This research didn’t set out to create a range of recommendations, rather to surface some of the strategic choices that organisational leaders, campaign strategists and funders have when thinking about where and how to place their resources to maximise power through movements in the UK that support human rights and social justice causes. There are lots of different ways of resolving and responding to the strategic choices and dilemmas presented, and all could be legitimate. There were however three key things that came through during the research that frame what type of response is needed and they are captured here:
- The need for actors in this space to be intentional and explicit with movement allies about what they’re doing, why, and what they learn from it. Being open and sharing will enable stripping out duplication and competition from our work, foster a more collegiate and therefore impactful approach and allow us all to learn and scale from what is working in practice.
- That if movements are going to reach out beyond those already currently involved, we need a new form of leadership. We need leadership that is truly open and collaborative, willing to work across issues and inviting in and making space for diversity of experience, thought and identity. Leadership that grasps the enormity and complexity of the challenge ahead, but faces it with honesty and humility. As Kirsty McNeill wrote in this blog – it’s time for a leadership revolution!
- We need more funding to go to local power building and with that greater funder collaboration. We won’t be able to make the transformational shift that’s needed without a step change in approach. Funders coming together, working strategically and intentionally to build local leadership, seeding innovation and finding ways to make sure that money flows to grassroots organisations, building their capacity and doing it in a coordinated way that also builds long-term momentum and networks across our movements.
