Online Course: collaborative organising - transforming power in our communities

Quick Overview
Sessions:   4 sessions
Dates:   Saturdays 19th Sept and 3rd, 17th and 31st October
Times:   10am - 12.30pm and 2pm - 4:30pm
Cost:  There is no payment required to participate in this course, and any donations to help us sustain our work are welcome.
Location:   Online
Application end date:   5pm Friday 14th August 2020

In the past months, the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the failings and injustices of our current economic and social systems. We then witnessed the racist murder of George Floyd, and the further exposure of the extreme racial violence and inqualities embedded in our justice systems. Out of these tragedies, people worldwide are creating opportunities to start doing things differently, to imagine something new, to transform our communities, to build more equitable, compassionate and creative solutions which respond to everyone’s needs. 

The uprising against structural racism and the rapid rise of mutual aid groups in the UK shows that people are ready and willing to stand in solidarity and to care for each other. It shows that there is energy and desire to strengthen our local communities and respond to the needs within them.

This course is designed to support those working with their local communities. Read on for more information on the content and set up of the course.

"Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it." 

Arundhati Roy

The Course
This course is for people who are engaged, or who can clearly imagine being engaged in their local community in some way (that could be through a community group, a community campaign, or in another way) and who want to make lasting impacts within their community, impacts that really engage with the needs of that community.

What would our communities look like if the needs of all members were counted and responded to? 
How can our communities navigate economic, ecological and social crises effectively? 
How can community members come together across differences and make meaningful decisions? 
In what ways can we support the wellbeing of our communities?

If any of these questions interest you and you’d like to explore how to work within your community to address them, this course is for you.  

We’re inviting you to join with others who want to explore what’s possible. In our commitment to engaging with structural inequality, we will prioritise applications from people whose experiences are marginalised by our society. 
 
The course will consist of fortnightly online sessions, with preparation work in between and ongoing coaching. The sessions will be varied and participatory, with time given to working with and learning from others in the group.
 
The course is an introduction to key ideas and approaches, all of which will require further practice. We will share resources to support you to deepen your understanding and get training and practice after the course.
 
The areas that we’ll explore include…

• Building connections and relationships in our communities
• Creating communities and groups that do not reproduce inequalities and marginalisation
• Power dynamics and how to navigate them
• Facilitation skills that can help community members work together
• How communities can make decisions that work for everyone
• How to build organising systems that support everyone 
• Working effectively with conflict 
• Ways that community members can support each other

 
Our Asks of Participants

• Participate in all 4 online sessions. The course is not a drop-in, and we ask you to commit to attending all sessions.
  
• Be prepared to do 1-2 hrs of work/preparation each week, between sessions. Like most things, the more you put in, the more you gain, therefore we would like you to experiment with the ideas you are learning about, in your community, throughout the course, so we can coach and support you more effectively
• Apply in a pair (or possibly a trio) from your community / neighbourhood / group, as we believe this will help support you to use and apply what you’ve learned more effectively in your community. (If this really isn’t possible for you, please do complete the application form anyway)
• Fill in the application form with as much relevant info about your passion and possibilities for action as you can, to help secure your place!

Money
There is no cost for the course, and if you do have resources we invite you to make a contribution to support us to continue our work - https://www.navigate.org.uk/donate.html

Applying for a Place
Please complete the application here.  The deadline for applications is 5pm Friday 14th August 2020.
 
Contact
Please contact us if you have any questions about the course, or any concerns about your participation or your application: hello@navigate.org.uk
 
We look forward to hearing from you!