Embedded Files
Peacebuilders and grassroots social change agents frequently seek out strategies to scale their movements and broaden their impact. This toolkit developed out of a project focused on identifying and compiling such strategies.
The toolkit began with a comprehensive analysis of existing academic and practitioner literature to develop a conceptual model of scaling up. Using this model as the basis for our work, we have engaged in a series of case studies exploring different facets of scaling up, including: the role of social media in scaling up Black Lives Matter; the role of civil society in scaling the Northern Ireland peace process; the significance of joint Jewish-Palestinian partnership in sustaining and scaling peace building work in Israel; and the role of women in scaling the movement around gender justice in both Northern Ireland and Israel-Palestine. The tools within this kit are informed by the perspectives of nearly 60 social movement activists and civil society practitioners who were interviewed as part of these empirical case studies.
Tapping into the knowledge base of these activists, we have compiled 38 tools to guide change agents as they scale nonviolent movements. The tools address five key themes, listed below, related to movement scaling.
This toolkit, the culmination of the Topol Peace Data Initiative funded by Sidney Topol during the period from 2014-2019, was written for grassroots activists seeking to take nonviolent action and scale their movements for greater impact. We hope it will be of value to you.
Building from the Inside Out
The first set of tools addresses how to build a movement from the inside out by investing in relationships and capacity building, recruiting membership, cultivating leadership, developing core movement messaging, and creating an organizational structure. From ensuring that there is a space for all members to feel welcome and safe, to building trust across conflict lines, these tools are the core of building a movement from the inside out.
Networks, Coalitions, and Allies
The second set of tools relates to how activists can use partnerships to scale-up both the core movement’s physical presence and the broader movement for systemic change. Whether creating strong networks of similar groups within a movement, building coalitions across a wide range of initiatives with groups that may have different primary areas of focus, or engaging potential allies from opposing viewpoints or within powerful sectors to ease the path of resistance, these tools emphasize the importance of making connections to enact change.
Engagement Strategies
The third set of tools delves into the importance of engaging current and potential supporters in peacebuilding and grassroots social change initiatives. These tools can help grassroots movements and movement organizations with the concrete tasks of engaging in sociopolitical action whether on the ground, or through media and political channels.
Tapping into Core Values
The fourth set of tools highlights the importance of reflecting on the movement values and how those translate to short-term goals into a long-term vision for the future. A movement’s values, goals, and future-oriented vision allow for strategic coalition building, facilitate decision-making, and ensure that the movement is advancing in a way that builds on its strengths and develops a shared understanding of the endgame.
Sustaining the Work
The fifth set of tools focuses in on the crucial issue of movement sustainability. These tools outline the potential and pitfalls of funding streams and the importance of impact evaluation to assure the movement is taking sustainable, scalable, and effective action.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse