The Foundation Programme
This is the Foundation Programme (FP) book on the Rebel Toolkit. It has chapters and pages like a hard copy book but the pages also have direct links to other pages of the book. In this book, you will find information about: - finding your Course Schedule on the XR Hub (our one-stop-shop for all XR tools and services) - the Foundation Programme Team - help using Zoom
- Understanding the Foundation Programme
- GETTING STARTED
- Joining the Hub and Finding your Course Schedule
- The Foundation Programme Team
- Pre-course Information and Preparation
- Movement Calendar
- LEARNING ON ZOOM
- Zoom FAQs / Troubleshooting
- Zoom Sessions - FP Community Meetings, Hosted Training Sessions and How to Register
- Hosted Training Sessions
- Rebel Toolkit and Rebellion Academy
- FINDING YOUR PLACE IN XR
Understanding the Foundation Programme
This section explains the different methods of study used on the course.
One of our recent graduating students described the course as
“Inspiring, brilliant, rigorous, intelligent”
If we can help in any way to support you through the Foundation Programme, please get in touch by emailing xrfoundationprogramme@protonmail.com
The Foundation Programme uses various different platforms:
- ZOOM SESSIONS
Click on the link above to find full information about your Course Zoom Sessions and click HERE for information on registering for them and what to do if you cannot attend.
We recommend that you register for all of the live Zoom Sessions as soon as you are ready, but please remember that the Course Schedule is dynamic so things may change a little. If a session is moved to a different date, we will email you if you are registered but please recheck the schedule before you enter any live Zoom Session, in case you missed the email. - XR TUBE
XRUK has its own version of YouTube called XR Tube and the Foundation Programme has its own Playlist where all the recorded Zoom Sessions can be found. To access a recording via the Course Schedule, simply click on the link to watch.
Recordings of live Zoom Sessions are for the convenience of students who cannot attend the live session. However, not all Zoom Sessions are suitable for being recorded. Please see the page on Zoom Sessions for more information. - REBEL TOOLKIT
This is XRUK’s amazing online resource library, the platform you're using right now! It's accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world.
Click on the link above to go to the Rebel Toolkit homepage. - REBELLION ACADEMY
This is our online learning platform, offering a range of interactive study sessions. Every time you complete a session, you get a badge ... okay, it's a virtual one but it's still a badge!
For information on all of the Foundation Programme's sessions on the Rebel Toolkit and Rebellion Academy, click the link below.
Rebel Toolkit and Rebellion Academy - Foundation Programme Sessions - Mattermost for chatting - a similar app to WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal.
GETTING STARTED
Here you will find all you need to know to start your course.
Joining the Hub and Finding your Course Schedule
💚 Hello Students! Welcome to the Foundation Programme 💚
You've arrived at this page on the Rebel Toolkit because you've received an invite email to join the Foundation Programme, and you want support with what to do next.
This page will help you - follow the steps below.
What on earth is the Hub?
The Hub is our own incredible tool which contains all the info about XRUK groups, as well being a one-stop-shop for our other platforms, e.g. Mattermost and UK Cloud, that we use to organise online. Amazingly, all of our platforms run on secure servers in Switzerland using green electricity!
If you are concerned about using new tools and platforms – please don’t panic! The Foundation Programme team are here to help. You can get personal help by:
- Registering for the next Introduction to the Foundation Programme on Zoom for a warm welcome and all your questions answered.
Register here for the Introduction to the Foundation Programme - Emailing us at xrfoundationprogramme@protonmail.com
- Speaking to a human by calling our super-friendly technical support woman - Ned on 07949 069730
If you encounter any issues whilst following the steps below, or you already have a Mattermost account but not a Hub account, you can find additional support at the bottom of this page.
STEP 1
How to Join the Hub and Find Your Course Schedule
Please watch the video below
Foundation Programme | Students Support
and follow the steps on how to:
- Accept your Hub invite
- Create your Hub account
- Find your Course Schedule
Or if you prefer to read written instructions on accepting your 'Invite to XR UK Foundation Programme' , here they are:
- Go to your email and find the one from ddat+hub@extinctionrebellion.uk
Subject: Invite to XR UK Foundation Programme (you may need to check your spam folder). - Click on your invite link. This will open a webpage containing a form that looks like this:
- Fill in the form with your name (this is visible to other users, so you can use a nickname if you like) and create a password and then click Confirm.
STEP 2
What Next?
Once you’ve watched the video or read the instructions above, you may want to:
A. Crack on and create your Hub account.
OR
B. Read the section below on 'How to Find your Course Schedule' first.
A. To Create your Hub account
Go back to the email we sent you titled 'Invite to XR UK Foundation Programme' - this is the only place where you can find your invite link to join the Hub.
B. How to Find your Course Schedule
Once you've created your Hub account, you can find your Course Schedule by clicking the green link 'Hub - My Forms' below, and then select the 'Foundation Programme - Course Schedule'
Link here → Hub - My Forms
When you click on the green link - Hub - My Forms, this is what you'll see. You may need to log into the Hub first before you get to this page.
To find your Course Schedule form again easily, you can bookmark the link. Click the green link to find out how to do this. How to Bookmark
Communicating with the Foundation Programme
Once you're on the Hub and then Mattermost (XR's dedicated chat platform), use the Students - Foundation Programme private chat channel in Mattermost to say "Hi" to your fellow students and the Foundation Programme coordinators - and you can also ask for support there.
Click this link to go to that channel.
Please Note: That link will only work once you've created your accounts on the Hub and Mattermost, so follow the steps above to get set up.
Any Issues?
If you are encountering any issues, read this page for information on how to fix the most common problems, or call Ned on 07949 069730
Already have a Mattermost account?
If you already have a Mattermost account but not a Hub account, watch this video.
The Foundation Programme Team
Who we are and how to contact us.
Our team is made up of Jacqueline, Di, Sheena, Ned, Michelle and Jenny. Some of us are established rebels who set up the Foundation Programme; some of us joined after taking the course ourselves.
Currently, Jenny and Michelle are the course coordinators, and Jacqueline and Di are in the role of 'Student Support'; so we are your main contacts and you will hopefully meet our other team members at our Zoom FP Community Meetings.
If we can help in any way to support you through the Foundation Programme, please get in touch either by messaging on Mattermost or emailing us:
Pre-course Information and Preparation
Zoom Technical and Practical FAQs
We recognise that studying online is very different from hard copy reading materials and face-to-face learning. Using your Course Schedule form and attending Zoom sessions, as well as registering for them and keeping track of registration emails, can be a challenge, especially if you are not familiar with technology.
For these reasons, do please study our FAQ sheet FIRST as it has answers to many of the most frequent Zoom technical and practical issues you may encounter on the Course.
Volunteer Agreement
Please read and sign the Volunteer Agreement
Movement Calendar
The Movement Calendar is XRUK's calendar of events - a useful tool for viewing all actions and training across the UK
Movement Calendar
To be added - screenshot / instructions on how to use and download the app. Check vid to see if suitable.
LEARNING ON ZOOM
Here you will learn about registering for and joining Zoom Study Sessions, and what the Study Sessions contain.
Zoom FAQs / Troubleshooting
Zoom Sessions
Helpful YouTube videos on all things Zoom!
Do I need a Zoom account to access Sessions?
You do not have to sign up to a Zoom account to join Sessions. You can access Zoom by clicking on the Zoom link provided.
- Click the meeting invite link you received from the host (the session facilitator/ person who invited you), for example in your email or calendar invitation.
- On your web browser (open up a new page from your internet browser, i.e. click on either Chrome, Firefox etc), a pop-up window will prompt you to open or download the application.
- In the pop-up window, click Cancel (do not download Zoom)
- At the bottom of the page, click the 'Join From your Browser' link.
Note: If you don’t see the link to join from the browser, the host may not have it enabled and you will have to join the Zoom Session by opening the Zoom client (app) or downloading it first. - In the pop-up window at the top-left corner of the screen, click Allow to allow Zoom permission for your microphone and camera.
- In the Your Name field, enter a display name.
(Optional) Select the Remember my name for future meetings check box. - Click Join. You will join the Session as a guest.
Note: If you would like to create a Zoom account and join via an account, advice would be to set this up and download Zoom at least 15 minutes before the Session so it gives you time to set it up correctly.
Issues
The Zoom link is not working
This could be down to a number of reasons:
That you have pop-ups blocked.
- To fix this you need to go to the settings of your internet browser and is usually the same for all, look for 3 dots on the top right-hand side
- Then click Settings → then Privacy and Security (Chrome) or Cookies and Site Permissions (Edge) and search for pops-up.
- Once you have found the pop-ups setting, click to allow pops-ups.
Try restarting and refreshing your computer.
Clear cache or browsing data
- Settings → Privacy, Search and Services → Clear browsing data (Edge)
- Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear browsing data (Chrome)
I cannot find the email for the Zoom Session for which I registered.
Sometimes emails are directed to spam
- Search for ‘XR’, ‘ddat+hub’, foundationprogramme' in your Spam folder
- Ensure the email address you have provided is correct.
Using Zoom in a Session
When in Zoom, how do I mute myself / unmute and manage other Zoom settings?
Once logged into Zoom, you will want to ensure you are muted unless you are speaking.
See below image of the settings available in Zoom
In the above image you can see the Mute button on the bottom left-hand side of the Zoom meetings control panel.
- Mute myself - click the Mute icon to ensure you are muted.
- Unmute myself - click the mute button again to unmute.
- Turn camera on - click on the Start Video icon (when clicked you should be able to see yourself).
- Turn camera off - click on the Start Video icon again and you will no longer see yourself in the meeting and the video icon will be striked through with a red line.
Notes on when to keep yourself muted
- You need to be on mute unless you are asked by the Session facilitator to unmute. This is because background noise can cancel out the speaker's voice.
- In XR we use hand symbols to communicate to save ourselves speaking over one another, especially when there are many attendees (more on this later :))
When should I turn my camera off?
- Generally it is best to keep the camera on as this helps with engagement and feeling included, but do keep it off if that makes you more comfortable.
- There are times when it might be best to switch off, such as if you are eating or if something happens and it is not suitable for you to be on camera.
How do I write in the chat?
- Easy! - Click on the chat icon and a chat box will open either in the middle of your screen or on the right side of the Session window. In the chat box type the message you would like to send.
- You can use the arrow in the blue drop down box to select "everybody" or choose a name to send a privte message.
- Then click on the send arrow.
What must I do if I want to speak?
As mentioned earlier, to manage people speaking over one another, we have a method in XR for communicating whilst on Zoom and these are also used for in-person meetings - so, good to know!
- One finger up - means that you would like to speak/ ask a question.
Please note: - When you put one finger up to speak, you are added to a queue, as there may be a few people at one time who also want to communicate.
- Two hands up and wavy fingers- means that you are happy and in agreement with what has been said (this is the British Sign Language sign for 'cheering').
- Two hands down - means that you disagree or are unhappy with what has been said.
- Floating both hands in the middle centre-line means that you do not mind either way.
Note: - There will be more in-depth training on hand signals during the Course but this is a very quick overview to give you a head start!
If I can't make a Session do I need to let you know?
- If you have registered for a Session and cannot make it, your confirmation email of the Session registration has the option to cancel the booking.
- If you cancel this will help us understand the numbers of people attending.
- However, please do not email us directly to let us know if you have missed or cannot make a Session, as our mailbox is not constantly monitored.
Can I cancel my place in a Session if I have pre booked?
As mentioned in the previous question - if you have registered for a Session in advance, you will be able to cancel the booking in advance on the confirmation email.
If I miss Sessions will I get another chance to go?
- Some Sessions are recorded while others can be booked on later dates. For further information click here
- We do suggest that you plan ahead and book sessions that suit your schedule.
Zoom Sessions - FP Community Meetings, Hosted Training Sessions and How to Register
This section describes the various Zoom sessions that you will find in the Foundation Programme, how to register for them and what to do if you can't attend.
FP Community Meetings
During your course, there are several opportunities to get together with the FP team and your fellow students. These FP Community Meetings are a great way to share information about how you are getting on, ask questions and find support.
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The Introduction to the Foundation Programme is a warm welcome and a time to get all your initial questions answered. It is attended by members of the Foundation Programme team who explain how to access and use the Course Schedule form. Often, some of the FP trainers come along to outline their sessions.
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The Midpoint Checkins are informal opportunities to chat with your fellow students, discuss how you are progressing with the course and anonymously give the FP team any feedback you wish to share so we can continually assess the effectiveness and accessibility of the Foundation Programme.
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The Next Steps Celebration, apart from celebrating your achievements in working through the course, is where you can meet other students also finishing the programme, talk about what to do next, and maybe hear from teams who are recruiting
Hosted Training Sessions
The Hosted Training sessions include:
- Welcome to Extinction Rebellion + Q&A
- XR's Communication Tools - Hub and Mattermost
- Nonviolent Direct Action
- Introduction to Meetings
- How XR Works and Who Makes the Decisions
- Skills, Boundaries and Interacting with your Team
For full information on the The Hosted Training sessions, click here
Registering for FP Community Meetings and Hosted Trainings
Students are asked to register in advance for all live Zoom sessions:
-
Click on the link in your Course Schedule form to go to the registration page for that session.
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Please note that some registration pages offer more than one date for a session, so make sure you register for the correct one and check it doesn't clash with another of your sessions.
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Once registered, you will receive a registration confirmation email with the link to click to join the Zoom session. These do get lost amongst other emails, and the headers are not always helpful, so we suggest you forward them to yourself with a really clear heading, eg 4TH JULY JOIN WELCOME TO XR.
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If you register for any session but then cannot attend, please cancel the registration so trainers have a fair idea of attendee numbers. You can do this using the cancellation link in your registration confirmation email.
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If you find it difficult to attend any live Zoom sessions, check your Course schedule form to see if there is a recorded version you can watch.
Hosted Training Sessions
In the Foundation Programme, all live Hosted Training sessions are with expert trainers and it is best to attend these in person wherever possible.
If you can't manage to come to a session, you may have the option of booking a later date or watching a recorded version. Links to recordings are on the Course Schedule form.
Welcome to Extinction Rebellion
As it's name suggests, this session is a brief introduction to the movement.
It covers how XRUK began and why Nonviolent Direct Action was chosen as our main strategy for action. You'll learn about our Three Demands and our Ten Principles & Values, the various ways you can join in with XRUK, and where you can find lots of other useful information.
- The session runs every Tuesday from 7.00 to 8.30pm plus 30 minutes for Q&A
- If you are unable to attend, you can watch a recording here
- You can register for another date using the registration link on the Course Schedule form
XR's Communication Tools - Hub and Mattermost
In this session, you'll learn how to join The Hub - XR's "telephone directory" - and get onto Mattermost. Mattermost is an app that is something like WhatsApp but better as it allows you to find and communicate with anyone in XR anywhere, in the world.
- The Hub and Mattermost Training runs every Thursday from 6.30 to 7.30pm.
- You may also attend The Hub and Mattermost Drop In Support, which runs every Monday from 5.30 to 6.00pm - ideal for quick questions and fixes.
- There is no need to register for either of these sessions - simply 'drop-in' using this Zoom link for both.
- You can watch a recording of the Thursday session here
- You can also watch a series of short videos on how to use the Hub and Mattermost on XR Tube (XRUK's own version of YouTube) - find the Playlist here
Nonviolent Direct Action (NVDA)
NVDA is at the heart of XR’s campaign strategy. It is very important for rebels to fully understand why it was chosen and how we use it, to be able to discuss personal views and hear those of others, and to ask questions. For all these reasons, active participation is key and so this training is NOT recorded.
- This Session usually runs on alternate Sundays from 10.00am to 1.00pm and includes two breaks.
- You can also find and register for NVDA and many other training sessions on the Events Page of the XRUK website. Click here
- If Sundays are not a good day for you to attend, there is a basic version of NVDA training on Rebellion Academy. Click here
Please note - if you are planning to attend any XR action, it is strongly recommended that you attend a live NVDA training first, and also a Know Your Rights (KYR) training.
Introduction to Meetings
XR runs on meetings - lots of meetings! - and we run them in a way that may not be familar to you. Come to this essential training and you will:
- Understand how our meetings work
- See how our Principles & Values are reflected in how we work together
- Learn how to be, what to say and when to say it in our meetings
- Learn how to use an agenda document
- Find out about our Self Organising System (SOS) and how the movement works
This is another training where physical attendance is central to the learning process and, therefore, it is also not available as a recording. Currently, there is no equivalent learning source, so please do your best to attend one of these sessions.
- When you click on the link to register, a document opens with more than one date on it. Please make sure to register for the correct date - it usually says "Recommended for Foundation Programme Students".
- However, if you wish to attend one of the more general sessions on a different date, please make sure it does not clash with another of your FP Zoom sessions.
- Alternatively, please contact us and we will check future dates with the Facilitation Circle.
How XR Works and Who Makes the Decisions
In XR, we strive to disperse power and decision-making throughout the movement. This is accomplished through a Self Organising System. In this Hosted Training session we consider:
- What is a Self Organising System (SOS)?
- Who makes the decisions?
- Are we centralised or decentralised?
- What is "The Hive"?
- How can I have a say?
- What does the evidence on civil disobedience movements tell us about how we need to organise?
This session is run especially for the Foundation Programme. It runs from 7.00 to 8.00pm with an additional 30 minutes for Q&A. If you cannot attend, you can watch the recording here
Skills, Boundaries and Interacting with Your Team
This session is also unique to the Foundation Programme. It is ideal to attend in person to make the most of the opportunties for personal reflection and writing.
The session is essential for those wishing to join an XR team!
Joining an existing team can be scary. It’s hard to know where to start and it’s hard to get your head around what is going on (as you may have learned in Introduction to Meetings!). Feelings of anxiety and overwhelm are common even if we already have an idea of what we want to do.
This workshop aims to cut through the chaos.
We consider:
- our individual skills and which ones we wish to offer
- who to talk to and how teams are structured and get work done
- how we can tailor a role to fit our individuality
- how to give back tasks we don’t want or can’t take on
- where we set our own boundaries.
By the end of this Session, we hope you will:
- feel more confident in taking your first steps
- have an idea of the direction you wish to go
- have formulated a touchstone to come back to in times of stress.
Remember, we are volunteering our time to XR, not sacrificing it.
Rebel Toolkit and Rebellion Academy
XR uses a lot of different tools and platforms!
The Hub, Mattermost, UK Cloud, Rebel Toolkit, Rebellion Academy etc. The different platforms have evolved over time and been created by different teams. We know this can be confusing but we recommend rolling with it and with regular use, you'll build familiarity.
Rebel Toolkit (RT)
The Rebel Toolkit is an online library of resources where rebels can find information on how to make and do a huge range of things within the XR movement, from creating banners to writing mandates for teams.
For a guide to using the Rebel Toolkit, see here. For a useful video on how to add things like links to the pages on the Toolkit, and some tips on formatting text, click here.
In the Foundation Programme Course Schedule, you are asked to read the:
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Rebel Starter Pack - a basic guide to why XRUK was founded and how we operate. It describes the Three Demands we make of our government and the ten Principles & Values that guide us. It also gives information on how you can become involved.
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Rebel Next Steps Pack is for anyone who wishes to become more involved in the movement. It looks in more depth at how we operate in alignment with our key Principles and Values. It also helps you to decide what sort of rebel you are and what kind of role you might be interested in - Action, Grassroots, Movement or Supporter.
Rebellion Academy (RA)
The Rebellion Academy is our online learning platform, offering interactive modules about all things XR that you can work through at your own pace, where you can crank your activism up to 11! It's a different platform from the Hub and doesn't link back to your Course Schedule; so please remember to tick modules completed on the schedule.
- Users are asked to set up an account.
If you have already joined the Hub, your Rebellion Academy account will automatically have been created using the same log-in details. Having an account and log-in means you can leave a training at any point and come back to it easily. It also means you can track which ones have been completed and which ones have sections still to be done. Every time you finish a training, you get a badge; okay, it’s virtual, but it’s still an achievement!
When you go to the Rebellion Academy, select the option XR HUB LOGIN (see below).
Please be assured that setting up an account does not mean you will be bombarded with emails.
The Rebellion Academy modules included in the Foundation Programme are listed on your Course Schedule form, but of course you can do any of the others that interest you.
FINDING YOUR PLACE IN XR
The Foundation Programme is a Great Place to Start
Xr's Foundation Programme offers an excellent grounding for anyone wishing to become more active within the Movement and we have received positive feedback from our students:-
“Very informative and very welcoming”
“I was inspired and motivated by this course”
“I found the course very useful as a grounding to XR ( I wish I had done it earlier, I would have been better prepared for some actions) and to help me find where I could contribute in the working groups.”
“having now started to engage with SOS (Self-Organsing System team), I see that a lot of the training I did has put me in a very good position to understand most of what's going on in meetings”.
The Foundation Programme provides a solid understanding of our work and is useful for anyone simply looking to find out more about XR. It also provides support, personal connections and all the tools you need for a flying start if you are looking to contribute to a local group or move straight into a role with one of our amazing teams anywhere across the movement.
We're working to make XR UK a diverse and inclusive space and we welcome applications from everyone. You can being your studies at any time, choose which topics to study and take as long as you need to finish.
To apply, click here
If you have any questions, please email the Foundation Programme team at xrfoundationprogramme@protonmail.com.
Groups, Teams and Roles
An Overview On Finding Your Ideal Role
Once you’ve completed the Foundation Programme, we hope you will be keen to find a role. We encourage you to join a Local Group first, if possible, to see how we work locally.
You can find your nearest Local Group and contact details on this map
Local groups are free to do what they want as long as they follow our Principles and Values, but we encourage them to follow XR's strategy and to support actions using whatever creative ideas they can.
You may want a ‘behind the scenes’ role with a regional, national or UK team. It’s fine to have more than one role in order to experience different aspects of XR. It’s also ok to leave a role if you find you no longer have capacity, or you would prefer to move to a different role, but please give your team a little notice.
To understand more about how a team should operate, read Healthy Teams
To find all the current vacancies within XR, visit our Volunteer Website
Roles are generally for regional, national or XR UK teams, each with a specific purpose, and this will be described by the team's mandate. If you successfully apply for a role, the team's Integrator will introduce you to the team at their meetings and work with you to agree your induction and training plan. Teams usually hold 1 or 2 Zoom meetings a week at a specific day and time.
Roles advertised on the Volunteer Website can be filtered by 'Role Type' from home (most roles) or in-person (e.g. Production & World Build Team).
You may be unsure what a role involves and the Rebel Pathway team is here to guide you and suggest roles that may suit you. We will help you apply, check that teams are responding to your applications and ask you to feed back with how you get on. We welcome feedback on your experiences as you become integrated. Also, if there's a team that would really suit your skills but isn't currently advertising a role, please let us know. You can contact the Rebel Pathway team here on MatterMost or by emailing integration@rebellion.earth.
Roles may be available in a wide range of groups and circles. Most of these have been grouped on separate pages. See also the XR UK Organism here .
UK Rebel Hive This is the broadest circle and represents rebels within and between the nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the regions in England. The Hive exists to grow and empower XR UK through decentralisation. Most members are external co-ordinators from the regions, nations and immediate sub circles, so UK Rebel Hive may offer only admin roles.
Generic roles Many teams have important administrative or active roles to be filled such as :
Integrator : for recruitment and training of new rebels, a role that itself needs some training and a little knowledge of the team. Find more info here
Secretary : this role requires reasonable keyboard skills and very good listenin skills. The secretary
- arranges meetings and take minutes,
- deals with day to day running of the team,
- ensures that Action p:oints are clesalry communciated to the team
- might act as facilitator if no-one has filled that role (but it is not expected
Facilitator : this role requires considerable training as XR meetings run in a specific way. The facilitator ensures that
- meetings run smoothly according to the group agreement
- every voice is heard
- the Agenda is covered as well as possible
- the meeting does not run over time
Budget holder : a good understanding of figures and banking is required, or a willingness to train. The budget holder
- understands what budget is available to a team and what it must be spent on,
- approves expense claims from receipts for goods and services
- approves VLE (volunteer living expenses).
Tech admin : sets up new group members and updates existing group info on the Hub and Mattermost. This role needs training and some experience in using the Hub and Mattermost. Keeping the group's Hub information up to date is crucial as this is the movement's telephone directory.
Financial and Legal Services
Fundraising
XR operates almost entirely on contibutions from individuals. We never accept corporte sponsorship. Raising enough money for the rebellion to function, to amplify our wider messaging, deepen our relationship with supporters and create powerful content to serve the whole movement is the most crucial aspect of our work. Without it, XR would not exist!
Financial Services
Accounting, bookkeeping; Managing and monitoring expense claims, Volunteer Living Expenses (VLE) claims; Strategic finance, supporting budget preparation, supporting budget holders, reviewing XR's financial and tax status.
Integrated Budget Group (IBG)
This group distributes income raised for XRUK in line with the movement’s strategy. This means responding to requests for a movement budget and to fund rebellions.
A movement budget comprises regular costs such as VLE, rent, software licences, tax, accountancy etc. A budget holder for a rebellion or specific action can ask for funding, which is typically for equipment, travel, accommodation and subsistence. For more info visit IBG.
The challenge is there is never enough money to go round and IBG has to see how a request aligns with our strategy by supporting one or more of these criteria
-fundraising
-mobilisation (growing the movement)
-providing critical funcionality (VLE to support NVDA, software licences, warehouse rent, rebellion equipment)
engaging with cultural influencers (VIPs, celebrities, public figures)
NVDA.
Arrestee and Legal Support (ALS)
Certain roles may be for trained legal professionals, others for rebels who will be given all necessary training to provide support:
briefing rebels who may be arrested
observing at actions
supporting rebels who are arrested through legal advice and / or emotional support
providing legal advice to any group before they consider an action, event or campaign
Digital and IT Based Roles
Digital (UK Tech) Our computer services and technical team support and develop the following:-
our websites
email campaigns and newsletters using the Action Network application
messaging systems such as MatterMost and social media
the Hub, which holds data about XR UK groups and the roles held in them
the Cloud where each group holds its documents
GDPR and Security
platforms and networks where these services run
Digital is responsible only for the platforms holding these applications and ensuring they are available and free of bugs. It also provides help and training on how to use the applications. Other circles are responsible for the content, but Digital welcomes requests for advice on best practice.
Messaging and Media Writing for newsletters, social media, film, Rebel Radio, leaflets, posters; reading or reviewing externa media and making contact with the press/other media.
Direct Support For Rebels
Local Group Support
This circle supports XR groups across the UK, brought together by community, location or other affinity and includes teams such as
Local Group Development
3.5 Campaign
Rebel Toolkit
Gardeners - helping goups at the local/regional level, to recruit and grow
(that leaves Reactive, Disabled Rebels Network, Connecting Communities )
Pathways
This circle helps to bring people into the movement ... and keep them! It includes teams like
Talks & Training
Rebellion Academy
Rebel Ringers
Relationships Facilitates and nurtures our relationships with movements outside of XR whose objectives overlap with ours, in order to increase collective pressure on the UK Government to meet XR’s Three Demands. These movements must be Nonviolent and may not use Direct Action.
Feedback and Learning Seeks feedback from rebels and groups to learn and improve, by running, analysing and publishing surveys.
Sustaining and Growing the Movement
Regenerative Cultures This is about creating a self-perpetuating system grown through community, ferocious love and genuine courage which sustains the understanding, exploration, development, training and sharing of regenerative practices.
UK Justice Steering Group (JSG) This group strives to bring in and amplify the unheard and silenced voices of historically and currently marginalised groups and to advocate that the movement becomes, and remains, radically diverse, equal and accessible for all through transformative and restorative justice.
Self Organising Systems (SOS)
Provides governance by supporting teams on how to be self-organising, decentralised and non-hierarchical, by reference to the XR UK constitution and its principles of holacracy. You don't need to read the constitution thoroughly but do use it as a reference point.
SOS will help a group/team/circle to write their mandate, which describes their purpose and accountabilities and by which they should abide. Roles within a group can also have a mandate, which then becomes a role description and some types of role must have one. SOS can also be asked to conduct a "health check" on a group and then give advice. There are many types of groups and they need to decide which one is most appropriate. Here are the types of groups and how they work (Link to be added).
Guardianship and Visioning (G&V) This team helps rebels and groups to follow the XR UK vision, Principles & Values when acting on behalf of XRUK or taking part in any of its actions.
Making Connections - Local, Regional, National and International
Nations and Regions
Roles may be for Scotland, Cymru Wales and Northern Ireland or for one of the UK regions - North East and Cumbria, North, Midlands, East of England, South West, South East, Bristol or London. You can find these roles quickly on the Volunteer Website by using the filter UK Region/Nation.
The role of Gardeners is to support the growth of new groups.
Global Support This is a worldwide network of rebels who help XR chapters grow and this is their website Extinction Rebellion Global
International Solidarity Network (ISN) Its purpose is to foster mutually respectful, co-operative and beneficial connections with people from existing grassroots communities of resistance on the front lines of the climate & ecological crises in both the Global South & Global North who are working on environmental justice.
Ongoing and Specific Rebellions
Money Rebellion This exposes the economic systems that help to destroy life on earth and offer a path back to a regenerative economy. Its targets are organisations who support, develop or fund fossil fuels or other activities which damage the environment such as deforestation, flooding and pollution.
Digital Rebellion
This takes action using social media, emailing or phoning campaigns to target specific organisations, eg fossil fuel companies or the financial institutions that finance fossil fuel extraction and use.
Political Lobbying Monitoring the activities of MPs, political parties, unions and Local Authorities, monitoring procedures and bills in Parliament.
Action and outreach campaign groups with an action strategy can generally use some extra hands e.g. Deepwater. These are promoted on Mattermost's Rebellion Broadcast channel and other social media.
Action planning, creative, production or wellbeing These groups plan and support specific actions and rebellions which need UK-wide involvement. Normally you would have some experience already through your local group since you will be in a position of trust. In some cases, your actual presence would be required on the spot eg to help build stages for an action, or act as a steward or provide wellbeing on a march.