Title: Introduction to Community Organizing and Leadership
1Introduction to Community Organizing and
Leadership
- Julie Davids
- Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP)
- jdavids_at_champnetwork.org / 646-431-7525
- Street Outreach Conference, Austin,TX June 04
- Download at champnetwork.org
- from the CHAMP Academy link
2CHAMP trainings in Austin
- TODAY Intro to organizing
- Objectives
- Understanding the differences between
- -- individual and systemic change
- -- services, advocacy, mobilizing and organizing
- Learning and using the language of organizing to
plan and use strategy to increase our power to
win change - Exploring your current and potential role as a
leader in activist and systemic change efforts
- TUES Stages of Chang(ing) the World Objectives
- Recognizing the benefits of participation in
social change activism as providers, leaders, and
members of service, outreach and harm reduction
organizations - Discussing the challenges of working within our
organizations to mobilize for systemic change - Applying principles of behavior change to
increasing organizational involvement in advocacy - Understanding regulations on non-profit
involvement in lobbying
3Individual Advocacy, Systemic Advocacy
- Situation Tom is ready to go into detox but he
cant get a slot because he has already gone 4
times in the past 2 year - Individual advocacy a case manager or outreach
worker calls contacts in the system to explain
the situation and gets Tom in. - Systemic advocacy Outreach workers demand that
the city behavioral health fund stop capping
number of detox visits, win new funding for slots
in state budgets, and creates a quick response
network to call and complain when someone is
denied a slot - BOTH ARE IMPORTANT
- Each type takes different but complementary
skills
4Before you go
- 1 suggestion to leaders and advocates
- -- do what you say you are going to do, and if
you cant, just tell somebody dont just walk
away. Its ok. - 2 suggestion
- -- making people go to meetings to get involved
means you only get people who like meetings - 3 suggestion
- -- sitting at a table when everyone walks by and
ignores you is depressing and doesnt build power - AWARENESS does not equal ACTION
- MY ONE REQUEST check out aidsvote.org ---gt if
you agree, endorse!
5Giving people a sense of their own power, while
winning systemic change organizing
- News flash aging houses need repair
- Service approach our organization will fix
them - Self-help us neighbors will have a work day
- Advocacy our director will talk to the city
housing office and arrange repair - Organizing we will join together to make and use
a strategy to demand that these problems are
fixed, and that those responsible ensure that it
not happen again
6The Little Fish, Being Picked Off One by One
7Building PowerThe little fish can join together
to eat the big fish!
8Why get involved w/ organizing? Were already so
busy!!!
9Thinking like organizers and social change
leaders
- Power is the ability to make things happen.
- Its not enough to be right or correct to win
change -- we need power - Its not enough to win change once -- we must
continue to increase our power so we will not
then lose ground, and so we can win more for our
communities! - Our strongest efforts will be where our path to
victory is based on the values and vision of the
world we are trying to create -- when we model
justice in our fights for justice.
10Education, Awareness, and Support/Counseling are
different than Organizing
- Education seeks to convey information
- Awareness seeks to create understanding of a
problem and provide resources - Counseling seeks to help people realize their
capacity to deal with a challenge - ORGANIZING seeks to alter the relations of power
in order to bring about change - (SECRET BONUS You get to have an opinion and
tell people in power what to do!)
11(No Transcript)
12Why do we need strategy
- We need to be effective and efficient
- If we plan strategies, we can check in and see
how well our strategies are working -- its a
blueprint that we can look to as we are building,
and then adapt it based on how things are going - It helps us explain ourselves to those we want to
join us, and helps them get oriented. - For more training on organizing strategy, check
out - Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO)
- Midwest Academy
- Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP)
13Issues, Goals, Targets and Tactics
- Issues are solutions to problems
- HIV transmission through shared needles is a
problem - Needle exchange is an issue that addresses that
problem - Goals are the steps towards winning our issue
- The long-term goal of our needle exchange
campaign is lifting the Federal funding ban - One medium term goal is getting four new core
members in the next year - The target is the person who has power over our
goal - Tactics are the things we do to make the target
give us what we want
14Choosing Issues
- As AIDS activists, theres no shortage of issues
we could work on. Every group or individual must
determine their priorities for picking issues. - It can be very frustrating to not be able to work
on everything, or even several things, but by
strategically building our power through ONE
successful campaign, we can then take more on - So many factors affect the lives of people with
HIV and our communities. If you are trying to
jumpstart AIDS activism in your region, consider
joining existing non- AIDS specific campaigns for
housing, prison reform, health care, or other
issues and bring along your friends.
15Criteria for Choosing Issues
- Midwest Academy believes that issues should
- Result in a real improvement in peoples lives
- Be deeply and widely felt
- Deep some people very very strongly committed
to this issue - Wide many people think it is an issue
- Be easy to understand
- Have a clear target
- Be non-divisive sometimes, local issues
involve competition between our organizations - Build leadership remember, were building power
here - BE WINNABLE
16Criteria for Choosing OUR Issues
- Midwest Academy works on middle class broad
based issues, like car insurance and schools. - We must use our own calculus in picking OUR
issues. What are our criteria?
17Setting Goals
- Goal setting is a yardstick we use to see how we
are doing. - Thus, goals must be realistic and measurable.
- By using short and medium term goals, we can keep
up spirits in the long haul to winning campaigns. - Remember internal goals to keep track of building
power in your group - A new group or small group can benefit from
appropriate goal-setting to realize you are
making progress! - Words are not the same as action this counts
for our allies as well as our opponents -- make
goals based on verifiable actions so we can
really tell how we are doing
18Recognizing Resources
- Resources are anything we can use to get to our
goals! - People power a car or two friends in high
places space to meet free internet acces
bi-lingual translators the restaurant that
always donates the fried chicken the pastor
that will always let us come address the
congregation you get the idea - LIST 5 RESOURCES IN YOUR COMMUNITY THAT HAVE
NOTHING TO DO WITH MONEY - SHARE YOUR LIST WITH THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU ANY
NEW IDEAS?
19Constituents, Allies, and Coalitions
- Constituents are people directly affected by an
issue - Allies are people who agree with you and who will
actually help - Coalitions bring together organizations to fight
for a common cause, even if they disagree on
other things.
20Constituents
- Make it easy to join your group transportation,
food, fun - Keep gently asking it took ACT UP Philly 5
years to gain our current strong and new
membership - Speak clearly and truthfully, but not
desperately, about your issues and campaigns - Recognize peoples strengths and utilize them
right away - Craft non-disclosing ways to participate, like
phone calls - Offer training so people can participate
meaningfully in planning - Our society discourages us from speaking out we
need to educate our folks on the importance, and
safety, of taking a stand and give them time to
grow into it. Choose tactics that feel safe but
speak the truth. - DONT MAKE PEOPLE HAVE TO GO TO MEETING TO JOIN
OUR EFFORT!
21Targets
- Sometimes we need to do research to identify the
right target. Someone can make the final call
about our goal. - Secondary targets are people who tell our targets
what to do, or who get us closer to our targets. - For example, the mayor may be a secondary target
for the health commissioner, if she appoints the
commissioners. - Recognizing someone as a target does not mean we
will be hostile towards them, unless that is
strategically important. - Targets are vulnerable in different ways. What is
your target more worried about than giving in to
your demands?
22Tactics
- Tactics are what we do to reach our goals.
Theres a lot of tactics to choose from! - Tactics should be within the experience of our
members and allies, and outside the experience of
our target (even a letter or meeting can have an
edge) - Another way of saying that is that tactics should
be fun or feel successful to our folks, and
demonstrate real power to our opponents. - Tactics can escalate over time. Dont bring out
the big guns (so to speak) unless you have to - GIVE US SOME EXAMPLES.
- OR LETS MAKE SOME UP!
23Thoughts on Tactics
- Look for the mobilizable moment. Is there an
event or occasion coming up thats ready-made for
a tactic? - Meetings require pre-meetings in order to be
successful - Boycotts are a lot of work and hard to fake
- Our society discourages us from speaking out we
need to educate our folks on the importance, and
safety, of taking a stand and give them time to
grow into it. - Participating in community planning, from an
organizing perspective, is a tactic, not an end
into itself -- be clear what your goals are, and
the pros and cons of involvement more on this in
tomorrows session - We love talking about tactics! Give us a call!
24Effective tactics with small numbers
- Think small spaces, not big yards or stadiums.
- A few people somewhere they are not supposed to
be can have quite an impact - Be clever, and be clear wear your message, or
hang a banner. - Dread can be better than surprise consider
publicizing your plans to your opponents unless
there is a strategic reason not to. - Issuing reports with exciting or controversial
news, or big graphs and charts, can spice up a
small event but choose a small location! - Politicize social events, such as World AIDS Day
commemorations, with challenging signs, stickers
and quotes for the press - Dont re-invent wheels get info from national
or local groups, and do your share to further the
campaign.
25 Turn Out
- If your tactic involves any sort of event, turn
out is your biggest job. - The rule of 3 always applies people must hear
about something 3 times before they come! - Some folks may have gate-keepers program
directors or group leaders that need to be sold
first or no one goes
26Teach-Ins and Follow-up
- Teach-ins are a great way to practice talking
about your issue and educate constituents about
issues and tactics dont be afraid to talk a
lot about the event, and answer any questions
they may have. - Even your friends need reminder calls.
- Why people DONT come is as important as why they
do. Ask and learn. - Check in with folks that you recruited, and thank
them for coming! - The internet is not all that for turn-out. Its
just one tool
27Allies
- If someone agrees with us but wont help, they
are not an ally. Move on. - Who is an ally can change with every issue, so
think broadly about who may be interested and
seek their input and assistance - Dont rely on the General Public it is
appropriate that people should act out of
self-interest and we need to know who they are
rather than making global appeals to everyone. - Think carefully about what we want allies to DO.
They may not want to participate in our tactics,
but will support us in other ways. - Dont tell allies they get to impact strategy or
tactics if they dont just let them know they
are welcome to join your efforts.
28Putting yourself in the action
- self-knowledge is a key skill of any community
leader - We can bring our selves to issues that involve
our work directly (Outreach funding. Access to
treatment. Etc.) - We can also work on issues that are allied with
our work, or that speak to our values (Housing
Living wage campaigns immigrant rights the war
in Iraq) - when we bring our whole selves (street
outreachers, people with HIV, people with a
commitment to justice, etc) to any organizing
project on any issue, we reduce stigma, create
awareness and commitment in others, and can learn
new skill and issues from them.
29Qualities and Skills
- Qualities are parts of us that really speak to
who were are, the things people notice right
away - Julie is loud. Paola is patient. John is shy
- Skills are things we have learned or can learn
- Lisa can cook. Marisol is a computer whiz. Isaac
writes a great speech.
30What are the qualities of Outreach Workers?What
are the skills?
31Write 3 qualities and 3 skills you show and use
in your personal life, your community life
32And we need to remember
- Many of us have developed skills or used our
qualities in ways we now may not be proud of ,
or wish we could take back. - One way to give back is to realize that these
qualities and skills can be turned around, used
in the fight for justice and systemic change. - Some examples
33Share your lists with the person on the other
side of you
- Anything you want to add?
- The goal of the organizer (and maybe thats you!)
is to make sure your skills and qualities are
used as resources in our campaign - Remember, activism might be an opportunity to
highlight other skills and qualities that are not
a part of outreach work -- and your
outreach-related skills and qualities can be a
wonderful addition to a strategy campaign!
34Meetings and Media
- Two key areas of skills useful to many leaders
are - -- how to have good meetings
- -- dealing with the media
- And there are resources for both areas!
- look for facilitation training in your city
- check out spinproject.org for media skills!
35Key Points for Meetings
- Productive, decision-making meetings require
facilitation -- a person who midwifes the
process can be insider or outsider - Most meetings follow a diamond format -- when we
understand this, we can recognize that
disagreement can be good! - Topic introduced / ideas diverge / THE GROAN
ZONE / decision making /
36Key points for the Media
- Reporters have jobs. We can get better coverage
if we work in a way that helps them get work
done. - We have to plan and DO our media work -- press
spin (how do we present our ideas to the media
that is interesting to them AND us), press
releases, press calls, press packets - Soundbites --
- In 30 seconds or less Problem / obstacle /
solution - Check out ACT UP Phillys grassroots media guide
at healthgap.org in the resources section
37Putting it all together, pt 1
- THE ISSUE 100 million in additional state funds
would fill the funding gap in outreach and drug
treatment services - THE TARGET Governor Takeback was a friend to
harm reduction and drug treatment when he was a
mayor in our city. - But now, 6 months after his election to the
state, he has promised to balance the state
budget, and is proposing 50 million in cuts to
outreach and drug treatment.
38Putting it all together, pt 2
- THE CAMPAIGN GOALS, External
- External, short term
- Our coalition of providers and community groups
wants to stop the funding cut - External, long term
- We need 200 million a year to meet the need for
outreach and drug treatment, and want to work up
to this amount in the time of the governors
administration (3 more years)
39Putting it all together, pt 3
- THE CAMPAIGN GOALS, Internal to your group, the
Street Outreach Power Alliance (SOPA!) - Internal, short term
- Have a tactic that will introduce our issue to
our communities, and create ways for folks to get
involved, while targeting the governor - Internal, medium term
- Work together as a team of 5-8 people over the
next 2-3 years to increase our skills and power.
40Putting it all together, pt 4
- Opportunity Gov. Takeback is coming back to our
city as the featured speaker at a conference of
city business leaders in 3 weeks One of you has
also been invited to present a workshop at the
conference on community issues - Your challengePlan a tactic that will meet your
short term goals, and bring you closer to your
longer-term goals. - EVERYONES SKILLS AND QUALITIES MUST BE USED in
the next 3 week to pull this off
41Next steps
- Remember that your skills and qualities are
needed in struggles for systemic change! - How can we choose actions today that will be
helpful today AND in building efforts in the next
5, 10, 20 years? - Joining other issue campaigns check out
- Jobs with Justice / ACORN / United for Peace and
Justice - You can be the experts we need
- AIDS treatment research and access atac-usa.org
- What about vaccines and microbicides? contact
CHAMP! - How can participation in activism honor your
aspirations? What do you want to learn, do, be?