Campaigner Corps

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The purpose of the SEIU Campaigner Corps, situated in the Organizing Capacity Program, is to create a cohort-based learning and capacity building experience that helps grow, challenge and support the advancement and development of strategic, comprehensive campaigners in our union.

“The Campaigner Corps has provided me with a unique opportunity to learn from the campaigning expertise of my peers while applying what I am learning to the current campaigns I am leading. We are building a network of campaigners to support each other's growth and development to win campaigns to improve the lives of working people for years to come.”

–Connie Vallas, Director of Organizing + Campaigns, L 500

overview

This year-long, hybrid (in person and virtual) Program, now in its 3rd nd year, focuses on 2 main areas of skill building:

1. Comprehensive Campaign Planning and Execution, including the ability to:

Access the landscape, analyze key factors and understand the power dynamics that impact and shape campaign strategy
Understand strategic campaign planning concepts and different models and tools for developing strategy
Design, develop and write comprehensive campaign plans integrating relevant, multiple components and syncing to overall campaign strategy and are goal focused
Build and drive a diverse and multi-component team in a collaborative manner

2. Organizational Leadership, with Campaigners as Leaders skilled in

Building out their own individual leadership
Are able to navigate and collaborate up - with key leadership, including Local Leaders,
E-boards, other Campaign leadership etc.
Understanding how to apply a racial justice and equity lens to their work, campaigns and teams.

program components

This capacity program aims to go BEYOND just teaching how to put together and run a comprehensive campaign. The goal is to have a dynamic cohort coming out running effective, equitable, campaign teams, thinking strategically for the short and long-term. To this end, some of the components include:

In-person and virtual learning/sharing sessions with a curriculum focused on comprehensive campaigning skills and organizational leadership
Strong experiential learning opportunities tied to current campaign work and opportunities to put into practice what is being learned
A key peer-to-peer element involving engaging with seasoned campaigners from across SEIU

program commitment

We will be asking participants and supervisors to sign a commitment document: These are the mandatory commitments of the program -

1 virtual Orientation for all chosen participants:
(4) In-person Sessions: Four 3-Day /2 nights sessions over a 12 month period
Sessions will be facilitated by movement and campaign leaders and focused on advancing campaigning and leadership skills. Participation at all sessions and for all the allotted time is required.
Monthly - up to 4 hrs of readings/work-exercises/partner based projects - tied to in person session learnings + campaign work
Monthly check-ins with participants
Quarterly 1:1 check-ins with participants’ supervisors
Quarterly: Attendance at up to one 90 mins per quarter virtual learning spaces/sessions

“As an Organizing Director based in Saskatchewan, Canada, my work can sometimes feel isolated from professional mentorship and idea-sharing. Campaigner Corps solved this problem for me. Now, I have other Organizing Directors to work with, I have a network that includes Research Directors, Political Organizers, and Internal Organizing Directors."

–Graham Mitchell, SEIU-West Organizing Director

eligibility

The SEIU Campaigner Program is a selective program and eligibility is based on 3 factors:

1. Organizing experience (5+ years and type of campaign experience- internal and external, open to organizers and researchers and communicators as well)

2. Active leadership role in a current campaign

3. Potential to lead comprehensive campaigns

timeline / schedule

Check the 2025 schedule announcement.

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