Community organising

group of people sitting in circle on chairs having a discussion

This community organising workshop will develop your understanding of how to work in communities, bringing people together on a local basis to achieve a common goal. 

Community organising is an incredibly powerful way of making sure that you can achieve change at a local level. It combines effective leadership with empowering and building lasting communities of change. Communities that are then self-led. To be a community organiser, you have to learn to let go of and share your power. 

Three things you will do in this workshop: 

  • Understand the principles of community organising and how to apply them in practise 
  • Look at the tools others have used successfully to achieve change 
  • Hear about best practice and lessons from experienced community organisers

Please note that this workshop has participatory elements. If you are unable to participate for any reason or in a specific manner (e.g. speaking, camera on, chat function, breakout rooms, etc.), please put that in the “Accessibility Requirements” section during checkout, and remind your facilitator at the beginning of the session.

If you would like to speak to someone further, please email megan.poyiadzis@smk.org.uk

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How much are the workshops?

SMK’s Open Workshops run on a progressive pricing model:

  • Small orgs (£10k – £100k) – £96 + VAT 
  • Medium orgs (£100k – £1m) – £160 + VAT 
  • Large orgs (Tier 1: £1m – £10m) – £240 + VAT 
  • Large orgs (Tier 2: £10m+) – £280 + VAT

Independent campaigners will pay the ‘small orgs’ fee.

How can I pay for a workshop?

You have the option to pay by card or invoice – just choose your preferred method during the checkout.

Are the workshops online or in-person?

They’re delivered online via Zoom.

How long are the workshops?

The workshops are three hours long. The online get-togethers are an hour and a half.

What if I can’t participate during the workshop?

This workshop includes participatory elements. If you have any access requirements or prefer not to participate in certain ways (e.g. speaking, camera use, chat or breakout rooms), please note this at checkout and let your facilitator know at the start of the session.

Can I attend any of these workshops as a package, instead?

Yes. You can find out more information about our Campaign Carousel programme here.

Who can I contact with questions about this workshop?

For any questions about our Open Training, please email SMK’s Programmes Manager Megan Poyiadzis 

Workshop Dates

Tues 19th May 2026, 10am-1pm
Tues 27th Oct 2026, 2-5pm
Thurs 25th Feb 2027, 10am-1pm

Suhan Rajkumar

Dami Makinde

SMK Associate 

This workshop is led by SMK Associate and experienced community organiser, Dami Makinde. 

Dami is a highly skilled community organiser who focuses on youth participation. In 2021, She set up her own consultancy and has assisted various organisations in the following: strategic planning, youth participation, facilitation, recruitment and funding committees. In 2019, Dami co-founded We Belong, an organisation that fights for the rights of young migrants in the UK, which led to major national campaign wins. In 2017, she was seconded to the London Mayor’s office as a Policy Advisor to help with their Social Integration Team. She’s an Eisenhower youth Fellow and has spoken out worldwide against the UK’s hostile environment towards migrants.

What participants say:

Jennifer Laws

Holly Rothwell

Campaigner, Oxfam GB

‘’Some really useful tips around working with communities, including the time you should allocate to working with different types of community members. I thought the whole thing was brilliant’’.

Participant, 2022

“[The most useful part was] discussing different stakeholders/activists and how important they’d be to a campaign/how much influence they’d have.”

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