What is social action?
___Social action is the practice of taking action – usually as part of an organized group or community – to create positive change, generally in the direction of greater equity and economic and social justice.
___The Iron Rule of community organizing is never to do for people what they can do for themselves.
___The Iron Rule of community organizing is never to do for people what they can do for themselves.
Examples of social action include:
___Organized communication (letters, phone calls, e-mail) with policy makers and others in authority.
___Encouraging media stories and reporting.
___Putting together or backing a slate of candidates for public office.
___Attending, as a group, a public meeting at which an issue of interest to your community is being discussed.
___Picketing or organizing a strike.
___A boycott.
___A sit-in.
___Street theater.
___Demonstrations, rallies and marches.
Why engage in social action?
___It empowers and energizes populations that have traditionally been powerless, or haven’t understood their potential for exercising power.
___It unifies communities.
___It demonstrates to the world that the community is a force to be reckoned with.
___It may be the only thing that will move a stubborn opponent.
___It motivates people to take other kinds of positive action.
___It can be the beginning of a process that ends in a more unified larger community.
___It can lead to long-term positive social change.
When should you engage in social action?
___When negotiation and reason will get you nowhere.
___When time is short.
___When you want to make a dramatic statement that will focus public attention.
___When you want to energize and empower the community, and develop community leadership.
___When you want to catch the attention of the public – and the media – and galvanize public opinion in your favor about an issue or about your organization or community.
Who should be involved in social action?
___Planning and implementing a social action strategy should be inclusive and participatory.
___Involve previously existing community groups.
___Involve individuals affected by the issue(s) at hand.
How do you engage in social action?
___Get to know the community.
___Identify the issues that are likely to lead the community to social action.
___Identify and contact key individuals and community groups.
___Recruit community members to the effort.
___Build a communication system.
___Encourage leadership from the community from the beginning.
___Create a structure to help the community accomplish its goals.
___Develop a strategic plan for social action.
___Decide what kinds of actions will work best in your community, and what kinds of actions the community is and is not willing to take part in.
___Develop contingency plans based on the level to which you’re willing to escalate.
___Choose the time, place, target(s), and nature of your action based on its purpose, and on how it fits into your overall strategy.
___Provide training and other support necessary to carry out a successful action before you engage in it.
___Plan the action in detail, then follow your plan.
___Organize for action.
___Carry out the action.
___Follow up and evaluate.
___Finally, plan your next move based on how what you just did fits into your overall strategy.