What do community organisers DO?

16th February, 2015

Organisers are sometimes described as ‘Jack of all trades’. It can be a complex and demanding role. To make sense of the role, the Change Agency synthesised recent position descriptions developed by social movement groups. We then cross-referenced that with education and training programs to identify eleven key attributes and skills associated with powerful organising work:

  1. Establish organising objectives, priorities, strategy and plans
  2. Build community
  3. Develop positive partnerships with community members and existing
  4. Build key partnerships with community leaders, government officials , donors and volunteer leaders
  5. Cultivate relationships with public officials
  6. Create and sustain effective community action groups
  7. Identify, recruit and train volunteers
  8. Develop and manage data systems for supporter engagement
  9. Measure success, evaluate accomplishments and effectiveness
  10. Practise sustainable activism
  11. Marshal resources, organise staff and volunteer efforts

Download our framework here > tCA What do community organisers DO?