What we can learn from the LGBTQ movement’s 50 years of achievement
Despite pain, loss, disruption and grave threats, the LGBTQ movement — decade after decade — launched new campaigns for more advanced goals and won.
Format
Articles
What is Community Organising?
This excerpt from the Community Organising Guide provides an introduction to community organising. Organising is about generating and wielding people power.
Working with your Elected Representatives
The Working with your elected representatives guide by Friends of the Earth covers some of the different ways to work with, or lobby, your local elected representatives.
Recruiting and Retaining Members
Top tips on how to recruit and retain members by Friends of the Earth (England, Wales & Northern Ireland).
198 Methods of Nonviolent Action by Gene Sharp
Stuck in a rut when it comes to campaign tactics? Explore Gene Sharp’s 198 methods of nonviolent action which are classified into three categories: nonviolent protest and persuasion, noncooperation (social, economic, and political), and nonviolent intervention.
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.
How to Build a Resilient Culture of Resistance in Hard Times
US activist and educator Daniel Hunter shares important tips for sustaining ourselves and our movements in the face of challenging times. He outlines seven behaviors that we could incorporate into our groups so we can keep taking powerful and strategic actions.
Facilitating for Gender Balance
Men frequently participate more than women in meetings, forums and other events. This article outlines practical steps facilitators and participants can take to ensure women are heard.
Five Principles for Building Powerful Coalitions
Not all coalitions are made equal. While alliances between unions and community organizations are an important and useful strategy for social change, their power and success varies greatly depending on the strategic choices of those involved.
Introduction to Community Mapping
Community organisers need to continually analyse their communities. What’s going on that has implications for our issue and campaign? Which groups do we need to be connecting with? How is power being exercised?
Three Approaches to Organising
This article outlines three frameworks of organising. They are broad based organising; social movement organising; and community development informed organising.
Sustaining Ourselves as Activists
Activist wisdom has been gathered from a survey of nearly 200 about how to sustain ourselves as activists. A great list from those who have been there.
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.
The Little Book of Power
The goal of this book is to help become more aware of your own relationship with power. Despite the many negative associations and memories we have about power (mostly it’s misuse), power isn’t good or bad, and it is necessary.
Nonviolence Training: A Brief History
A brief history of nonviolence training around the world, Australia and in the Pacific by a group called Pt’Chang.
Becoming Allies: Reaching across the Divide
Allies work is key to building strong and diverse groups and social movements. An ally is someone outside an oppressed group or identity, who commits to standing alongside those people.
Police Brutality and Activist Trauma Support
A guide to help activists understand and improve trauma support and recovery after police brutality.
Community Organising Aims to Win Back Civil Society’s Rightful Place
Community organising is a way of working that trains and builds citizen leaders inside community-based organisations. We need to build strong and vibrant civil society organisations that act for the common good.
Union and Community Coalitions: Stronger Together
This article outlines some of the key elements of successful coalitions. Coalitions can vary, from ad hoc relationships to deeper, long-term, formal coalitions. Coalitions differ according to their common concern, structure, organisational commitment, capacity and culture.
So, what is community organising?
Community organising is a way of building people power that focuses on building the capacity, skills and leadership of the people involved in making change. This article explains community organising and its history.