What We Have Learned
What follows are some suggestions and ideas that various IPRP
awareness groups have shared with us. If you have any ideas that seem
to have worked well for you, please let us know. We will incorporate
new ideas as we come to discover what works for this campaign and what
doesn’t.
Without some type of leadership, all efforts eventually fail. Leadership
comes in many different forms, and each type is necessary. Leaders are
people who can coordinate and facilitate the efforts of many without
trying to do everything themselves. Leaders do not dictate, they delegate.
The IPRP is
supported on the local level by leadership in several ways. Here is
how it
works:
• Recruitment - The Project has been, and should
continue to be, a universal effort. Everyone should be gladly accepted
as long as they are against violence. Successful local groups formed
a local coalition and successfully solicited church groups, civic organizations,
social advocates, political leaders, and business leaders for support.
Once you have formed such a coalition you begin to have a real project.
• Spokespersons – Some people are adept
at public speaking, but not everyone is a leader in this respect. Those
who are good speakers may be lousy organizers or recruiters. Sometimes
your best spokespersons will be from among the people you have recruited,
and sometimes they may be from the original group of survivors and advocates.
Who ever is spokesperson needs to recognize their role as spokesperson
for all members of the group.
• Meetings - Meetings should be held as infrequently
as possible. When they are held, the meeting leader provides a written,
timed agenda, with specific actions and goals. After meetings, summaries
should be mailed out to everyone in the local group so everyone is kept
up-to-date. Not everyone can make every meeting.
• Fundraising - We don’t need much money.
Once a local organization is in place the production of flyers, ribbons,
and educational material is relatively inexpensive. Many committees
have found local businesses more than willing to donate paper and low
cost items for their campaigns, as well as high
exposure window space to display announcements regarding scheduled committee
events and meetings.
 |