Want to start an activist group but don’t know where to start? Are you responsible for starting and supporting groups across your region? Do you want to build the grassroots power of your base? This is the guide for you. Organizations: please connect with me at [email protected] if you: want the rights to share this […]
Chairing a meeting? Read this new guide on facilitation
I have recently redesigned and updated my personal guide on meeting facilitation. Here it is. If you are looking at using or printing some of this material please contact me first. Some of the material I include in this handout, includes: Steps to take before a meeting Different techniques and tools to […]
Five Things I Wish I Knew When I First Became Politically Active
At this year’s awesome George Brown College Labour Fair Conference, I shared five things I wish I knew when I first became politically active. What do you think of what I’ve learned? What have you learned that you wish you knew when you started being an activist? Let’s start with what I’ve learned.
Three Ways to Build Leadership in Your Advocacy Organization
Three Ways to Build Leadership in Your Advocacy Group Jessica Bell is the executive director of TTCriders, a transit advocacy group. This article is a version of a speech she gave at the CANROOTS training for organizers in Toronto in 2014. We at TTCriders do not have formal power. We cannot tell 100 employees […]
How do you say no to bad action ideas?
Q. I am in a grassroots chapter group. I need advice on how to manage planning meetings when fellow members propose action ideas that are unrealistic and unstrategic. I already have a lot of informal power because I am a staff person for the national organization that is responsible for supporting chapter groups across the […]
Why did the TTC Sardines Award competition get so much media?
Last month, the awesome folks at TTCriders organized a photo competition, where TTC users were encouraged to take a photo of their overcrowded commute (hence the sardines reference) and send it to us. We then chose the best photo and converted it into an award to give to MPP Glen Murray for failing to fix […]
Toronto Sun covers our TTC Sardines Award
I often speak to the media about the need for more funding for the TTC. For me, good transit is about many things, including good jobs, climate change, addressing poverty, and saving people time. It’s a win-win issue, and I love working on it. The idea of giving an award was inspired by the work […]
I shared two new tips to explain campaigning in my workshop with Students for a Free Tibet
I did a campaign planning workshop for the amazing Students For a Free Tibet a few weeks back as part of their national conference. Thank you Urgyen for inviting me. I find campaign planning to be a difficult thing to teach, especially when it comes to defining strategy. Here’s two things I changed this […]
The Tyranny of Flakiness
I just led a workshop on decision-making and structure for organizations. Participants wanted to talk about accountability, and what you can do to make sure people do what they say they are going to do. This article might help. I wrote this article a few years back after I organized a big all-volunteer […]
Seven tips to help you facilitate an effective meeting
By Jessica Bell. Published on the Charity Village website. Hi folks, here’s a guide I wrote for Charity Village. I also just designed it so you can download it and share it here: “Seven steps to facilitating a great meeting” You’re fretting about that upcoming meeting you’re facilitating. You’re scared you’ll lose control, that you’ll […]
Workshops
I host public workshops in Toronto. Join my email list to get the latest updates as well as a list of useful resources and events for social change types. I also host tailored workshops for organizations so you, your staff and volunteers can achieve their goals. If you’re interested in collaborating to host a workshop […]
Meeting facilitation
I believe almost all groups have the capacity to make great decisions efficiently. My desire to be a facilitator stemmed from my frustration in restlessly sitting in a meeting that didn’t go anywhere. We spent an hour talking about what the ticket prices at our next fundraiser should be, and a sub-committee had already decided […]
New Ruckus Society Guide to Designing Strategic Actions
Check out this nice little brochure for people interested in designing creative direct actions. The booklet was developed by myself (Jessica Bell) and Joshua Kahn Russell, as well as Ruckus Society staff Sharon Lungo and Megan Swoboda. (And thank you to Cam Fenton for designing.) Instead of drilling into the nuts and bolts of executing an […]
Assessing the Landscape
It is useful for campaigners to assess their political landscape as they go about setting their goals, and re-evaluating their plan. I like to use the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) framework. This framework was originally developed for the business sector, but it is useful for advocacy groups as well. I like to use […]
Need help deciding what tactic is best for you?
This is a great handout that you can print out and use to help you and group think through what action or tactic might be useful for your campaign. It’s a great tool for facilitators as well. Basically the tool asks you a series of questions to help you identify the components and consequences of […]