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Looking for articles, books, case studies, tips about social change and activism? You’ve found the right place – The Commons Social Change Library.

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Holding our groups together in hard times

When social change campaigns experience setbacks it’s understandable this can lead to difficulties in activist groups. Here are some tips and further resources for holding groups together in hard times.

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Working with your elected representatives

The Working with your elected representatives guide by Friends of the Earth (England, Wales & Northern Ireland) covers some of the different ways to work with, or lobby, your local elected representatives.

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How to use social media

Top tips from Friends of the Earth (England, Wales & Northern Ireland) on how to use Twitter and Facebook as a powerful tool for campaigning.

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Tips for Election Recovery

Elections can take a heavy toll campaigners, organisers, and anyone else working and hoping for social and ecological justice. Now is a time for looking after ourselves and each other, to get in good shape for what comes next.

A group of friends stand with arms around each other looking out across a valley.

Running Effective Campaign Debriefs

Every campaign is a learning opportunity. Make the most of this by planning for the post-campaign period and setting up debriefs. Here are some tips for campaigners and facilitators.

Front cover of the Purpose Driven Campaigning summary.

Purpose Driven Campaigning: 40 key principles for Growing Social Movements

Australian Progress has prepared this 40-point summary of Pastor Rick Warren’s bestselling book The Purpose Driven Church. The resource is based on Rick Warren’s experience of growing his church, Saddleback, from scratch to 20,000 members attending every week. Saddleback is now the eighth biggest church in the United States.

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Media Checklist for Actions

A thorough checklist to help you prepare for traditional and social media in the lead up to an action, including some considerations for non-violent direct actions. Download as a handy printable pdf from the box at the bottom of this page.

How to test your communications

This is a resource to help you test your messages. It is designed for campaigners who have little or no experience with message testing.

Framing the Economy

Framing the economy: How to win the case for a better system

The PIRC, the New Economics Foundation, NEON and the FrameWorks Institute have launched two story strategies that progressives can use to shift thinking on the economy. They’re built on values and metaphors that encourage the hope that change is possible and increase people’s support for progressive policies.

Framing Equality Toolkit

Framing Equality Toolkit

This toolkit is a short guide to strategic communications, based on extensive research and building on the experience of activists and communicators from around the globe. It aims to provide a framework rather than a blueprint; helping you to ask the right questions rather than giving you the right answers.

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Campaign Strategy Planning Template

This planning template prompts you to apply a number of different campaign strategy, community organising, and civil resistance concepts and tools. Copy the template into your own document. As you complete each section delete the instructions (text in italics) until you have your own plan, or initial document to discuss in your organisation.

Elements of Campaign Strategy

This overview of campaign strategy elements is offered to clarify language shared by campaigners. The elements include campaign focus and goals; vision; situational analysis; critical path analysis; organisational considerations; allies, constituents and targets; objectives; tactics; evaluation and success indicators.

Cover of Original Power's Building Power Guide - features a drawing of a turtle in red.

The Building Power Guide

The Building Power guide is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who want to change the world. It includes several training resources to build capacity for campaigning, such as explorations of change-making, power, strategy and leadership development.

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