Training Materials

7 tools for defining your campaign problem

7 tools for defining your campaign problem come from The Campaign Accelerator Toolkit by MobLab. Where will your campaign go? Which problems will you focus on solving?

The Four Roles of Social Activism by Bill Moyer

Four different roles activists and social movements need to play in order to successfully create social change: the citizen, rebel, change agent & reformer.

Climate Resistance Handbook Or, I was Part of a Climate Action. Now What?

If you’re wondering how to build a powerful movement that can make big wins for climate action, then this is your guide – the Climate Resistance Handbook by Daniel Hunter from 350.org

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.

Quote in white box with big blue speech mark at the top. At yellow and orange background. The text reads - .'Nonviolence is a very powerful weapon. Most people don't understand the power of nonviolence and tend to be amazed by the whole idea. Those who have been involved in bringing about change and see the difference between violence and nonviolence are firmly committed to a lifetime of nonviolence, not because it is easy or because it is cowardly, but because it is an effective and very powerful way. - Cesar Chavez'.

A Collection of Nonviolence Quotes

A collection of quotes to be used as part of training on strategic nonviolence and nonviolent direct action.

A group of people stand on a bridge holding large letters spelling 'Global Goals'.

Tactics analysis

A process guide to be used in training workshops and planning sessions to develop campaign strategy. Activists often love our tactics! We can even be wedded to our favourite tactics. Here’s a tool to help move from tactics to a larger strategy conversation by analysing tactics.

Front cover of Pt'Chang's Nonviolence Training Project Trainers' Resource Manual. There are four photos of people giving or participating in training.

Nonviolence Trainer’s Resource Manual

Nonviolence training manual to support the work of people working to increase the power and effectiveness of grassroots social movements.

Nonviolent Community Safety and Peacebuilding Handbook

Resource for activists engaged in work for peace including practical ways to intervene in violence, to transform conflict and to build peace.

When Planning a Coalition, think of a RAINBOW

The RAINBOW framework draws on Amanda Tattersall’s extensive research and experience around building coalitions. Successful coalitions are built on strong relationships and clarity of purpose.

Photograph of a number of paper plates laid out on the ground with a person pointing at one. The plates have writing on them describing campaign steps.

Critical Path Analysis Process Guide

A process guide to be used in training workshops and planning sessions to develop campaign strategy. Critical path analysis can shift focus to outcomes rather than tactics and provide experience and skill in defining clear objectives. The process also deepens understanding about how change happens and clarifies key threads running through a campaign.

Photolanguage - photograph of set of photos.

Photolanguage: Communicate through Images

Photolanguage is a means to communicate through images. It has many uses – facilitating self-awareness, deepening engagement& relationships.

Photograph of a group of people standing in a circle with a beach ball.

Games and Energisers for your Workshop

Games are great to use during a workshop. They may be scheduled into the workshop at various times or you may just toss one in when you feel that the group could benefit from playing a game. The games in this handout are separated into the categories of introductory games, name games, dynamicas (energisers) and fun ways to get people into groups.

Diagram made up of a central circle (Group Development) surrounded by 5 connected circles labelled Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, Mourning.

Stages of Group Development

A handout and process guide for training workshops focused on working in groups and organisational effectiveness. The process introduces participants to Bruce Tuckman’s model of stages in group development; encourages participants to reflect on their experience of group development; and identifies and address challenges and opportunities that accompany each stage.

A group of people stand together around a ping pong table covered in paper and pens.

Diagnostic Tools for Trainers and Facilitators

Facilitators and activist educators rely on a suite of tools to diagnose the group, to learn about people’s needs and priorities, and to move the group forward. A number of tools are outlined in this resource including: One-on-one conversations; Maximise/Minimise; Ambivalence charts; Questionnaires; Sociograms; Skits, mime and tableaux; Noticings; and Evaluation.

Active Listening Roleplay

A process guide for training workshops focused on working in groups, communication, conflict resolution, community organising and conversation frameworks. The objective of the session is to practice active listening and assertive communication.

Photograph of a window with curtains opening.

Workshop Guide: Assessing and Opening Policy Windows

A process guide to be used in training workshops and planning sessions. The workshop introduces the idea of ‘policy windows’ and ‘political opportunity structure’ and enables participants to critically evaluate the political opportunity structure apparent in current campaigns.

Photograph of posters reading 'Building Alternative Institutions', 'Care taking & service delivery', 'Social change through personal change'.

Mechanisms of change: A guide by The Change Agency

A process guide to be used in training workshops and planning sessions about theories of change. This session facilitates political analysis, reflection and dialogue. Why start with a theory of change? This isn’t asking people to be academics, it’s just about being clear about our own and each other’s assumptions.

Cards read: 'The social movement that has had the biggest impact on me...', 'I became an activist because...', 'When it comes to politics Iam a...', 'One ingredient in my vision of utopia is...'

Naming Political Assumptions: A Guide

A process guide to be used in training workshops and planning sessions to identify the political assumptions that shape our opinions and analysis. Analysis and planning is improved by being aware of the lens through which we see the world. Our lens is influenced by our assumptions and values.

12 people standing in front of Australia's parliament. A speaker is stepped forward from the group, wearing a pastor's collar.

Lobbying Workshop Guide

A process guide to be used in training workshops and planning sessions to introduce participants to lobbying in an experiential way; identify lobbying as just one tool in a community organiser’s toolkit of skills and techniques for change; provide resources and information for future reference.

Three people sit around a desk, talking together.

Lobbying: a tactic for social change

Lobbying is one method of raising public awareness of an issue and enlists support for a particular cause. The objective of lobbying is to persuade decision makers to take or not to take particular actions. This handout covers the skills, knowledge and qualities of effective lobbyists, as well as the essential steps to preparing for lobbying.

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