Blog
Here’s a selection of blog posts and past events:
Becoming ungovernable (Aviah from Hackney Copwatch)
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Season 2 episode 15 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Aviah. A sneaky extra episode after the season closer! It took us a while to get back together. Aviah is a lecturer at Birkbeck, University of London, and is a community organiser the rest of the time. She is involved in the …
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Season 2: that’s a wrap!
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Season 2 episode 14 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where… we wrap up for season 2! Show notes, links Sign up to our newsletter to hear about our future conflict courses! And finally, some perennial resources: our sister facilitation collective Navigate have a conflict facilitation booklet (from back when they were called Seeds For …
Toolbox: You’ve named it, now what?
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Season 2 episode 13 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we talk about a few tools to respond when conflict is happening in a meeting. ‘The sad update that we have is, at least to our knowledge, there is no fancy Magic Bullet intervention.’ Show notes, links An outline of the VERA model: Validate …
Toolbox: Conflict in the moment
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Season 2 episode 12 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we talk about how to deal with conflict in the moment where it spikes up, using a frame called an “OODA loop”. ‘Conflict doesn’t have to be fighting or loud. It can be a stickiness, or a tenseness that our body is picking up …
Toolbox: Positions in conflict
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Season 2 episode 11 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we talk about a model to understand some different positions that exist in conflicts. ‘This tool forces you to think about what it would be like for you to be in any of these different roles: having caused harm, having been harmed and having …
Sex worker solidarity in practice (Elio from SWARM)
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Season 2 episode 10 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Elio. They organise with SWARM (a UK-based collective founded and led by sex workers who believe in self-determination, solidarity and co-operation) and are a branch organiser for United Voices of the World (UVW, a grassroots trade union of low paid, migrant & …
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Toolbox: Safer spaces policies
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Season 2 episode 9 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we talk about safer spaces policies, as a tool that groups use for a variety of reasons. ‘Safer spaces policies can create a void that people will then fill with punitive approaches to difficulty, difference and conflict’ Show notes, links After a callout for …
Youth-led climate organising (with Youth 4 Climate Leeds)
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Season 2 episode 8 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Nell, Martha and Naomi from Youth 4 Climate Leeds. We talk about shifting tactics from just strikes, working in solidarity with other groups, “de-diversification”, and navigating being a group during a pandemic! “Both the cause and the effects of climate change is …
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Toolbox: Maintenance meetings
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Season 2 episode 7 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we talk about maintenance meetings: a meeting you hold for the overall health of your group. ‘It’s a space to focus on the maintenance of your group, rather than waiting until the car breaks down. It’s like a regular MOT’ Show notes, links Some …
Resisting school exclusion (with No More Exclusions)
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Season 2 episode 6 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Kadeem, Nirad and Zahra from No More Exclusions. “It goes back to how the teacher stands at the front. The students act to passively receive. We don’t want to reproduce that amongst ourselves” – Nirad “Whether the law changes, and then the …
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Toolbox: Transformative vs punitive approaches to conflict
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We now have a Patreon! Please help keep the podcast going, at patreon.com/resistrenew. If not, there’s always the classic ways to support: like, share, and subscribe! Season 2 episode 5 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we talk about some frameworks of justice, and reflect on them in relation to conflict. ‘Whose responsibility is …
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Practical migrant solidarity (Savan from No Evictions Network)
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We now have a Patreon! Please help keep the podcast going, at patreon.com/resistrenew. If not, there’s always the classic ways to support: like, share, and subscribe! Season 2 episode 4 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Savan from the No Evictions Network. “Evictions, arresting people, kidnapping them – it has a long …
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Toolbox: Unhelpful frames about conflict
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We now have a Patreon! Please help keep the podcast going, at patreon.com/resistrenew. If not, there’s always the classic ways to support: like, share, and subscribe! Season 2 episode 3 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we talk about some unhelpful frames* that come up when we think about conflict. ‘Conflict may not be …
Join a grassroots union! (Henry from IWGB)
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We now have a Patreon! Please help keep the podcast going, at patreon.com/resistrenew. If not, there’s always the classic ways to support: like, share, and subscribe! Season 2 episode 2 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Henry Chango Lopez from the Independent Workers’ union of Great Britain. “In our union, the cleaner …
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Toolbox: Understanding conflict
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We now have a Patreon! Please help keep the podcast going, at patreon.com/resistrenew. If not, there’s always the classic ways to support: like, share, and subscribe! Season 2 episode 1 of the Resist + Renew podcast (we’re back!). In this one, we go over what we think conflict is, why we’re focusing on it, and …
Season 2 is coming…
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Episode 15 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we bring a little teaser for season 2. This season, we have a Patreon (patreon.com/ResistRenew) if you want to help support us in our podcasting and wider facilitation work. If not, there’s always the classic ways to support: like, share, and subscribe!
Living healing justice (Farzana from Healing Justice Ldn)
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This is the final episode of season 1! We can only do a season 2 / iterate and improve this with your feedback: so please, let us know how you’ve found this season using our super-quick feedback form. Episode 14 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Farzana from Healing Justice Ldn. “And …
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Toolbox: Temperature checks
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We are nearing the end of season 1, so please, let us know how you’ve found this season using our super-quick feedback form. Episode 13* of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we feel the heat of temperature checks: what they bring, issues and benefits. (* the observant amongst you will spot that this episode …
Toolbox: Spectrum lines
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Episode 12 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we lay down some spectrum lines: what they bring, issues and benefits. ‘What’s really valuable about them is their way of drawing out and making visible polarity’ – Sami Show notes, links The perenially-useful Seeds for Change have a description of spectrum lines on their tools …
Decolonising local organising (Rabab from Gentle/Radical)
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Episode 11 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Rabab from Gentle/Radical. We couldn’t pick one pull quote, so here are two! “Conversation and dialogue is probably the bedrock of how I understand the work, how I understand organising, how I understand cultural work” – Rabab and “Cultural praxis, for me, has to …
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Toolbox: Conflict icebergs
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Episode 10 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where our icebreaker ship explores conflict icebergs as a model: what it highlights, and what it hides. ‘All models are wrong, but some are useful’ – George Box Show notes, links The perenially-useful Seeds for Change have a PDF on navigating conflict in groups. See our “What …
Resisting state violence (Ru from London Campaign Against Police And State Violence)
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Episode 9 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Ru from the London Campaign Against Police and State Violence (LCAPSV). “Very often, the best way to realise what you’re about is actually to do something, and not get caught up in the semantics of it all the time” – Ru Show notes, links …
Toolbox: Hand signals
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Episode 8 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we get into using hand signals (“agreed gestures or shapes that people make with their hands, to communicate in a non-verbal way”) as a facilitation tool: what hand signals are useful in facilitation, when they’re useful, and their limitations. ‘Know why you want to use them, …
Exploring class in the UK (D and Dot from The Classwork Project)
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Episode 7 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview D and Dot from The Classwork Project. “Thinking that we can just, because we’ve read some Marx or wherever, that we can start acting in a non capitalist way all the time is silly” – Dot Show notes, links You can find The Classwork …
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Toolbox: Fishbowls
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Episode 6 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we get into “fishbowls” as a facilitation tool: what they are, when they’re useful, and their limitations. ‘That’s a key component – you go into it expecting to listen 80% of the time.’ – Ali Show notes, links Find “Fish bowl” on Seeds for Change’s tools …
Fighting for racial justice (Peninah from the Racial Justice Network)
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Episode 5 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Peninah from the Racial Justice Network (RJN). “We have race at the core of the work and then see how it intersects with other other struggles or identities.” – Peninah Show notes, links Racial Justice Network website + Twitter. A few slices of their …
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Toolbox: Check-ins
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Episode 4 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we get our nerd on about “check-ins” as a facilitation tool: what they are, when they’re useful, and their limitations. ‘Notice what intention you have when you’re trying to do a check in, and bring that intention as much as you can into the way that …
Building land and racial justice (Josina from LION)
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Episode 3 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Josina from Land In Our Names (LION). So yeah, I mean ending racism, loads of black farmers, lots of use of the land that’s in accordance with spiritual practices or farming practices from places where we have heritage. – Josina, on LION’s vision for …
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Toolbox: What is facilitation?
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Episode 2 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we get our nerd on with an overview of facilitation, and why it’s important. ‘There is no such thing as no design, just bad design. The same is true with facilitation’ – Sami Show notes, links Other facilitation collectives: Seeds for Change Navigate Tripod Rhizome Organising …
Abolishing prisons in the UK (Kelsey from CAPE)
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Episode 1 of the Resist + Renew podcast, where we interview Kelsey from Community Action on Prison Expansion (CAPE). Show notes, links Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol) Community Action on Prison Expansion (CAPE): website; Instagram @no_more_prisons; their “Defund the prison estate” petition Abolitionist Futures’ abolitionist reading groups Sisters Uncut Port Talbot super-prison proposals axed (BBC …
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Resist + Renew podcast teaser!
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Our training and facilitation collective is making a podcast! We will interview UK-based social movement organisers about their work and how they do it, along with doing a good chunk of geeking out about the different tools in our training toolbox.
The Futures We Want!
‘Whenever we envision a world without war, without prisons, without injustice, we are engaging in speculative fiction. Radicals and activists devote their lives to envisioning such worlds, and then go about trying to create them. What better vehicle for them to explore their work and its possibilities than through writing original science fiction stories?’ – …
Making Mutual Aid Groups Work
“So you’ve got a whatsapp group on your street. What next?” Covid-19 has forced many of us to change our lives in ways that few would have imagined only weeks ago. One of the silver linings is that neighbours are coming together to support one another in ways many have never seen. There are over …
Exploring Collective Liberation 2019
Apply by 5pm, Monday May 13th 2019. Are you interested in examining race, power, privilege and oppression? Do you want to co-create a space where we can explore these challenging topics in a way that honours the pain that is tied up in this and is compassionate to each of us as human beings? …
Upcoming Workshop: Joyful Militancy, April 13th
Why is that groups that seek to bring about social change can, at times, be draining and lead to burnout of those involved? What do we need to change? What are some of the causes? Join us for this daylong workshop exploring how to transform group culture within our groups. Inspired in part by the …
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Upcoming Workshop, 27th of Oct: Fragments from the Future: Sci Fi, Storytelling and Revolution pt. 2
Date: 27th of October Venue: Islington Impact Hub, London Time: 11 am to 5.30 pm In the second workshop of this series we will continue to explore visions of Utopia as a source of inspiration, hope and strength in the struggles and journeys to create it. In this workshop we will worldbuild collectively – what …
Free Facilitation Training – London 25th of August
Meetings! Loads of people organise through meetings, and a good meeting or a bad meeting can make all the difference. Facilitation can seem intimidating, or is often not well understood, but it’s a core part of good meetings. This training will dig down into what makes a good facilitator, and give you some good practice …
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Direct Action Training with African Rainbow Family
At the end of July we were invited to the monthly meeting of the very inspiring African Rainbow Family in Manchester to have a discussion and training about direct action. African rainbow family is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex support group for Africans living in the UK. It was established by a lesbian …
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Science Fiction-ing!
In the past few weeks we’ve run a couple of our Sci Fi, Storytelling and Revolution workshops. The first was a day long version at DIY Space for London and the second was an hour long taster at Noisly Fesitival. In both cases, we look at the relevance Sci Fi can have in brining about …
White is not a neutral colour, with London Black Atheists
At the end of June we ran an anti-racist workshop, entitled White is not a neutral colour (originally the title of a Navigate workshop), at SOAS in London. In the workshop we explored our identities, experiences of race and racism, and feelings of belonging. These are tricky topics and at times the workshop was uncomfortable, …
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Exploring Collective Liberation
On the weekend of the 9th of February, Resist and Renew ran the first weekend residential on the theme of Exploring Collective Liberation. In the final hours before the participants arrived at the venue, we did our last bits of preparation and ran through the agenda for the whole weekend. In the run up we …
Applications now open – Exploring Collective Liberation 9-11th of February 2018
Are you interested in examining race, power, privilege and oppression? Want a space where we can explore challenging topics in a way that is both authentic to the pain that is tied up in this but also is compassionate to each of us as human beings? In a world full of oppression – White Supremacy, …
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How can men* respond to #MeToo?
At the moment I’m trying not to go on social media too much but when I’ve dipped in and out recently I couldn’t help but notice #MeToo, where, mainly women, are sharing their experiences of sexual harassment or assault. I thought I was aware of this stuff. But the amount, the brutality and the banality …
Resist + Renew Cycle Summer School
16 August – 22 August 2017 London to Germany This year we are happy to be collaborating with Time to Cycle running a cycling summer school exploring how to affect social change. Over the five days of the cycle we will be taking time to hold workshops, discussions and games along the way, so we’ll be learning …
Direct Action Training at Peace News Summer Camp 2017
Burston Rd Diss, Norfolk IP22 5SX Want to get involved in direct actions but not sure how? Have you already been involved and want to share your experiences? Are you planning to get involved with a mass action like Ende Galende or stop DESI and want to feel more confident? If so, or your just …
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The Role of Radical Speculative Fiction
Workshop + Zine Making: Seeing Beyond the Crises 2 PM – 5 PM, 1 July 2017 Grow Heathrow, London UB7 0JH In our current context of Trump in the Whitehouse, austerity and crises across Europe, the rise of the far right and the ever looming threat of catastrophic climate change it can be hard to find hope for …