HTML Preview Strategy Workshop Agenda page number 1.
Sample Agenda for a Strategy Workshop
Time Item Topic
10 Presentation — Introduction to the Workshop
• Who we (the facilitators) are
• Literature
• Who are students? How many new to social change, 1-5 years, 5+ years? How many planned a campaign?
• Around the circle — each person says name
5 Game — Mwaaa
5 Decision — Agenda Review — Wallchart
• Review the agenda
• Pick a timekeeper
• Circulate a list to get names, addresses, phone numbers (if necessary)
Organizing for Nonviolent Social Change
20 Presentation — Organizing Campaigns for Nonviolent Social Change
• Types of social change: personal persuasion, media, organization building, lawsuits, nonviolent struggle
• Ways to win a campaign: conversion, acquiescence, accommodation, incapacitation, nonviolent emotional
coercion, nonviolent physical coercion — see paper titled “Dynamics of a Direct Action Campaign”
• Strategizing for change (very briefly), choosing far-reaching, yet realistic goals
• Preparing for a change campaign (see paper with this title)
• Steps in a nonviolent campaign (see paper with this title)
• An example of a good campaign (SCRIP 1977, Abalone Alliance 1977 - 81, other)
10 Questions
10 Presentation — Building Social Change Organizations and Movements
• Building an organization (basic outreach and education, also see paper titled “Organizational Structures for
Cooperative Groups”)
• What to do when a new person comes to a meeting (greet, skills assessment, interest assessment, plug-in,
mentor, support)
• Building a movement (federations, coalitions, steps in a movement, different kinds of activists — Professional
Change Organizations, cutting edge iconoclasts, grassroots educators, grassroots activists, organization
builders) — see Moyer’s “Eight Stages of Successful Social Movements”
5 Questions
15 Small Group Discussion — Your Thoughts about Organizing for Nonviolent Social Change
— Break into groups of 3 or 4
— Give each person a chance to talk
— Discuss your ideas about Organizing for Nonviolent Social Change and Building Organizations
• Topics
• Campaigns you’ve seen — effective and ineffective • What makes them effective?
• Did they win? How? • Did they build a powerful organization? How?
• Did they develop a strategic plan? How? What? • Were they part of a movement?
10 •• Stretch break
• Backrubs, game of knots, jelly roll, sitting in laps, mwaaa, song
• Collect list of participants (if applicable)
Strategic Planning
5 Presentation — Why Strategy is Important
• Example of Public Relations industry strategy — opponents do extensive strategic planning
• Other things being equal, the best strategy wins
• A good strategy helps focus limited resources; less waste, more effective
• Counters movement trashers: burnout, squandering vital resources, infighting, hopelessness
5 Presentation — Overview of Five Levels of Strategic Planning (with emphasis on three levels)
• Policy (goals), Strategy, Operational Planning, Tactics, Logistics — Wallchart
• Mantra: “Goals, strategy, tactics. They are not the same. Goals should drive strategy, strategy should drive
tactics, not the reverse.”