Introduction
Creating change requires engaging audiences, communicating messages, and inviting people to join in action. The resources here will help you get clearer on what communication channels to use and how, how to develop compelling framing and messages, and the skills required to engage media (traditional and new forms) effectively.
This guide will help you navigate the Communications and Media topic on the Commons Library. You may also like to check out our Story and Narrative topic, Digital Campaigning topic and Countering Disinformation project collection.
Learn to savour words and language because no matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world – Robin Williams
Media
- The NEON Guide to Progressive Media Work
NEON’s Press Officer Handbook, a comprehensive guide to effective media work in social movements. Includes writing press releases, using the phone, preparing spokespeople for broadcast and much more. - 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. - How to Create a Media Package
A media package puts everything a journalist may need together in one place – a media release, photos, a spokesperson bio and background information. This ‘How to create a media package’ has been put together by the Australian Conservation Foundation. - Strategic Media Engagement
The media can be a powerful mode of communication which can have a big impact on the success or failure of our initiatives. But how do we ensure our communications are strategic and don’t just end up being more noise - Writing a Media Release
Need some help writing a media release? Dinah Arndt has prepared this guide to help you master the basics of writing an effective media release. Take a look at her tips and examples, then download her template and get started on creating your own. - How to do a Great Media Interview
Some tips from The Australian Conservation Foundation about how to do a great media interview e.g. thinking about before, during and after the interview. - How to Engage with the Media, Advanced Activist Skills, Amnesty International
In this module you’ll gain an understanding of how to work with the media in a strategic way, how you can build relationships with local media to promote your activism, and core skills you’ll need, like writing effective media releases.
Framing, Narrative & Psychology
Framing and Messaging
- Call to Action Worksheet
Use this worksheet template to determine how you will talk about your campaign to inspire and motivate people to take action. - Simplifying your Campaign Message
How do you simplify your message and discourse for your target group when creating a campaign message As civil society organizations, we sometimes create our message in a format that is difficult to understand to create a rights-oriented language, which creates a barrier to access to our campaign target group. - 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. - Frame the Debate: Insights from Don’t Think of an Elephant!
An introduction to the concept of framing, drawing on George Lakoff’s book Don’t Think of an Elephant! Know Your Values and Frame the Debate. - Framing Issues for Social Justice Impact: Directory of Messaging Guides
Looking for research on how to frame an issue on a certain topic area? This collection of reports, articles, videos and podcasts on issues including climate, crime, equality, nature, poverty and health will help you develop powerful messages and narratives. For example:- By Us, For Us: Disability Messaging Guide
Disability messaging tips that research has shown to be effective in building public support for progressive change, including disabilit - Far Right Violence: A Messaging Guide
Messaging guide on far right violence by the New Economy Organisers Network NEON in the UK that includes framing and words that work. - Passing the Message Stick: Messages that Build Support for Change on First Nations Justice
Persuasive messaging to build widespread support for transformative change, like treaties, truth-telling and representation, now and beyond the referendum. - What we can Learn from the Marriage Equality Campaign
An array of resources collated about the marriage equality campaign across the world including lessons learned about messaging and framing. - How Collective Action Communication Frames are used to Drive Action on Climate Justice
Insights into how Australian environmental groups use collective action frames in their communication on climate justice. - A Comparative Analysis of Australian Media Coverage of the 2019 Climate Protests
A report and analysis about Australian mainstream media coverage of climate protests and activists in 2019.
- By Us, For Us: Disability Messaging Guide
Story and Narrative
- The Story Canvas Template
The Story Canvas is a template and/or online form from the Digital Storytellers which guides you to fill in the right ingredients to make a powerful story. - How to Change the Narrative / Story: Guides, Worksheets and Templates
Guides, manuals and tools to help you get the narrative and framing right no matter what social justice issue you are working on. - Narrating Change During ‘Psychic Breaks’
This extract from the book Re:Imagining Change explores ‘psychic breaks’, seismic events (like the Australian 2019-2020 bushfires) that shake status quo assumptions and provide opportunities for new stories to be told. - The Power of Story: The Story of Self, Us and Now
Learn all about the power of story and how to tell a story to inspire, make change and motivate action using a framework developed by Harvard Professor Marshall Ganz called “Public Narrative” that revolves around three elements – a Story of Self, Us, and Now. - How to tell compelling stories that move people to action: Narrative Handbook
Learn how to tell emotionally compelling stories, use the right frames, values and metaphors to shift the public conversation and take people where you want them to go and engage and strengthen the values that will engage more people more deeply. - Mapping Story Archetypes
The six-page PDF includes instructions, worksheet, and an example to get you started mapping the movies, shows, books and entertainment your audiences consume, and how to match stories with the kinds of actions you want your audience to take. - Re:Imagining Change: How to use story-based strategy to win campaigns, build movements, and change the world
Tools, pragmatic lessons and case studies on harnessing the power of narrative, culture, and imagination to help our movements win. - Story Based Strategy 101
An accessible guide to story based strategy in movement building by the Center for Story Based Strategy. - Storytelling for Deep Impact Course
A course to understand the basics of storytelling to change hearts and minds and specifically to win over the ‘moveable middle’. - How to Build Public Support With Personal Stories
A case study of an organisation’s experience with the power of personal stories in helping to build public support for a campaign. - Storytelling for Deep Impact Course
A course to understand the basics of storytelling to change hearts and minds and specifically to win over the ‘moveable middle’. - Public Narrative: Online Course
Learn all about public narrative and the power of story through this series of videos from Marshall Ganz and the Resistance School. - Fast and First: Shifting Narratives through Rapid Response Media Campaigning
Tips on how to run a rapid response media campaign and sustain momentum beyond the immediate media moment.
Psychology
- What Makes People Tick: The Three Hidden Worlds of Settlers, Prospectors and Pioneers
A book by Chris Rose (author of How to Win Campaigns) in which he puts forward a model of how to use psychology when creating compelling campaign messages. - Activism and Pre-Suasion
Lessons for activists on how to be more persuasive and effective, drawing on the book Pre-Suasion by Robert Cialdini.
Communication Channels & Tools
Digital Communication
- Building Digital Power: A Playbook for Changemakers
This book is written for fellow online communicators and strategists. Ours is the job to ‘reach hearts and minds’ within a vast ocean of digital noise and waning attention spans. If we’re lucky — someone tossed us a life vest before throwing us overboard. - How to Create a Successful Digital Campaign: Digital Activism Toolkit
How to Create a Successful Digital Campaign: Digital Activism Toolkit is a practical guide by Youth and Environment Europe. - Online Tactics: Digital Storms
A Digital Storm is an online event mobilising the public to email, call, text and post comments to a corporate or government target. Through this online ‘storm’ small or large groups of people can pressure targets into action. - Lost Voices: A toolkit for Digital Campaigners
This toolkit intends to help charities improve their digital campaigns by centering the voices of lived experience. - Email tips and worksheet when writing to or asking something of your supporters
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. - Digital Organising Tools to Reach and Recruit Supporters
Does your group want to reach out to supporters and engage them in campaigns? A quick overview of the options and top tips for success. - Using Digital Tools for Activism
A module from Amnesty International Australia to learn about the digital tools you can use to enhance your activism.
Social Media
- Grassroots Guide to Creating Quality Online Content
Tips for smaller grassroots groups by Counteract. - How to Change the Story on Social Media: ACF Community Toolkit
The Australian Conservation Foundation has created this terrific guide for its’ supporters on how to communicate on social media more effectively offering lots of tips about values, language and storytelling. - Four magic steps to creating shareable, purpose-driven social media content
With input from some of the world’s leading social media practitioners, we’ve developed this guide to help digital campaigners and practitioners apply tried-and-true methods of making social media content that actually spreads. - Social Media Activism: A guide to online change making
This how-to guide will help you ensure that your organisation is getting the most out of its social media activism. Jessie Mawson has created a guide to online change making for Amnesty International Australia. - How to change the story on social media: ACF Community Toolkit
The Australian Conservation Foundation has created this terrific guide for its’ supporters on how to communicate on social media more effectively offering lots of tips about values, language and storytelling. - How to: Using Facebook groups for organizing
Using Facebook groups for organizing – This is for groups needing to reach out, build their base & mobilize people to come to events. - TikTok for Organizing: How Groups are Using TikTok in Campaigns
Learn from a case study on how they’re using TikTok in their organizing. - How campaigners are using Instagram
Instagram is a global phenomenon – yet too many campaigners don’t know how to use it. Start your Instagram journey here with accounts to follow, and ideas for its use. - Live tweeting at rallies and marches
Tips for live tweeting at rallies and marches by Counteract. - Social Media for Change: Ideas, Tools and Best Practices for Civic Engagement and Elections, The Good Lobby
The booklet goes through how you can use various social media platforms and tools in a meaningful and responsible way to promote the public interest. It covers a range of free tools, resources and social media practices to enable political candidates, campaigners, NGOs, social media managers, and citizens to engage with specific issues. - A Beginner’s Guide to Social Media, Friends of the Earth
Do you need to set up a social media account for your community group? Follow our guidelines on using these platforms and help boost your group’s profile and grow your follower base.
Mobile
- How to use WhatsApp for campaigning
Use WhatsApp for campaigning, community building, activating networks and crowdsourcing knowledge. - Cell Phones for Collective Action
Inspiring talk by Koketso Moeti, a South African activist & founder of the digital engagement platform and advocacy organisation amandla.mobi.
Letters
- Writing a Letter to the Editor
This article by Oxfam Australia provides tips to help get your letter to the editor published. - How to Get Your Op-Ed Published
Writing opinion pieces for the media is a powerful way of shifting the public conversation. Here are some great tips to get you started.
Writing
- How to Write a Great Blog Post
Do you need some tips on how to write a blog post? Duncan Green from Oxfam GB shares ten ways to write a blog post in under an hour. - Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block
Here are tips to overcome your writer’s block and help you find your writing magic from Lily Spencer – a leading non-profit copywriting consultant. - Tips for Policy Writing
Policy writing is a key part of the work of not-for-profit individuals and organisations. Follow these tips to do it well.
Images and Infographics
- Where do I find images reflecting diversity?
Looking for photographs or illustrations to use for social media tiles, reports and other publications? Stock image libraries tend to be dominated by able bodied conventionally attractive cisgender white people! Here are some places to find images that reflect greater diversity, especially Australian images. - Find Free Images Online
Need a relevant photo for your urgent social media post right now? Or found the perfect one, but don’t know if you can use it? Here’s some great hints, sources and links. - Projecting Power: Visual Strategy for Movements
Webinars on visual strategy will help you make a plan to create the images we need to win. You’ll be ready to tell a bolder story in the street, maximizing threat to power and making actions more welcoming and joyful. - Guidelines: Images Portraying People with Disability
A short guide from People with Disability Australia PWDA with useful tips on how to portray images of people with disability. - Tips for Designing Infographics
A brief webinar by Commons Librarian volunteer sharing tips for designing infographics for social media and training purposes.
Videos
- Video as an advocacy tool: 3 how-to videos to improve your video and filming techniques
3 how-to tools to improve your video and filming techniques from Witness including mobile phone filming, sound recording and interviewing techniques. - How to do video content faster, lighter and without a big budget
- Beginner’s guide to making video with your smartphone
Learn practical tips from Digital Storytellers on how to make a video with your smartphone including information about what you need, shooting tips and editing. - Learn to tell Stories with your Smartphone Video
Learn from Digital Storytellers on how to tell and film great stories with your smartphone video. Gather content faster, lighter and without a big budget. - TED talk: Fight Injustice with Raw Video
Activist Peter Gabriel shares his motivation for standing up for human rights with the watchdog group WITNESS & tells stories of citizen journalists.
Radio / Podcasts
- Social Change Radio Directory (Australia)
Community broadcasters are an important part of social movements. The Commons Social Change Radio Directory includes details of almost 100 radio shows from 5 Australian states. - How to Call Talkback Radio
Here is a list of radio stations in Australia that you can call to get your views heard on talkback radio and some tips to help get your issues heard from the Australian Conservation Foundation. - Eight tips for going on radio
Tips from MoveOn’s Communications Manager & GetUp’s previous Chief of Staff on how to make the most out of a radio interview. - How to Create your own Podcast
Learn how to create your own podcast – Tips and examples to help you understand and start your own podcast project.
Speaking
- TED talk: The Secret Structure of Great Talks by Nancy Duarte
In this talk, presentation expert Nancy Duarte shares practical lessons on how to make a powerful call-to-action. - Watch Inspiring Activist and Protest Speeches
This article compiles inspiring and impactful activist and protest speeches that have driven social change. It features speeches from influential figures addressing civil rights, climate justice, gender equality, and more. This collection of speeches aims to showcase how powerful rhetoric can ignite movements and mobilize communities towards collective action and positive change. - Story of Self, Us and Now: Video Examples
Be inspired and watch stories of self, us and now using a framework developed by Harvard Professor Marshall Ganz called “Public Narrative”. The Commons Library and the Leading Change Network have collected video examples of stories of self, us and now.
Research and Surveys
- Campaign Research 101
An introduction to the basics of campaign research for social change advocates. Campaign research helps you get the right message, in the right format, delivered by the right messengers, to the right audience through the right channels. - Survey Design: Forming Survey Questions
Are you putting a survey together? Here is a useful 2 page document from DataCenter of things to think about when formulating your questions, e.g. leading vs. non-leading questions, types of questions.
Interviews
- Conducting Interviews for Articles, Research & More
This article provides tips on how to run effective interviews for articles, research projects and podcasts. - How to Conduct Interviews: Tips and Checklist
Tips and checklist on how to prepare, conduct, produce entertaining and informative interviews from Nicky Stott, Community Radio 3CR trainer. - Tips for Conducting Interviews about Sensitive Topics
Tips from Community Radio 3CR in Australia focussing specifically on interviews regarding sensitive topics.
Brand, Merch, Training & Support
- Creating your Brand Identity
Have you been trying to create and/or build upon your brand identity for a campaign or your organisation? Great tips and a checklist from Principle Co. - Naming an Advocacy Campaign
How do you name an advocacy campaign? Here is a guide, tips, and thoughts to help you with the process of naming a campaign. - Reimagining Your Annual Report: A Comprehensive Guide for Progressive NGOs
Tips on reimagining your annual report for progressive NGOs from the European Center for Digital Actions. Includes list of examples. - Items of Mass Instruction Posters, Stickers, Memes and More
Creative tactics for social change: Different ways of spreading messages and information in a creative way… memes, posters, postcards, stencils, etc. - Campaign Communications Course
A course for grassroot groups to understand the basics of public communications for building a convincing, winning campaign. - Freelancer Directory Creatives and Consultants for Social Good
Can’t find a photographer for your event? Want a new designer for a project? Looking to rebrand? Need some rapid-response campaign design work done? The Australian Progress crowd-sourced register of creative industry providers is a great place to start. - Suppliers of custom printed products T-shirts, banners, stationary, lanyards
Looking for the right supplier for your organisation’s custom-printed products can be time consuming. Australian Progress has searched the internet far and wide to compile a list of miscellaneous suppliers so you don’t have to.
Other
- Is Personalised Political Communication Manipulative?
“Personalized political communication” refers to when the medium for a message is a person, not media such as television, pamphlets, or billboards. The electoral arms race is seeing a renaissance of PPC and greater engagement of voters in campaigns and the political process. - Become the Media: IndyMedia and S11
A description of the role of alternative media in the S11 anti-globalisation protests, September 2000. - Reporting In Contentious Times: Insights for Journalists to Avoid Fanning the Flames
This memo provides a brief overview of key considerations and pointers for responsible and conflict-sensitive election-related reporting. - The Authoritarian Playbook: How Reporters can Contextualize and Cover Authoritarian Threats as Distinct from Politics-as-Usual
Guide for journalists and the media on the seven fundamental tactics used by aspiring authoritarians and a framework journalists can use to discern, contextualize, and cover the tactics. - How to Report on Conferences and Other Events
Online presentation on skills related to documenting social change & social justice events so that learnings can be shared beyond the event.
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