14 Thinking through ways to build a movement
A movement is a group of individuals, perhaps with some organisational support, campaigning towards a change in policy, culture or norms. There are a number of ways to build movements, but they are difficult to do. Movement building is a part of public interest communication, but it requires different approaches, as it often requires a combination of ingenuity, capitalisation on a political or cultural moment, and grassroots organisation efforts. Tearfund [https://learn.tearfund.org/en/resources/tools-and-guides/movement-building-guide] produced these guidelines as recognised factors of success of movements over the years.
There are many ways to build and grow a movement, depending on the goal and context. Here are a few important principles to help get you started.
| Values | Develop a set of core values (eg non-violence, mutual respect, integrity) and put them in writing. You can then regularly check that the movement is sticking to these values over time. |
| Vision | A clear vision of what could be achieved will help people to feel inspired, motivated and ready to help build a better future. |
| Skills | Different members of a movement will bring different skills, eg the ability to organise events, conduct research into an issue, plan, communicate well, or understand the law. Mutual sharing of knowledge, experience and skills will increase confidence and provide everyone with the opportunity to lead and contribute. |
| Relationships | Relationship building helps members to feel part of something bigger than themselves. A lack of hierarchy, and the feeling that all members of the movement are leaders, are key to sustaining motivation and action. |
| Advocacy Demands | The advocacy demands of a movement need to be clear, specific, and communicated well if they are to get the attention of decision-makers. |
| Plans | Small actions can help create momentum, and small, early successes provide motivation. |
| Patience | Bringing about the social, political or cultural changes you want to see may take a long time. |
