Community Organising Toolkit
Community Organising is a powerful approach to building power in communities to win long-lasting change and tackle the root causes of injustice.
This toolkit has been created to help you assess how well you are using the Community Organiser’s Principles of Practice in your work.
It is based on the Community Organiser’s Framework. For each section, it will help you to assess where your organisation is and provide recommendations for how to level up your Community Organising practice.
Our resources
Community organising is the work of bringing people together to take action around their common concerns and overcome social injustice. Community organisers reach out and listen, connect and motivate people to build their collective power.
Community organisers reach out and listen, connect and motivate people to build their collective power. When people are organised, communities get heard and power begins to shift creating real change for good.
Beginners’ Self assessment
Click the button below to register and download the High Trees Beginners’ Community Organising Self-Assessment for individuals:
Advanced Self assessment
Click the button below to register and download the High Trees Advanced Community Organising Self-Assessment for groups:
Frequently Asked Questions
Different users
What is Community Organising? Is it right for me?
When communities work together, the possibilities for positive change are endless. Community organising is the work of bringing people together to take action around their common concerns and overcome social injustice. Community organisers reach out and listen, connect and motivate people to build their collective power. When people are organised, communities get heard and power begins to shift creating real change for good.
Who is the beginners' self assessment toolkit for?
This toolkit is for people or organisations new to community action overall that have little to no experience of community organising. The Toolkit is intended to help individuals, small groups or organisations to take their first steps in community organising. The recommended actions provided should be seen as a broad range of recommended actions for you to pick from depending on what level you feel is most applicable or attainable given your groups size and capacity.
Who is the advanced self assessment toolkit for?
This toolkit is for individuals, small groups or organisations that have some knowledge or experience of Community Organising, campaigning or activism and that are looking to improve their practice and bring it more in line with Community Organising principles of practice where possible. The recommended actions provided should be seen as broad Recommended Actions for you to pick from depending on what you feel is most applicable or attainable given your groups size and capacity.
Using the self-assessment toolkit
What is Community Organising? Is it right for me?
When communities work together, the possibilities for positive change are endless. Community organising is the work of bringing people together to take action around their common concerns and overcome social injustice. Community organisers reach out and listen, connect and motivate people to build their collective power. When people are organised, communities get heard and power begins to shift creating real change for good.
Who is the beginners' self assessment toolkit for?
This toolkit is for people or organisations new to community action overall that have little to no experience of community organising. The Toolkit is intended to help individuals, small groups or organisations to take their first steps in community organising. The recommended actions provided should be seen as a broad range of recommended actions for you to pick from depending on what level you feel is most applicable or attainable given your groups size and capacity.
Going further
What is Community Organising? Is it right for me?
When communities work together, the possibilities for positive change are endless. Community organising is the work of bringing people together to take action around their common concerns and overcome social injustice. Community organisers reach out and listen, connect and motivate people to build their collective power. When people are organised, communities get heard and power begins to shift creating real change for good.
Who is the beginners' self assessment toolkit for?
This toolkit is for people or organisations new to community action overall that have little to no experience of community organising. The Toolkit is intended to help individuals, small groups or organisations to take their first steps in community organising. The recommended actions provided should be seen as a broad range of recommended actions for you to pick from depending on what level you feel is most applicable or attainable given your groups size and capacity.
Who is the advanced self assessment toolkit for?
This toolkit is for individuals, small groups or organisations that have some knowledge or experience of Community Organising, campaigning or activism and that are looking to improve their practice and bring it more in line with Community Organising principles of practice where possible. The recommended actions provided should be seen as broad Recommended Actions for you to pick from depending on what you feel is most applicable or attainable given your groups size and capacity.
Further Resources
Below are some websites you might find useful for further resources, reading and examples of community organising in practice.
- ACORN – www.acorntheunion.org.uk
- Albert Einstein Institute – www.aeinstein.org/nonviolentaction
- Citizens UK – www.citizensuk.org
- Community Organisers – www.corganisers.org.uk
- Powercube – www.powercube.net