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How to Organize a
Campaign
A campaign is a sustained effort to
achieve a goal. A campaign involves many different steps and tactics.
Set your goal
The goal needs to be something your group can accomplish. In this sense,
"Achieving world
peace" is not a goal. "Get the CIA off our campus" is an appropriate goal.
"Save the planet" is too broad for a goal. "Implement a campus wide
recycling program" is a goal that could be achieved.
Conduct
research
You need to get the facts to
build a strong argument. Find out who has the power to make the changes you
want. Are there successful models elsewhere of what you want to achieve? A
good job of research will give you many action ideas.
Identify allies
and opponents
Who can help you? Other
groups on campus? Sympathetic faculty? Concerned administrators? Who will
benefit from the changes you are seeking? You need to contact these people,
keep them informed and turn to them again and again for help. (You will want
to also figure out who your opponents are. How can their arguments be
countered? How are they susceptible to pressure?)
Take action
You will need to take a
series of actions that will reinforce each other. Sometimes a group
does what it can think of, sees what happens, and then plans next steps. If
possible, try to put
together a logical plan. The action steps of a campaign could include:
getting articles in the
campus paper; writing letters to the editor, holding a speak out, sending
delegations to present the case to people or groups in power, circulating
petitions, holding demonstrations. The purpose of all this work is to
generate very widespread support for the changes you want to make and to put
pressure on those who have the power to make the change to do what you want.
Evaluate
You will want to hold
evaluation sessions as you go along to decide how to overcome obstacles
and how to build on opportunities.
Be
persistent
We are raised in this
country to desire instant results. But, usually social change does not occur
without a great deal of effort. All of the steps above may have to be done
several times. You may decide you need more research. When you find out what
is possible, you may even modify your goal. You may undertake new variations
on previous actions. Be creative. Support each other.
Here is a long list of organizing tactics
Here are steps to plan a campaign
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