Organizing for Change
We can all make change happen. All it takes is getting organized and following some simple steps.
Making change by your self is hard. One person is not as powerful as a group of people.
That’s why we have self-advocacy groups – more people means more power!
One person might have a problem, or a good idea. When they bring it to other people, they can learn if it’s a problem for others too.
Step 1: Talk about it
Talk about your problem with your group and with other groups, too. Find out how many people this problem effects!
Step 1: Talk about it
Step 2: Gather people and learn more
These first two steps are really important!
The learning doesn’t just stop with talking to people. You have to work as a group to find out more.
Step 1: Talk about it
Step 2: Gather people and learn more
Step 3: Investigate!
When you work as a group you can share the work of investigating. How to investigate depends on the problem.
Here are some places to start:
- Learn about laws and rules
- Find out why the laws and rules were made
- Learn about other problems like yours
- Visit people who solved similar problems
Always come back together and have meetings to share what you learned.
Step 1: Talk about it
Step 2: Gather people and learn more
Step 3: Investigate
Step 4: Hold strategy meetings
Set goals and come up with actions to take. You might have a lot of these meetings, or just a few.
At strategy meetings your group will:
- Share information and ideas
- Decide on Goals for the group
- Choose Actions for the group
- Decide who else can help
- Make a date for the next meeting
So what’s next after a strategy meeting? Pizza and a nap? No way!
Step 1: Talk about it
Step 2: Gather people and learn more
Step 3: Investigate
Step 4: Hold strategy meetings
Step 5: Take Action
After taking actions, the group should meet again.
Step 1: Talk about it
Step 2: Gather people and learn more
Step 3: Investigate
Step 4: Hold strategy meetings
Step 5: Take Action
Step 6: Regroup and plan more action
There are several things to consider as you regroup:
- Are actions getting done? What should change?
- Who else might want to be involved now?
- What help might we need now?
- What do we need to learn more about?
The most important step is to stick with it!
Step 1: Talk about it
Step 2: Gather people and learn more
Step 3: Investigate
Step 4: Hold strategy meetings
Step 5: Take Action
Step 6: Regroup and plan more action
Step 7: Be unstoppable!
Sometimes Step #7 takes a bit of time!
There are many reasons you might need to repeat steps.
Here are a few:
- You learn by doing.
- Talking to new people gives us new ideas.
- Sometimes people want to participate the second time you ask.
Finally, don’t forget to celebrate!
Step 1: Talk about it
Step 2: Gather people and learn more
Step 3: Investigate
Step 4: Hold strategy meetings
Step 5: Take Action
Step 6: Regroup and plan more action
Step 7: Be unstoppable!
Step 8: Celebrate your accomplishments.
Working together creates change. It also creates friendships and connections between groups.
Working together strengthens the self-advocacy community!
All the steps to organizing are important.
Self-advocates have made a lot of changes in Minnesota!
Some of the issues are large, and some are small. One group changed a rule at their group home.
Do you think one person could have changed the rule about pets at that group home?
No way! It takes working together – with staff, parents, and other people to make change.
So let’s review the steps again.
Step 1: Talk about it
Step 2: Gather people and learn more
Step 3: Investigate
Step 4: Hold strategy meetings
Step 5: Take Action
Step 6: Regroup and plan more action
Step 7: Be unstoppable!
Step 8: Celebrate your accomplishments.
That’s it! It’s a simple and easy formula. You can use it as often as you need.
Congratulations! You’ve completed this lesson on getting organized.
Tell us what you think.