Introduction
Welcome to the Changemakers’ Toolkit, your go-to, free campaign tools, training resource for campaigners, activists, and changemakers of all kinds. The Toolkit was developed by the Sheila McKechnie Foundation SMK in the UK.
Making change can be difficult, and it can be hard to find the right guidance to help you on your way. Changemakers’ Toolkit is designed to be that guidance that any changemaker can work from.
Think of this as a digital toolbox, equipped with everything you need to start making change happen.
Each module is designed to take you through our tools, approaches, and insights on making change-complete with homework exercises and real-life examples.
These resources will not only deepen your understanding of campaigning and change-making, but also equip you with the skills to reflect and plan your next steps.
Modules
What’s a Campaign?
A ‘campaign’ is activity undertaken to change something – or to stop something from changing. The key thing about a campaign is that it needs to be time-limited and winnable – to have a clear goal to work towards and to know when it has been secured.
How do I know if I’m a Campaigner?
A ‘campaigner’ is anyone pursuing change. It could be something big and society-wide – like action on climate. Or something smaller and more personal – like trying to secure the support a child needs at school. You might also be called an activist or a changemaker.
If you’re working to change things, you’re a campaigner!
Module 1: Introduction to Campaigning and Social Change
What does this module cover?
Social change doesn’t happen on its own. Behind all the big progressive changes in history, we find change-makers – the people, communities and organisations who have run successful campaigns for change.
This module focuses on how change happens. It offers free tools and techniques to help you understand how to use your power and influence. We’ll help you analyse the bigger picture to inform your campaigns. And we’ll outline examples of thinking and behaving that helped successful changemakers win their campaigns.
For all of us, there are things we care about, things we think should change or are wrong. Campaigning is about how to make change happen.
To succeed, we need to understand what works and what doesn’t. Then make strategic decisions that give our campaigns the best chance of success.
This module draws on SMK research involving hundreds of campaigners and campaigning organisations. It will help you to understand the different ways social change happens and discover the tactics and behaviours you need to win.
There’s a lot to think about at the beginning of a campaign. And there are no wrong answers – they are all important. This module is about helping you to structure the campaign planning process so you can work through all the important steps.
Learning Outcomes
In this module, changemakers will:
- gain insights into how impactful social change happens;
- explore the basics of analysing influence and mapping allies; and
- understand how effective change-makers think and behave.
Module 2: Analysing the Problem and Planning for Change
Learn to plan impactful campaigns that get to the root of the problem. Explore tools like the Problem Tree to help improve your campaign strategizing.
What does this module cover?
In any campaign, analysis and planning are key to success. Effective planning creates focus, brings teams together, and generates impact.
This module introduces a range of tools and resources to apply to your campaigns. It will help you to understand the core problem you’re trying to address – its causes and impacts. Discover how to prioritise those causes and plan actions. Finally, explore where to find the right entry points for your campaign.
Every campaigner has an idea about how society could be better. But turning ideas into effective campaign strategies isn’t easy.
This module gives examples of successful campaign strategies and SMK’s digital tools will help you answer key questions, identify the next steps, and move your campaign forward. Use the tools to structure planning sessions in your team or group. They will help you to clarify your vision for change and develop a robust campaign plan to give your campaign the best chance of success.
Learning Outcomes
In this module, changemakers will:
- Identify a clear problem, solution and route to change
- Gain experience in prioritising routes to change
- Explore the diverse campaign entry points and learn how to pick the right ones.
- Adopt planning tools to help your campaign succeed
Module 3: Communication for Change
What does this module cover?
Clear, powerful communication is a force for social change. But in a world where everyone is constantly scrolling through content, it can be hard to cut through.
To communicate effectively, we need to know who we’re speaking to, what we need to say to connect with them, and how we can reach them.
This free training module focuses on answering these key questions. To do that, we’ll talk about audience identification, narrative framing, and message delivery.
Whether you’re working on or offline, our goal is to help you deliver powerful messages that inspire hope, drive action, and make a change.
Campaigning is all about human connection. To succeed, we need to engage people’s emotions, shift their thinking, and inspire them to act. That’s why effective communication is an essential part of any successful campaign.
This module will help you think more strategically about communicating for change. We’ll provide practical tools and tips that you can use to develop your campaign messages. You can apply them to all your communications; social media content, mail-outs, press releases and face-to-face communications.
Learning Outcomes
Based on this module, changemakers will understand how to:
- take an audience-led approach to communicating for social change;
- frame clear messages to change minds and inspire action;
- deliver effective, impactful communications using different media channels and tactics.
Access Resource
Explore Further
- The Social Change Grid: A Framework for Understanding Social Change
Here is a new framework for understanding social change by the Sheila McKechnie Foundation in the UK. It is called the Social Change Grid. - 12 Habits of Successful Changemakers
How do I become an effective changemaker? Discover the 12 key habits or behaviours of successful changemakers. - It’s All About Power: A Guide to Thinking Differently about Power for Solidarity in Social Change
Resources to help you think about how power is at play and to take action to transform power and build solidarity in social change. - Campaign Strategy: Start here