Organising Course

We have 40 places for members of Transition Groups and invited local partner organisations on this course. If interested please apply by 23/4/21 (Extended to 10am on 26/4/21)

The Context

The ways in which the social, economic and ecological crises show up for people day to day is not the same, for some people in movements like Black Lives Matter, surviving racism and police brutality is the most urgent thing. For others it’s surviving poverty and coping with economic disadvantage. For some, it’s many of these things all at once.

We are all living in the same system that is not working, it’s just that we experience this system crisis in different ways. In order for Transition to be successful within a community, we need to recognise that we are all experiencing our community in a different way and we need to understand this in order to develop communities that are inclusive and socially just. Transition is very much about having an holistic overview of the challenges that our communities face and this can only be achieved through engaging in collaborative community organising which will ultimately benefit us all.

The Course: Engaging with Power and Difference in Collaborative Community Organising

Sessions: 4 day long sessions + 8 evening sessions (optional)

Day long sessions

Dates: Saturdays 8th May, 22nd May, 12th June, 3rd July

Times: 10.00am – 4:30pm (with breaks)

Community of practice sessions (optional/ drop in)

Dates: Wednesday 7th July, 21st July, 4th August, 25th August, 8th September, 29th September, 27th October, 24th November

Times: 7.00pm- 9.30pm

Location: Online

Application deadline: 23/4/21

We’ll let you know if you have a place by 30/4/21

This course offers an approach to community engagement that puts connection first, builds relationships and understanding of the lived experiences of community members, and develops collaborative projects/initiatives based upon the different lived experiences and needs of the wider community, bringing a social justice focus alongside an environmental focus.

The course aims to support you to deepen your awareness and understanding of the lived experiences of a greater diversity of people in your local communities; to understand how you and your Transition group can speak more directly to their immediate needs.

This course is for you, if you:

are an active member of a Transition group or invited partner organisation
have some awareness of power, privilege and oppression and how it plays out in your group/community, and are either already working to bring this lens to your approach to working in your community, or are ready to start doing that.
are able to apply for the course together with one other person from your group, as the only person from your group (you will be paired with another participant) or can apply with a person from a partner organisation in your locality.
are ready and willing to share your learning from the course with your group, making it more likely that the group as a whole can effectively utilise this collaborative approach to engage with your community.
are able to commit to practice with your group/within your community, between the sessions.

This course is an introduction to key ideas and approaches, all of which will require further practice, you will not learn everything there is to know about this approach in such a short course, but you will get a really good introduction to the key thinking behind it. The course consists of 4 daylong sessions, with preparation/practice in between followed by 8 community of practice sessions over the following 6 months, where you can share successes and get support with questions/challenges you are facing in applying this approach in your groups and communities. The 8 practice sessions are optional and drop in, however we very much encourage participation. You do not have to attend every day long session, but we require participation to at least 3.

The online sessions will be varied, with a mix of teaching inputs, and time given to working with and learning from others in the group through interactive and participatory tools, discussion and reflection spaces and plenty of breaks. We will also share resources to support you to deepen your understanding and practice after the course.

The areas that we’ll explore include…

Applying a systemic power and difference lens to community engagement
Building connections and relationships in your communities
Developing collaborative projects in your communities that meet the needs of the community and do not reproduce inequalities and marginalisation
Facilitation skills and other tools/skills to support this approach to collaborative organising
Developing systems/ways of working that apply the principles of collaborative organising
Taking this approach to collaborative organising back to your group

Our Asks of Participants

Participate in at least 3 daylong sessions. This part of the course is important and we encourage participation in all 4 if possible, however if you cannot attend one of the daylong sessions that is ok.
- Dates: Saturdays 8th May, 22nd May, 12th June, 3rd July
- Times: 10.00am – 4:30pm (with breaks)
Engage with the Community of practice sessions. These are optional and drop in, however we do encourage you to participate.
- Dates: Wednesday 7th July, 21st July, 4th August, 25th August, 8th September, 29th September, 27th October, 24th November
- Times: 7.00pm- 9.30pm
Be prepared to do 1-2 hrs of preparation/practice between sessions and to participate in the community of practice sessions that follow these sessions. Like most things, the more you put in, the more you gain. Therefore we ask you to try out the ideas you are learning about, in your group/community, so you can share your learning on what’s working and what’s not with the group and get further support.
We have a preference for you applying with one other person from your Transition Group, or a local partner organisation you would like to develop or strengthen your relationship with. However you can also apply as one person from your Transition Group and we will buddy you up with another course participant.
Fill in the application form with as much relevant information about your passion and commitment to working with a wider diversity of people as you can, to help secure your place!

Applying for a Place

In our commitment to engaging with structural inequality, we will prioritise applications from people whose experiences are marginalised by our society.

The course is open to members of Transition Groups from across the UK, however because of funding stipulations we will need to prioritise applications from England.

Please complete the application here

The deadline for applications is 23/4/21

Contact Us

If you have any questions about the course contact richardcouldrey585@gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you!