Systems Thinking and Campaigning: An Interview with Nicky Ison
This interview with Nicky Ison includes tools and ideas for how to incorporate systems thinking into your campaign work and strategy.
Tag
Theory of change
Where’s the Power? Developing Your Theory of Change [Template]
An introduction to developing your Theory of Change and a template based on the works of Marshall Ganz, Harvard Professor.
Bill Moyer’s Movement Action Plan and Four Roles of Activism
Learn about and understand the ups and downs of social movements from Bill Moyer’s Movement Action Plan and the Four Roles of Activism.
bell hooks – Ideas for Social Justice
bell hooks’ ideas have resonated widely. This resource-set focuses on her contributions to three key concepts in social justice movements: understanding intersecting structures of power; practising love, as a verb, as a pathway to justice; and the transformative power of teaching/learning as activism.
Changemaker Chat with Owen Jones: The story behind one of the United Kingdom’s most high profile left wing figure
Listen to the story of Owen Jones – a British left wing and Labour party activist, writer, orator and political commentator.
Changemaker Chat with Tyson Yunkaporta: Indigenous Thinking
Tyson Yunkaporta discusses Indigenous thinking on power, change, being and coping with chaos.
ChangeMakers Organising School – Online Course (Videos)
ChangeMakers Organising School – Training (videos and slides) to connect and deepen knowledge to organise for social change.
ChangeMakers Organising School – Season Three
ChangeMakers Organising School – Training (videos and slides) to connect and deepen knowledge to organise for social change.
Theories of Change
A theory of change can help guide campaigners, their teams and communities. James Whelan from the Change Agency addresses four common pitfalls and some remedies so your theory of change works for you and your team.
3 tools for advocacy evaluation
Links to useful resources in the area of advocacy, policy change, and social movement evaluation.
Exploring Roles in Social Change Movements
Holly Hammond’s presentation to Progress 2019 on ‘Rebels and Reformers Unite! Exploring roles in social change movements’. Social movements are made up of many individuals and organisations with varied strengths, perspectives and theories of change.
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.
Frameworks for Winning Change
Social change can be messy and challenging work! It helps to have frameworks to make sense of the situations we find ourselves in and plan for the way ahead. This article outlines four models, by Martin Luther King, Jr, George Lakey, Bill Moyer and Tim Gee.
The power of unions to make change
Nadine Flood from the CPSU presents at Progress 2015 on the dynamic tension at the heart of the union movement’s theory of change – as both grassroots movement and the large representative and regulated institutions.
Moving the rock: Shifting power for sustained change
This article explores the ‘moving the rock’ concept put forward by Daniel Hunter in his book Strategy and Soul. The concept has been valuable for campaigners and organisations reassessing their theory of change and particularly how they engage politicians and supporters.
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.
3 Resources to Assess and Open Policy Windows
The policy window is an opportunity for advocates of proposals to push their pet solutions, or to push attention to their special problems. When everything comes together a problem is recognised, a solution is developed and available in the policy community, a political change makes it the right time for policy change, and potential constraints are not severe.
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.
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.
The People Power Manual: Campaign Strategy Guide
Social movements become more powerful as more people are equipped to analyse their political context, consider paths to change and mindfully plan tactics. This Campaign Strategy Guide equips activist educators to facilitate a range of participatory exercises with activists, organisers and citizens. It can also be used as a do-it-yourself guide for campaigners.