Looking for articles, books, case studies, tips about social change and activism? You’ve found the right place – The Commons Social Change Library.
Thirty years ago from January 2019 Noongar activists set up a protest camp at Gooninup, the site of the derelict Old Swan Brewery on Perth’s foreshore. This marked the beginning of a four-year long struggle to secure recognition of an Aboriginal sacred site.
From hundreds of conversations with Australians across the country Australia Remade has come up with 9 pillars that form a collectively imagined vision.
10 tips about how to influence policy with research from the Overseas Development Institute. e.g. what, who, when to influence, politics, networks, etc.
Anita Tang shares the process for running a Campaign Clinic to generate fresh ideas and innovations in campaigning.
Tips on how to get started with online training and facilitation for remote meetings and trainings. e.g. how to read a group and increase engaging including via web cameras, text chat and shared documents.
QGIS is a free and open-source cross-platform desktop geographic information system (GIS) application that allows one to analyse, edit, construct and export geospatial data. Michael Pulsford has created and shared a document to help one get started using GIS.
A crowdsourced spreadsheet listing a number of digital variations of Gene Sharp’s classic 198 Methods of Nonviolent Action. Valuable inspiration for campaigns seeking new tactics!
Online meetings can be a lot of fun! Here are a few ideas to make your meetings exciting, educational, and effective from Daniel Hunter, 350.org.
Here are some email tips and a worksheet to help you plan and think about when writing to or asking something of your supporters. These resources have been shared kindly by the Australian Conservation Foundation.
In the 2019 Australian federal election, two local campaigns stood out. Two Independents, from two very different electorates, made history. We’re referring of course, to Indi in regional Victoria, and Warringah in Sydney.
A collection of articles and podcasts from Amanda Tattersall and ChangeMakers which provide a behind the scenes exploration of the Hong Kong democracy movement.
A list of handy websites to help you find out more about Australian Members of Parliament, including how to contact them, details about their electorates and what they say and stand for.
Volunteers are a crucial part of social change organisations, and getting new volunteers off to a good start is critical. This checklist and the prompting questions will help you set up an effective and welcoming volunteer orientation process.
A list of resources about decentralised organising collated and shared by Richard D. Bartlett finding lessons across diverse contexts, from social movements to formal workplaces.
Email is the dominant engagement channel for most organisations. A well-designed email program should be at the heart of your communication strategy. Check out these tips from Organise Us.
Curated list of stock photo/image libraries that reflect diversity and the real world. e.g. LGBTQIA, disability, ageing, diverse ethnicities.
Young workers in a call centre in Sydney join a union and become confident to advocate for their rights and create better conditions as a result.
The Copenhagen experiment took place in Denmark in 2018 and discovered that creative activism was more effective than conventional forms of activism.
Campaign insights from Daniel Hunter’s book Strategy and Soul about how to fight a battle people think is a ‘done deal’.
In this interview, George Lakey explains what lessons can be learned from how movements in Scandinavia won and secured their egalitarian economic model.