| Before you try to reinvent the wheel, check out your community. There may be a group already organized that may carry your cause or already be in gear to champion the same cause as you. There are some terrific groups out there that you may be an asset to. If you want to change the system you must be inside the system to do it. As much as you hate to be a joiner – you need people and people need you so pick it, believe in it. join it and do it.
be prepared and BEGIN… WHO ARE YOU? Give your group a name. Make your group an entity. Depending on your area and regulations you may want to become a nonprofit organization which may include registering with the local authorities or becoming incorporated. You may want to form a board with executive offices. You may want to set up a bank account. Do the paperwork. 1. Listen to your local radio talk shows, television talk shows, newspaper columnists, local politicians and high profile community members. Become familiar with these personalities and their point of views. How do they feel about your issues? Who are the personalities listeners? Is it their audience who you want to reach? How do your local politicians stand on your issues? READ. read magazines, books, watch the news and become informed. 2. Record in a booklet or computer database program, each personality, their points of views on different issues, their target audience and all the quotes you can possibly record. Document what a personality says…exactly word for word on different issues. Record the shows or speeches if you can, and be sure to label and date your tapes. Exact quotes with dates and places is very important. Document. Document! 3. Categorize what the personalities says. Transcribe the most offensive comments [if possible]. Transcripts are easier and cheaper to distribute than audio tapes. Be FAIR and also state positive quotes. This is not about enemies and the them and us camps. Having a one-page list of quotes educates people and motivates them to action quickly. Highlight issues of importance. A “worst of” tape can also be very valuable. 4. Create ad gather your group of supporters. DELEGATE. If you want people to get involved or want your issues to be taken seriously don’t try to be a lone Ranger. Involve others. You do not have to be ‘the Hero’ . The ISSUE is what is important. Give your people jobs to do to leverage your own time. Change and circulate the jobs as to not burnout your people. Praise them and recognize them for their work no matter how small of a job. Give names to jobs and refer to people with jobs (any jobs) as Media responders, mail out technician, Campaign hosts, Campaign Runner, Database Entry Specialists, Proof Readers, Researchers (you get the idea) If you have money in the coffers print up some cheap name tags with their ‘handle’ on it. After a successful run recognize these people with certificates. Delegate. Delegate. GET INFORMATION ….the backbone of your cause… If you have anyone interested in setting up a data base and more people to gather information for your database on the computer (or booklet) you may want to collect: *email lists for fast mail-outs -NOTE when sending out bulk emails use the BBC (blind copy) as to not show everyone your entire mail-out lists. * a quick response phone or fax tree lists with a roster list of people willing to do phoning. Have a ‘canned announcement’ for phoners to read so everyone is consistent and misunderstandings in your campaign do not arise. *list of fax numbers for Press releases *names and addresses, phone numbers and faxes of politicians and people of influence for letter writing campaigns *Issue lists, contacts, details, incidences *list of people willing to car pool or give rides to people during elections or special events *List of individuals or companies willing to donate money or resources to your campaign *members, supporters, affiliates, groups and resources *all media, local or federal – mail, phone, email, and their affiliations *list of possible places to meet (community halls etc) the costs, caterers, telephone companies for phone system setup, local regulations re street meets, *a variety of TO DO lists that can be quickly revised printed and distributed *list of all available members, affiliates and supporters that own movie cameras, digital cameras, tape recorders etc and can be located at the drop of a hat *list of all websites, their webmasters that would be willing to post an immediate bulletin *list of a variety of letters on your issues that may be sent to supporters for their signatures and then sent out during a letter writing campaign *list of people or organizations that would be willing and ready to post flyers and posters *list of people that would be ready and willing to make signs, also list a place for materials and resources *List all service groups ad Unions in your area – Royal purple, Kinsman, Lions Club, Toastmasters, church groups, sports groups *collection of Press Releases on your issues and a list of people with fax machines *list of books, materials, reports and resources on your issues. *list of people willing to be researchers (lots of people who are bed ridden, home ridden enjoy this important job) Ask for CLIPPERS willing to read a few newspapers everyday and clip relevant issues and keep them in a book, or scan them into your computer database and record the details (subject, date, personality, details) for ease of reference. These people would inform their Clipper Team Leader. If you keep well organized and are willing to delegate you can mobilize your cause and your people in very short order. Keep your data base or note book backed up – make copies!!!!! and keep in different safe places. Back up in hard copy.
5. Identify people in your group with special talents. If you have people who are comfortable speaking and are well informed of the issues ask them to be media respondents for call in talk shows. Call the on-air line during the show and try to challenge them on the issues. Be calm, articulate, professional, intelligent and pleasant. When you challenge the issues with quotes and reliable credible information you can make an impact. other areas may be float, placard, poster makers, printers, writers, computer specialist, researchers, community leaders, office managers, book keepers, event planners, constituency tour planners, security, communications specialists etc *people of influence in your community *politicians *large corporations *media *letters to the editor *Station managers of radio and television *other groups with similar goals Free classifieds, flyers, community announcements in newspapers, non-commercial radio stations, bulletin boards, local theatre programs, newsletters, handouts, concerts, local movie theatres, sports events, websites or other media. Some media may be interested in interviews or covering your event. Announce all your meetings and events. Make everything an event. Send a press release of your event or simply of your issues via FAX to all media fax numbers and ALL fax numbers you can find in your local yellow pages. If you have Polling on your fax machine categorize and program these numbers into your machine for quick faxing. Or make a list of all numbers split into A<B<C< etc (or numbers) and distribute to a few different people with fax machines. Including a few of the worst quotes from people opposing your issues (include the dates and place they happened). Be prepared to offer a tape for documentation of any quotes you may state. 8. Build a Coalition. again…this is not about you. The issue is the thing that must be center stage. *list, contact and meet with similar groups Join groups, have your people join group. Infiltrate. Join Toastmasters, Kiwanis, Royal Purple, community groups – get involved with the community if you want them to get involved with you and your issues. Include young People in your organization and contact your local high school groups, and debate teams, host an event that will include these young people Include all supporters and groups your meetings and keep them informed of your actions. Support them in their endeavors as well. Have social meets (picnics, barbecues etc) together with other groups to socialize, network and become united. 9. STAGE EVENTS – demonstrations, debates (invite both sides) sit-ins, fundraisers, presentations, filming tours, parades, mock catastrophes, Awards, banquets, Workshops, seminars, Soapbox street lectures, art shows (pictures depicting your issues), contests (written, painted depictions of your issue) book signing, street interviews, media interviews. Let everyone know about your event no matter how small….and don’t forget to inform your own people, even the mailers. don’t let your supporters be the last to hear of your event. 10. Don’t stop. Keep the momentum. Record all that you have, contacts, media clips, newspapers clippings, speeches etc. When you get tired don’t wait till you are too burnt to carry the flag. Train your people to replace you. Rotate your people. Each job should have a few different people that can rotate off every few months to keep everyone fresh – even you. . If you are organizing in a foreign country….. http://www.ss.ca.gov/prd/lobbyingreport97-2/lobmainpage-2.htm http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_consu/engdoc/homepage.html
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If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following: There would be: 57 Asians 21 Europeans 14 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south 8 Africans 52 would be female 48 would be male 70 would be non-white 30 would be white 70 would be non-Christian 30 would be Christian 89 would be heterosexual 11 would be homosexual 6 people would possess 59% of the entire world’s wealth and all would be from the United States. 80 would live in substandard housing 70 would be unable to read 50 would suffer from malnutrition 1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth 1 (yes, only 1) would have a college education 1 would own a computer When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance, understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent. The following is also something to ponder… If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation.. you are ahead of 500 million people in the world. If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death…you are more blessed than three billion people in the world. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep…you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace … you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy. If your parents are still alive and still married … you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada. If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you“ are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all. Someone once said: What goes around comes around. Work like you don’t need the money. Love like you’ve never been hurt. Dance like nobody’s watching. Sing like nobody’s listening. Live like it’s Heaven on Earth.
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