Training
We believe that anyone can be a force for change
Something for everyone with our three types of training
Campaign Carousel™: Building the complete campaigner
Our Campaign Carousel™ is an exciting and flexible way for campaigners to hone their skills across a broad range of areas. This comprehensive package trains those at or near the start of their campaigning journey in a rounded set of campaigning skills and approaches.
Open Training Programme
This programme will provide you with the basic building blocks of effective campaigning, as well as more specialist sessions that take a deep dive into specific skills and approaches.
Commissioned Training
We work with teams, organisations and coalitions to offer training on a commissioned basis from a two-hour masterclass to a bespoke workshop or workshop series designed in partnership with you.
Deep Dive: How to develop effective campaign strategies
You want to make change – but you’re not sure where to start, or if you’re doing it right. At SMK, we know from talking to campaigners and changemakers that there is active demand for training in how to develop impactful campaign strategies.
This is a three-hour on-line session.
Dates
Tuesday 7th May, 10am-1pm
Tuesday 15th Oct, 10am-1pm
Find out more and book your place here
The session facilitators are SMK Associate and former CEO Julia Beart and SMK Head of Programmes Kath Christie.
About the programme
SMK are hosting a programme for Oak Foundation’s UK Housing and Homelessness partners, to build solidarity with people with first-hand experience in campaigns and social change strategies.
Oak grantees: see the programme here
What are we learning?
The social sector needs to change. We’re gathering insights and stories about the challenges and opportunities of working in deeper solidarity for social change, wherever you work.
We will be sharing learning soon.
3 new action learning sets starting in September
At SMK, we know from listening to CEOs and other leaders in charities, that there are particular challenges in leading a campaigning charity whether focused entirely on campaigning or balancing this with service delivery. We also know from campaigns managers in charities that there are challenges in leading a campaigning workstream.
This autumn we are partnering again with charity co-founder and action learning set facilitator Josephine Knowles to run a new series of sets for CEOs, for senior leaders, and for emerging leaders in campaigning organisations. This new series will build on SMK’s experience of running action learning sets at diverse levels since autumn 2023.
Training blogs: a deeper dive into our training
Guiding you through campaigning governance
In this blog, SMK Associate, Rosemary Forest, gives an overview of her involvement in the design of a session for trustees on guiding you through the campaigning governance landscape. SMK undertook a survey of trustees, with Governance & Leadership magazine in...
Stepping up support for changemakers
In this blog, SMK’s Head of Programmes, Kath Christie lays out why now is the time for senior changemakers to consider strengthening their organisation’s support for campaigning and the different packages that are on offer. As a new political landscape unfolds, this...
Every new government minister and leader needs one: The power of the Action Learning Set
In this blog, Dr Kate Paradine reviews the first programme of SMK's Action Learning Sets which she co-created for CEOs and senior leaders in campaigning organisations. Having recently completed the facilitation of the last meeting of an SMK action learning set and...
Introducing the Changemakers’ Toolkit: your go-to, free training resource
Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK) in collaboration with Wikimedia UK, have launched an open access toolkit which empowers people to campaign effectively. Across the UK people are working to change things for the better. Campaigners, activists, and changemakers of all...
The power of succinct questions in Action Learning Sets
Josephine Knowles is facilitating SMK’s current action learning sets for senior leaders and emerging leaders in campaigning organisations. Midway through the series, she considers one of the key skills for participants. Change is possible, but by no means easy. ...
Reflections from a rider: Kerry Postlewhite
Great insights on SMK’s Campaign Carousel™ from participants reflecting on their learning journey. This week we hear from campaigner Kerry Postlewhite. ‘’I've found that taking part in the Carousel is helping with the funk, recharging my enthusiasm’’. Campaigning is...
Social Change Library
Deepen your knowledge about change.
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.