We're currently loving this new comprehensive article written by Jessica Bell, co-founder of Tools for Change and Executive Director of TTCRiders (a transit advocacy group), on Three Ways To Build Leadership in Your Advocacy Group. If you're struggling to build leadership in your group, this article is for you. Here's an excerpt: We at TTCriders do not have formal power. We cannot tell 100 employees to go do. We don’t have lots of money so we cannot buy expensive advertisements. Nor … [Read more...]
Group Decision-Making Guide for Activists
There's a difference between facilitation and decision-making. Facilitators work within the boundaries of the decision-making structure that exists within a group, be it hierarchy, consensus or spokescouncil structures. I find there's limited content or workshops on decision-making, even though it's such a crucial subject. Decision-making is essentially about power within a group; who has it, who doesn't. Decision-making matters. In order to provide insight into decision-making, I've … [Read more...]
Seeds of Change Consensus Decision-Making Handout
Seeds of Change has developed a neat consensus decision-making guide. The practical guide covers the basics, including: an overview of the consensus process consensus in small and large groups and trouble-shooting issues, such as dealing with difficult people. The one small issue I have with the guide is it's assumption that consensus is the best decision-making method for groups (I think different groups need to find the method that works for them, and some forms of consensus can be … [Read more...]
New Tools for Change Handout on Facilitation
This Tools for Change Handout on Facilitation was compiled by myself (Jessica Bell). The content was developed by Leah Henderson and I while we were preparing for the two workshops on facilitation we hosted earlier this year. There's a lot of facilitation guides out there but very few are directed to facilitating in the advocacy and social movement world. … [Read more...]
Handout on meeting facilitation
Berit Lakey has written a simple four-page document that outlines the basics of facilitation, including roles, steps to prepare for a meeting, and evaluating meetings. It's a great handout to distribute at facilitation trainings. … [Read more...]