As campaigners, our work can often feel challenging and isolating. We might not always have the space to prioritise ourselves, discuss our struggles, and find ways to learn from and uplift each other. This is where SMK steps in with its Action Learning Sets, offering a transformative and supportive environment for campaigners. In this blog, three campaigners outline the impact that the sets have had on them.
Stacey Witter, Director of Social Change at SignHealth says that the Action Leaning Sets have felt like a community: “Being part of this action learning set has been amazing. This isn’t about learning how to do campaigns. It’s about being part of a community of people who are trying to make change happen and support each other, creating space to reflect on what’s going well, what’s not going well. What’s tough, how you might be better, how you might do things differently. We’ve learned so much from each other, been a real support to each other, and helped work through some really tough stuff that you can’t always do in your place of work.
Those three hours – that’s probably the best three hours of the week, a time for you to create some space to really think about what you’re doing, the impact you want to have, how you might approach things. It’s been amazing, so I would firmly recommend it.”
Agustina OLIVERI, Digital Campaigns Manager at Freedom from Torture says that the Action Learning Sets have made her a better campaigner: ‘”I think being a campaigner can be really hard and can be really isolating and we don’t always have the space to prioritise ourselves and talk about what we’re finding hard, and how we can all learn and empower and uplift each other.
I think this for me has been an amazing empowering space to be able to think about these things, to be able to bring challenges and thoughts and worries that I might not have been comfortable to bring into my organisation. And it has made me a better and hopefully more sustainable campaigner. Thank you very much.’’
Laura O’Conner, Political Engagement + Campaigns Manage at Concern Worldwide said the Action Learning Sets felt like a safe space: “I really recommend SMK’s Action Learning Set. I learned a lot from other people who work in the same space but work in slightly different fields.
It was great to have a safe, common space. We could come together to speak about challenges, issues, and opportunities. I took away a lot of learning around probing questions about the power of pause, and understood that there are other people who have similar experiences to me – it gave a real sense of solidarity’’.
If you’re a campaigner feeling the weight of isolation or looking for a space to grow and connect, joining an Action Learning Set with SMK could be the transformative experience you need. It offers a unique blend of personal empowerment, community support, and reflective practice that can help you become a more effective and sustainable campaigner.
As participants have firmly recommended, the benefits of these sets are profound and far-reaching. To learn more about SMK’s Action Learning Sets and how you can join, visit SMK’s website.