Introducing the new Activism teams

29 March 2013

Why it's changed

The Activism area at Friends of the Earth has a big job to do. We're there to support and build the groups network and develop new and powerful ways to get involved and active; we work with campaigners to help shape and coordinate the activism of our big campaigns; we develop our online activism and we put on a huge range of events across the country in regions and nationally. And more.

We're always looking at how to make sure we're having the greatest effect we can and making the best of the fantastic talents of those in the staff body when trying to do all of that.

Recently we've decided to make some changes to how we approach what we're trying to do. What we aim to do hasn't changed, just how we plan to go about it.

In short, what are the main changes?

We will have two teams instead of one.

One new team - The Activism Development team - will be focused on the development of the groups network including setting up new groups as well as creating other ways to take action.

They will work with groups and beyond to build the campaigning strength of activists and to bring in more people to get involved with us.

They will set up new groups, put on regional and training events and will be out and about with groups a lot. This team is the main general point of contact for local groups. Find out more about them.

The other new team - the Activism Impact team - will be more short-term focused - concentrating on developing and rolling out ways people can take action on the main campaigns Friends of the Earth is running at any one time.

This team will also be out and about working with groups and others to help build get action happening on these important big campaigns.

It's made up of Rachel Hubbard, Richard Hines, Tom Wright, Nikki Packham and Lucy Pearce (covering for Jess Dolan who will return from Maternity leave in 2014).

We won't have Network Developers any more. Instead, groups' main point of contact is the Activism Development team.

When will the change happen?

The change will take effect fully from the first full week of May 2013 (from 6 May). Group coordinators will be emailed information in advance of this date too.

Groups

This is a different approach to before, but not a change in what we're trying to achieve. To be clear, Friends of the Earth is fully committed to maintaining, building up and supporting the groups network.

These changes are about us being able to take a different approach to allow us to do that and all of our other work as well as possible.

Questions, information and discussion

If you have questions, a good place to start is the "Frequently Asked Questions" document on Campaign Hubs which addresses many of the most common ones.

You can see some more of the communications that have gone out to groups and comment or discuss it with others here on the Campaign Hubs.

You're also welcome to email Neil Kingsnorth, the Head of Activism, directly at [email protected]. There will also be informal opportunities to discuss the changes with staff at the Basecamp in July.