Library

Deepen your knowledge about change

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Keen to take your learning even further? Here are resources we think are well worth a read or listen for those new to social change and those looking for something new.

What are you reading, listening to and watching, and we’ll add it to the our ever expanding library. Get in touch 

booksBooks

How change happens 

Duncan Green. How Change Happens helps us to understand the events, individuals & systems that have changed the world.

Rules for Revolutionaries

Bond and Exley. Lessons from the groundbreaking grassroots campaign that helped launch a new political revolution.

How Organisations Develop Activists

Hanrie Han. An in-depth look at the models and strategies civic associations use for engaging activists in the Internet Age.

Rules for Radicals

Saul Alinsky. The bible for change-makers. Written in the 1970’s as an organiser’s manual. Still a great read today.

How to Win Campaigns

Chris Rose. A practical guide for creating and running successful campaigns

Lobbying for Change

Alberto Alemanno. By using our skills and talents and mobilizing others, we can bring about social and political change.

How To Resist

Matthew Bolton. This book offers encouragement to would-be activists everywhere to get involved and offers seven practical principles that can help people effect change.

How To Be A Craftivist

Sarah Corbett. How to tackle issues not with shouting and aggression but with gentle protest.

Engagement Organizing

Matt Price. This book is written for grassroots organizers, NGOs, civil society organizations, unions, political parties, and anyone seeking to mobilize people politically.

Now We Have Your Attention

Jack Shenker. A reminder that Covid-19 was only a spotlight on and catalyst of existing and multiple crises across many UK communities. Seven stories of seven communities and the campaigns and political upheavals they were grappling with before the pandemic.

No Shortcuts

Jane F. McAlevey. Organising for power in the new gilded age.

Parkland

Dave Cullen (the story of #MarchforOurLives)

Me and White Supremacy

Layla F Saad. How to recognise your privilege, combat racism and change the world.

New Power

Henry Timms & Jeremy Heimans

Be the Change

Gina Martin; 

Be More Pirate

Sam Conniff Allende.

podcastsPodcasts

Messing with the ‘constitutional plumbing’: law, politics & implications for civil society

Read more
In this episode we looked at trends in the use of law, political responses to it, and changes on the horizon. Whether you are a legal eagle or a total novice, it’s important to know the law is there for you and the communities you work for when it’s needed, but what are some of the things that you need to be aware of?

We were joined by Rita Chadha, Chief Executive of the Small Charities Coalition, and Rosemary Harris, Political Campaigner at Friends of the Earth.

Game Changers: The Transformation of Women’s Sport

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Women’s sport has seen a radical transformation in recent decades. In the early 1980s there were no professional women in any team sport. This summer, millions watched the women’s football world cup in France, and the Lionesses sold out Wembley for the first time. How have we achieved such significant cultural change, how can we continue to close the gap, and what can other campaigners learn from this example?

In this episode of Social Power we hear from Ebony Rainford-Brent, a world cup winning English cricketer and broadcaster for the BBC; Kelly Simmons, the FA’s Director of Women’s Professional Game; and Sally Hancock, managing partner of Y sport and former chair of the charity Women in Sport.

Extinction Rebellion

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Extinction Rebellion (XR) say we are in a climate emergency, and that the authorities have failed to respond adequately. Founded only in 2018, it is now a global mass movement. So what role does XR play in the wider environmental movement? Despite being a mass movement, is XR really inclusive? And what can other change makers learn from how quickly XR has shifted the dial?

In this special edition of Social Power, recorded right in the midst of the ‘October Uprising,’ we speak to protesters blocking roads in central London, and discuss the movement with Chloe Coradetti from XR, Rashid Nix, a community activist and member of the Green Party, and Alasdair Roxborough from Friends of the Earth.

websitesWebsites

Good practice

Campaigning Strategy website: Information to help you think strategically about your campaign. 

ActBuildChange – full of books that might change lives reading lists especially ’10 books every community organiser needs in their toolkit’ 

Reports and papers

Good Guide to Campaigning and Influencing: The Good Guide to Campaigning and Influencing is a guide to effective campaigning, NCVO 

Stop Raising Awareness Already – Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR). Too many organizations concentrate on raising awareness about anissuewithoutknowing how to translate that awareness into action, by getting people to change their behavior or act on their beliefs. 

New Philanthropy Capital: Theory of Change: A theory of change is a tool that sets out a clear path from your day-to-day activities to the outcomes you achieve to the change you want to create. 

New Philanthropy Capital: Measuring the effectiveness of your campaign: A short guide highlighting a number of evaluation resources and techniques to help you evaluate your campaign through a series of simple steps. 

Government guidance

Charity Commission – Speaking Out – Guidance on Campaigning and Political Activity by Charities: Charity Commission’s guidance on rights and restrictions of charities to undertake campaigning. 

Electoral Commission: Guidance for campaigners: Detailed guidance from the Electoral Commission on campaigning in the run up to elections and referendums 

Funding sources

Grant finder: Details of more than 8,000 funding opportunities, including grants, loans and awards from local, regional and national UK government, European funding, charitable trusts and corporate sponsors. 

Funding Central: Government funded website with information on grants from the European Union, UK Government, the Lottery and Grant Making Trusts. 

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