Building Local Groups
Resources on starting up new Local Groups, organising in Local Groups and growing your groups.
- What is a Local Group?
- Starting a New Local Group
- Developing your local group
- How to find your people
- Local Group Outreach Support materials
- Flyers - Summer 2023
What is a Local Group?
We organise in small, autonomous groups distributed around the world. These groups are connected in a complex web that is constantly evolving as we grow and learn. We are working to build a movement that is participatory, decentralised, and inclusive.
A Local Group (LG) is a group of people that gather to create an Extinction Rebellion community presence in a local area by building support and taking action towards XR’s three demands. In this way, they are similar to traditional forms of community organising. A crucial difference is that XR local groups decentralise into different Working Groups as much as possible.
Principle 10: WE ARE BASED ON AUTONOMY AND DECENTRALISATION.
We collectively create the structures we need to challenge power. Anyone who follows our core Principles and Values can take action in the name of Extinction Rebellion.
For everything you need to know to run or start a local group, see our Local Group Essentials Guide.
This page was updated by the Local Group Development circle. Please contact localgroupsupport@protonmail.com if you have any questions or think something needs to be added.
Starting a New Local Group
Anyone can take action in the name of Extinction Rebellion as long as they adhere to our Principles and Values. That means you can take action, and start new groups, without anyone’s permission!
For everything you need to know to run or start a local group, see our Local Group Essentials Guide.
This page was updated by the Local Group Development circle. Please contact localgroupsupport@protonmail.com if you have any questions or think something needs to be added.
Developing your local group
For everything you need to know to run or start a local group, see our Local Group Essentials Guide.
To contact your regional or national co-ordinator, go to the Organism web site, click on your region or nation, and click the Contact link.
Alternatively, the email addresses are on the Contact page on the main XR UK web site.
Certain groups can apply for an XR email address. See the page How to apply for a your-group@extinctionrebellion.uk email address.
This page was updated by the Local Group Development circle. Please contact localgroupsupport@protonmail.com if you have any questions or think something needs to be added.
How to find your people
First you’ll want to gather those that are sympathetic or interested in the Rebellion in your area
Check to see if there is already a group in your area by looking at this UK MAP OF LOCAL GROUPS. There may already be an email or social media account. Try to contact the existing rebels. If you have trouble doing this, next try the nation/region contacts listed on the map with the bigger XR logos.
Building stronger social ties with our neighbours and local communities is in and of itself a transformative process. It enables us to create new and long-lasting connections with people who live in our community, to collectively create a support network of caring and compassionate neighbours, who look after each other, and to develop a sense of belonging, which can overcome the social isolation that runs through much of modern society.
Making connections with others can also create a foundation from which we can work together to push for systemic change and to create a society that considers the needs of everyone. The way we organise and relate to our communities in this time of crisis could help to shift us towards a genuinely democratic society full of autonomous, empowered, resilient and supportive neighbourhoods and communities.
1. Create your Online Spaces
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Create an email address
- We recommend using an encrypted service such as Protonmail.
- Ensure that your email is clear. Eg xr.bristol@protonmail.com.
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Set up Social Media pages for your new Local Group
- Sign in to facebook using your personal account
- In the top menu click Create ---> Page
- Choose community or public figure
- Fill in Page Name e.g. XRCambridge
- Category e.g. Cause
- Upload a profile picture - use a version of the xr logo.
- This image accompanies your business name in search results and when you interact with users, and also appears on the top left of your Facebook Page Your profile picture will appear as a square on your Facebook Page, but will be cropped to a circle in ads and posts, so don’t put any critical details in the corners.
- Upload a cover image.
- The cover image is the most prominent image on your Facebook Business Page. It will display at 820 x 312 pixels on desktop or 640 x 360 pixels on mobile. The image must be at least 400 pixels wide and 150 tall.
- Page should now be created!
- Go to the Groups option in the left hand menu and link your XR Group to the page.
- Start sharing your page with friends and posting events and information about XR.
2. Bring People Together
Heading for Extinction Talk
The talk introducing the reality of the climate & ecological crisis, and the rationale and ethos behind the Extinction Rebellion movement. This is the XR talk and is recommended for everyone.
The Heading for Extinction talk aims to inform your local group members about the rationale behind XR, so that we are all on the same page. It is also a great tool to reach out to like-minded people in your community, those who may potenially join your group or be supportive from within their own community.
How to Host the Talk
- You can use recordings of the talk in a Zoom call. This gives you several versions to pick from and you can easily pause it at key moments for discussion.
- You can Request a Speaker to give the talk, either in a Zoom call or in person.
- Find your Regional Trainings email at the bottom of this page.
NVDA Training
An essential training for all rebels. This training introduces Extinction Rebellion’s tactics of non-violent direct action and civil disobedience, with discussion of the rationale, legality and logistics of our actions. This training also includes practical lessons in de-escalation, talking to the police, and arrest advice.
The training is made of seminar style information with practical exercises and chances to ask lots of questions. Please note, this training is recommended regardless of whether you plan to be arrested, and is distinct from NVDA training given in other organisations and movements. This training is regularly updated and we recommend rebels attend more than one.
- Request a Trainer to give the workshop:
- Find your Regional Trainings email at the bottom of this page.
- Or you can find a series of videos on the Rebellion Academy to use during a Zoom call.
Regen 101 Workshop
Is a workshop designed by Australian Rebels which introduces people to the fundamentals of XR through a regenerative lens. It focuses on Self-Care, Intersectionality, Burnout Resilience and Action Care, and as a mobilisation tool it has been successfully used as a softer alternative to the NVDA training.
- Find the materials for this workshop Here
3. Promote your Event
Now you need to invite people to your events! There are many ways of letting people know that things are happening, check out some of the suggestions below.
- Create a Facebook event and ask your Region and/or nearby Local Groups to co-host the event.
- With a Facebook event, ask your friends and network to help you promote it by sharing, accepting invites or having conversations in the comments.
- Create posters or flyers to put in your local cafes, libraries or community spaces.
- Reach out in neighbourhood groups on Facebook, Nextdoor, or in person.
- You could write an article for your local newspaper, or get a call out on local radio!
This page was written by @Raenyah please contact me if you have any questions or think something needs to be added.
Local Group Outreach Support materials
If you are looking for ideas to inspire you to spring into action after lockdown with your Local Group then look no further! Here they are.
Based on the Google doc "Support materials for Spring Out of Lockdown". Joyous Springing to you!
Communities Support for Local Groups | |
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Rebel Toolkit | https://rebeltoolkit.extinctionrebellion.uk |
T&T directory and events | https://extinctionrebellion.uk/act-now/resources/talks-and-trainings/directory/ |
Rebellion Academy | https://uk.rebellion.academy |
Buddy programme | https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:8b1a69c0-d1f9-41f9-b5e0-dc5826761a31 |
Local Group Support | |
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Contact | xrrebellionoutreach @ sign protonmail . com (take out the spaces to make the email) |
Inclusivity and Accessibility resources | https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kcSSfmrTOog64taDEfgYCXIfpMTqtyTob8d7277TLIg/edit |
Visioning workshop | https://docs.google.com/document/d/1glXRsihE90NcdhNLPnNORV2xNLF6cSEQf-BCyUbIfrQ/edit?usp=sharing |
Outreach methods | Outreach Methods Rebel Toolkit Page |
Nifty ideas for outreach | |
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Science banner | Great Outreach Poster by Scientists for XR Rebel Toolkit Page |
Online quiz | http://crisisquiz.online/?s=l_ro1 |
Rousing XR promo | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jhl-9UBRK4w&t=253s |
COP26 | |
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XRCOP26 crew | Click the link here for their live guide to support anyone planning actions in Glasgow |
Join their Mattermost team "COP" | |
The Strategy working group meeting at 3PM UTC on Tuesdays. Click the link here | |
The Actions working group meets at 4pm UTC Thursdays Click the Link here (ask on Mattermost for the passcode) | |
And join the Mattermost COP Actions group: https://organise.earth/cop/channels/actions. Click the link here to join | |
Faith Bridge Camino to Cop pilgrimage | Click to find Camino to Cop briefing pack link here |
G7 | |
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To run your own G7 People’s Assembly and add your to the G7 week of PAs | Website link here |
Briefing pack | http://www.tinyurl.com/G7ActionPack |
G7 Action: Make the Wave Telegram Group | Telegram group Link click here |
Movement of Movements support | |
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Coalition examples | XR Cymru Wales Six principles Link Here |
Midlands Deep Water | |
Deepwater mattermost Channel Link here | |
Deepwater Telegram Chat Link Here | |
Deepwater facebook Page link Here | |
Deepwater Website Link Here | |
Movement of Movements (MoM) Directory (brilliant resource!) | MoM Directory Link Here |
XR MoM | XR Biodiversity and Sustainability Crews Link Here |
Background materials | XR Coalitions with other Movements Link Here |
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Flyers - Summer 2023
This is a print ready A6 flyer which points to the UK website. This is a temporary flyer (created June 2023) for use at events/actions while the UK design team produces a full media pack.
>> DOWNLOAD HERE FOR PRINTABLE PDF
You can download this flyer here as a professionally printable pdf
Tailor this flyer for your Local Group
If you would like to have this tailored for you then contact media@xrnottingham.org - you can request a change of logo on the front and also the contact details and the QR code on the back.
If you have design skills yourself then you can download in these formats
- Affinity Photo
- pdf with with blank space for contact details (which should open in photoshop)
Opportunity : These flyers could help grow your group by pointing to your email list sign up form e.g. joinxr.uk/camden. If you would like help learning about how this works there is some information here about how subscribers get on to the XR email list and advice on creating QR codes, short links and best practice for paper forms.