London (max of £300)* |
Over 1 million | £145 | N/A |
Under 1 million | £115 | N/A |
Up to £750,000 | £95 | Up to £50 pp |
Up to £500,000 | £65 | Up to £100 pp |
Up to £250,000 | £40 | Up to £250 pp |
Under £100,000 | FREE | Up to £300 pp |
*Travel, accommodation & subsistence reimbursement for 10 December Conference in London up to a max of £300, accommodation only for orgs outside of London.
We offer a maximum of 3 places per organisation.
If booking 3 places, the 3rd place is free.
Got questions? Check out our FAQs
Already working on civil liberties or rights?
I already work on civil liberties / rights, or human rights - is this really for me?
Yes! Many participants already work on defending the HRA or civil liberties. The Academy is about moving beyond familiarity or defence towards deliberate, fluent and strategic use of the Human Rights Act in complex contexts.
New to the HRA?
Is this course suitable for people new to the Human Rights Act?
You can join us as a beginner who is completely new to the Human Rights Act. You must already be engaged in policy, campaigns, or similar national/systems advocacy work.
This is not a course for people who are solely delivering direct individual advocacy or casework – the focus is on policy and campaigns (if you’re doing both, then the Academy is for your influencing work). We do provide HRA support for caseworkers and advocates through our training and programmes work, please get in touch and ask us more: training@bihr.org.uk
Already using the HRA
I’m already using the HRA in my role - will I still get something from this?
Absolutely. Participants often tell us they are already “doing” human rights, but value the opportunity for:
structured reflection, peer learning, and time to sharpen judgement and approach.
The Academy supports learning and development even for those already working confidently with the HRA.
Relevant to working in devolved nations?
Is this Academy relevant for people working in the devolved nations?
Yes. The Human Rights Act applies across the UK, including in the devolved nations. The Academy is designed to build skills and confidence in using the Human Rights Act in policy, campaigning, and influencing work, whether that work is UK‑wide or in a devolved context. The focus is on strengthening how you use the Human Rights Act in practice, rather than on a single institutional or governance model. Plus the Academy facilitators include senior BIHR staff with experience of working on human rights policy and practice in devolved nations.
Who participates?
What kind of organisations do participants come from?
Participants typically come from non-governmental organisations, voluntary and third sector, and charities working on:
civil liberties and human rights protection
health, housing, welfare, education or social security
justice, migration and equalities
children’s rights, women’s rights, and more
All participants share a commitment to rights‑based change.
If you work for a public authority, local or central government or similar, we do provide HRA learning and development through our training and programmes work, please get in touch and ask us more: training@bihr.org.uk
For managers & leaders?
Is this relevant for managers and leaders?
Yes. The Academy is designed for both practitioners and those who manage or lead policy and campaigns work. Leaders often value the strategic space it provides to reflect on organisational approach and direction. Leaders are also important is ensuring HRA learning and approaches are internally supported in your organisations, cascading down and reaching up, so you’re very welcome! We offer discounts for multiple places, so you can bring team members with you.
How practical is the Academy?
Very. Participants work on a live project or challenge from their own role, applying learning directly to current policy or campaigning work. This is not a theorical exercise, and nor is it simply training unlinked to your work – you don’t need to join the dots afterwards, we do it together on the course. This could be about: policy positions; consultation responses; research, analysis and recommendations; parliamentary briefings; campaign asks; and much more!
How will it help my work?
What will the Human Rights Act Policy Academy help you do?
This is a practical programme for people who want to use the Human Rights Act in real policy, campaigning, and influencing work. You’ll learn how to:
Use the Human Rights Act in policy submissions and consultation responses by clearly identifying which rights are engaged and making legally grounded recommendations.
Strengthen campaigns by flagging the specific rights at risk and framing campaign messages around enforceable legal duties.
Analyse laws and policies through a human rights lens, spotting risks, gaps, and unintended impacts early on.
Make stronger arguments to decision‑makers, using human rights obligations to challenge poor or harmful decisions.
Connect lived experience to human rights law in ways that are evidential, credible, and compelling.
Respond confidently to attacks on the law, challenging misinformation with clear, accessible explanations.
What do I get?
What do I get from the Human Rights Act Policy Academy?
Participants in the Human Rights Act Policy Academy receive:
A certificate of completion: Recognising your participation in a specialist, practice‑focused professional development programme for policy, campaigns and advocacy professionals.
A course handbook: Bringing together key frameworks, tools and approaches for using the Human Rights Act fluently and strategically in policy and campaigning work, to support ongoing practice beyond the Academy.
A supported practice project: You will work on a live project drawn from your own role or organisation, applying learning directly to real policy or campaigning challenges, with structured support and reflection throughout the Academy.
A strong professional network: You’ll build relationships with a cohort of peers from across the sector, all working with a shared understanding of the Human Rights Act and a commitment to high‑quality, rights‑based practice.
Part of a new cohort of HRA‑confident policy and campaigns professionals: Including connection beyond the course itself, with an annual gathering to maintain learning, confidence and collective capacity across the sector.
Just defending HRA?
Is this just about responding when the HRA is under attack?
No. While defending the HRA is vital, the Academy is focused on embedding the Act proactively in everyday policy, campaigning and advocacy work - not only mobilising in moments of crisis. But the next time mobilisation is needed, you will be all the more confident in your defence of universal rights having been part of the Academy!