Amnesty International Canada up and Executive Committee ……………… 12 Ups and Downs of a Group 13 Step 3 ... At Amnesty International Canada youth make up the largest portion

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Amnesty International Canada

Youth & Student Program

Groups’ Guide!

Amnesty International Canada

312 Laurier Ave East, Ottawa Ontario, K1N 1H9

Telephone: (613) 744-7667 OR 1-800-AMNESTY (266-3789)

Fax: (613) 746-2411

[email protected]

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Welcome to the AI Canada

Youth & Student Program!

Starting up an AI group, whether it’s for the first time, or you’ve done it ten times,

can always be a bit of work. We thought we’d put together some advice for getting

that group going, and keeping it going.

This guide is meant to help you throughout the year, so hold on to it - you never know

when it might come in handy.

There are many other resources available to help you have a great year and do great

work for human rights. Check out www.amnesty.ca/youth or contact Shauna MacLean

at [email protected] for more information and resources.

Good luck, and have a great year!

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Table of Contents

About Amnesty International

A Global Movement ………………………………. 4 Our Trademark ……………………………………… 4 Student Groups – The movement needs you! ………… 5

Your Chapter

Step 1: So You Need a Group – Your First Group Meeting

How to Get the Word Out ………………………….. 6 How to Facilitate …………………………………….. 7-8 First Meeting Checklist ……………………………… 9-10

Step 2: So You Have 100 Members – Organizing Your Group

Group Structures …………………………………… 11 Setting up and Executive Committee ……………… 12 Ups and Downs of a Group ………………………… 13

Step 3: Time to Take Action! How to Plan Your Year

Campaigning ………………………………………… 15-16 Budgets and Fundraising …………………………... 17-19

Step 4: Get the Word Out!

Promotional Strategies for Your Group ………….. 20-22

Step 5: Doing it Right! Useful Resources for Your Activism

Guide to Letter Writing …………………………….. 23-24 Tabling for Amnesty International ………………… 25-28 Giving Amazing Presentations …………………… 29-31 Success Stories ………………………………………. 32 Ice Breakers ………………………………………….. 33-34 Universal Declaration of Human Rights …………... 35-36

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A Global Movement

With more than 3 million members, activists and volunteers in over 150 countries, Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of "ordinary" people working to achieve extraordinary results.

Amnesty International was founded in 1961 by British lawyer Peter Benenson. He became angry after reading a report about two Portuguese students who had been imprisoned for raising their glasses in a toast to freedom. In response, Benenson published an article - “The Forgotten Prisoners” - in the London Observer newspaper on May 28, 1961. He called on people to protest the imprisonment of men and women around the world because of their political and religious beliefs. Thousands of people in many countries offered their help, and Amnesty International was born.

Every day our members stand in solidarity with - and help protect – thousands of individuals and communities around the world whose human rights are under attack. Our guiding document is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and we work to ensure universal access to these rights.

The Candle in Barbed Wire

Amnesty’s trademark is a candle wrapped in barbed wire. The candle represents:

The light of public attention that Amnesty members shine on the hidden abuses (the barbed wire) of human rights violators.

The spark of public pressure that Amnesty members create in order to bring about positive change in people’s lives.

The beacon of hope and solidarity for people who defend human rights, often at great personal risk, and for the many who become the targets of human rights abuse.

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Student Groups – We Need You!

From Tianmen Square, to Tahrir Square, to the streets of San Francisco - youth have always been at the forefront of the human rights movement.

By starting a chapter of Amnesty International you are joining nearly 500 groups across the country – that’s a powerful network!

At Amnesty International Canada youth make up the largest portion of our membership, which means that the work you do on your campus is central to the success of Amnesty International in this country. At our international offices we can put out all sorts of facts and reports, but they are only converted into action through your efforts. You get to think of creative ways to mobilize that action. That’s why your group is so important. But you’re not in it alone. Here are some people you can use as resources:

- The National Office: Shauna MacLean is the National Youth and Student Coordinator at the National Office in Ottawa, and is always there if you want to ask her any questions. You can reach Shauna at [email protected]

- Other school groups: There might be other high schools, universities, or colleges with Amnesty chapters in your area. You can write to Shauna to find out.

- Fieldworkers: These are volunteers who have been working with Amnesty International for a long time and know the movement inside and out. Their training and life experience helps them organize all the groups in a particular region, or just lend help when it’s needed.

- Community Groups: In addition to school groups, Amnesty International has community groups working throughout the country. These are diverse individuals who come together in the same way that you’re school group does. Find out if there is a community group in your city, then try and team up with them for events to get more people involved!

- Country Coordinators: Got a question about a particular country? Ask a country coordinator. Like fieldworkers, these are highly committed volunteers who have spent years working on human rights in particular countries. Country coordinators are the experts that AI Canada turns to for country specific questions – and you should too!

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To find out about fieldworkers, country coordinators, or community groups close to you write to Lily Mah-Sen, Groups Coordinator for AI Canada: [email protected]

Step 1: So You Need a Group - Your first group meeting

You’ve settled into your first week of school, gone through the September AI Youth

mailing and are now ready for that all-important first meeting of your Amnesty club. Here

are some ideas on how to make your first meeting a success.

How to Get the Word Out

In order to get people out to your first meeting, they're going to have to know about it.

The easiest and most time-tested method of advertising is word of mouth. Tell your

friends, and get them to tell their friends.

But this is definitely not enough.

A great complement to any word-of-mouth advertising is to create a short pamphlet or

flyer. Be sure to give the name of your club, the date, time and location of the first

meeting, and a quick description of Amnesty's human

rights work.

You might want to use the AI logo, which is available

from our web site. Make sure the pamphlet is no more

than ½ a page in size and easy to photocopy.

If it's snazzy enough, you may wish to turn your pamphlet

into a poster. Amnesty has a number of nice posters to

choose from, but don't be afraid to make your own!

Another method most high schools use is the

Tip !

You can get the AI

logo from our

website, or for a

high quality

version, email the

youth program.

[email protected]

Tip: Try assigning someone the job of

outreach. They can work on contacting all

the Amnesty activists in your area so that you

can all team up and create more effective

campaigns!

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announcement or PA system. Many high schools have

morning announcements to give information about

clubs and teams. Talk to your staff advisor or

administration to see if you can advertise this way.

Finally, use your imagination. You know your school better than we do. Is there a school

newsletter? Announcements at assemblies? Are you allowed to use sidewalk chalk to

advertise in front of your school? Can you talk about Amnesty in a Law, English or social

science class? There are plenty of ways to get the word out that Amnesty has started at

your school. Once you’ve got the word out, it’s time to get ready for your first meeting!

How to Facilitate

What Is a Facilitator?

This person is in charge of the smooth running of the meeting. They encourage members

to share their opinions, and determine an order of speakers, if necessary.

A facilitator is the person who leads or guides the meeting. They make sure that all goes

smoothly, everyone has a chance to speak, timelines and procedures are followed and, if

possible, everybody leaves the room satisfied. Sounds like a tough job! It can be.

A good facilitator is confident but sensitive. They are able to read people’s expressions,

emotions and body language to help guide the meeting in a positive direction. They are

also able to politely interrupt if someone is going over time, going off topic or otherwise

changing the course of the meeting. Facilitation is a skill that can be developed with

practice. Here are some suggestions to help you get started.

Before You Start the Meeting: Explain How You Operate: Are you going to keep a

Speaker’s List and write down the names and order

of people that have something to say? Do you expect

to contribute to the discussion, or merely guide it?

Explain to the group what you see as your role and

how you expect to conduct the meeting.

Check for Ground Rules:

Three Things Every

Facilitator Needs:

1. An agenda: put items

that need decisions

made at the top and

items that need group

discussion at the bottom.

This will ensure

important decisions get

made!

2. A watch

3. A friendly smile,

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Ask the group if there are any ground rules that

they want to implement before starting. Do you

want to limit the amount of time one person

can speak for or follow a certain process?

Review the Agenda:

Before you begin, review the agenda with the

group and get their feedback. Does anyone have

anything to add? Does the order look right? Add

any additional topics in where they fit best – don’t

just tack them on to the bottom.

Do . . . Personally welcome new people

Actively listen to others; help each person feel heard. Everyone should feel that their input is valuable and valued

Listen for common ground & reflect back to the group as often as necessary. Clearly state agreements for the record

Recommend ways to resolve differences

Be aware of body language, the real “feeling” in the room, call for breaks if needed

Keep an eye on the clock and warn the group well before deadlines, i.e. “we have ten minutes left to discuss this point”

Participate in discussions

Keep track of a speaker’s list and whose turn it is to speak – also encourage new people to speak and volunteer

Ensure that decisions, the names of people responsible for their implementation, and deadlines are openly acknowledged and written down

Help set up/clean up the meeting room

Be positive and upbeat throughout the meeting

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First Meeting Checklist:

Before the meeting:

□ Organize: make a list of things you want to say, and who is going to say them

□ Anticipate questions: Feel free to bring notes - you don’t need to know

everything by heart, but people will appreciate if you’ve done some research

□ Plan for accessibility: Is the room you are using accessible for people with

different needs (i.e wheelchairs)? Have you set a convenient time?

□ Check out the space: Are there enough chairs? Is there a projector?

□ Signup Sheet: Prepare a sheet for people to write their names and email

addresses so you can contact them for future events

□ Choose a chairperson/facilitator: Make sure they read the section in this

package on “How to Facilitate a Meeting.”

□ Relax! Remember, everyone in the room is on your side!

During the meeting:

□ Set a time limit and stick to it! Assign someone to watch the clock. People will

appreciate that you are using their time effectively.

□ Appoint a note taker: Make notes publicly available after the meeting

□ Set Objectives: What do you want to achieve? Having a list of objectives will

help keep you on track so people feel their time is being used well.

And Don’t . . .

Dominate the discussion

Direct the content of the meeting- you’re only there to make sure that the process goes smoothly, not direct thoughts and ideas

Make decisions for the group. Instead, once a decision is made, check verbally that everyone agrees before proceeding

Bring up issues/items not relevant to the current issue being discussed

Dwell on past problems

Insist that people support your idea

Use acronyms, or heavily technical or legalistic language, or assume everyone is familiar with past events or background information

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□ Make an Agenda: Basically a “to do” list for the meeting. Have a list of things

you want on it, but also get input from the crowd. For long meetings, you

might want to schedule in some breaks. There’s a sample agenda on the next

page.

□ Ice Breaker: Sample Ice Breakers are in the “Resource” section of this

package.

□ Summarize decisions: A good meeting ends with a sense of accomplishment –

something has been learned, planned or shared. Restate your meeting

objectives and how you are moving forward.

□ Sign up sheet: Ask people to write down their name and contact information.

□ Set a time for your next meeting: So all of your members know when to meet

again

After the meeting:

□ Email out the notes from the meeting: If you have a place to post a hard copy

this might also help to publicize the meeting. Make sure the time of your next

meeting is very visible in this email

□ Review the notes and any actions that you, or others committed to. Make sure

people take responsibility for their commitments

□ Start planning for

your next

action/meeting! Not every meeting has to be a lot of talking. Maybe your next

meeting can be a letter writing session? Or a demonstration?

Sample Agenda:

Oak Bay High School AI Club Meeting

Ice-breaker or energizer

Introductions (for new people)

Review points from last meeting

Discuss plans for the December 10th Write-a-thon

Review decisions made & who is doing what

Set date for next meeting

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A couple of notes:

1. Help members feel ownership of the group: If your first

meeting turns out totally unlike how you'd imagined it,

don't worry! Sometimes creative people get together and

things turn out way better than if they had been

planned. If a lively discussion starts, or people don't

want to follow your well-organized plan, be ready to go

with the flow. Remember that a group belongs to all its

members, so give the members an opportunity to choose

the direction of your group.

2. Meetings Aren’t Everyone's “Idea Zone”

It’s easy for people with strong personalities or the gift of

the gab to shut down others during a meeting. Some

people need time to reflect on what they’ve heard – or absorb information

better by reading the minutes of a meeting – and may have more to say after a

meeting. Try not to express frustration at receiving more feedback “after the

fact.”

The problem may actually have more to do with how the meetings are run.

After all, not everyone has the same way of learning or interacting with others.

Try to take these varying needs and styles into account. Your group can only

benefit!

3. Getting to know you...

Consider having a space for “interests” or “skills” on your signup sheet so you

can customize your group’s work to the strengths of your members

4. Harness the power of food!

Food is a good way to break the ice and get people mingling. If you have the

budget, you might want to provide snacks after the meeting to encourage

people to hang out and talk to each other.

Best Practices from

Student Leaders – Be

Consistent!

Try to always meet at the

same time – i.e. Every

other Monday from 6:00-

7:00, this makes it easier

for people to schedule

their other activities

around your meetings,

which means they are

more likely to show up.

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Step 2: So you have 100 members

Organizing Your Group

It happens to us all. You’re looking at the massive sign-up list from an

information table or perhaps your first general information meeting, and you’re

wondering: will they all show up again? And if they do, that’s wonderful but also a little

scary. How will they all be involved?

While group structures vary, most groups settle into these levels of

involvement:

Typically, your Executive Committee, and (for high school groups)

a staff advisor. This is a small group of people who take

responsibility for most of the organizing. The Core Group is the

real engine of your chapter, but they shouldn’t make all the

decisions. Core Groups must also make themselves welcoming to

General Members who want to take on a bigger role.

This crowd attending meetings, take part in your actions, and

likely want to be involved in brainstorming ideas for future

actions, or being assigned specific roles to help carry out

projects. They may want to join the Core Group eventually.

There may be a lot of people who

initially indicate interest, but find that

they can’t get involved after all due to other

commitments, or simply can’t make it to meetings due to scheduling problems.

You usually can count on this crowd to support your work in easier ways – like signing

a petition. Try to find special roles that fit into the lifestyles of these members: For

example, dance club members might spice up an assembly.

Core group

General members

Supporters and Sympathizers

Tip from Student Leaders – Working Efficiently

Make sure your core group all have one

another’s contact information – you don’t want

people having to go through you for all of their

work!

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Setting Up an Executive or Coordinating Body

Look at the real needs of your group. Try to avoid titles like “president” which are

associated mostly with status. Use terms which describe actual tasks and

responsibilities. Choose simple names for jobs that actually describe the work such as

“publicity coordinator”. This kind of approach will be helpful for people who join your

group later in the year. Clear roles will make the group seem less like

a “Clique” to newcomers.

Once you have figured out what your group needs, think about how

much time is involved for each area. Can some tasks be combined?

Some ideas for roles on an Executive:

- Logistics coordinator – in charge of booking rooms, getting

permits, supplies, etc

- Outreach – in charge of collaborating with other groups on campaigns

- Head of Letter – Writing – You might want someone to specifically focus on one

campaign and work with other members (publicitiy, etc) to make that campaign a

success

President for life? Before you race into an election (or plead for volunteers), there is one more thing to

consider: should these posts be permanent, rotated, or temporary? Some groups find that

rotating posts is a good way for everyone in the group to develop their skills and get a

chance to share the work.

If most of the members “in charge” are all from grade 12, or in their last year of post-

secondary education you may be in danger of your entire group graduating. Give a

younger member a chance to chair a meeting or run a project — it will ensure that the

group continues the following year.

Check your progress If you find yourself having a difficult time filling the posts you’ve created, step back and

see if perhaps the group has set goals it just can’t handle. Many youth groups sign up for

everything and often find they are overwhelmed. It’s hard to say “no” when you really

Remember:

It may take some

experimenting with

different types of

posts until you find a

mix that works well

for your group.

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care about an issue such as human rights, but it’s better to scale down your activities

than watch everyone get fed up and burned out!

The Ups and Downs of a Group- Things to Watch out for:

People often leave because they are asked to do too much too

fast. Others take on too much because they don’t trust anyone

else to carry out what they’ve committed to, or because they

resist setting and sticking to priorities.

Try to make sure that “reality checks” on workload happen for everyone in the group, and

that meetings are a safe place to discuss workload.

Ultimately guilt is not the best motivation. Make sure people get a real chance to carry

out their work before letting someone else take over – including yourself!

This is even more important than “burn out”: more people leave

groups because there was no opportunity – or no invitation – to

contribute.

If someone is very new to Amnesty or to being part of a group,

they may not simply “jump in”, especially if they perceive the leaders of the group be to

very active or in control of everything. The person who is “just sitting there” may very

well be hoping that someone will ask them to help out.

When in doubt, invite people to pair up to do various tasks – it’s a lot less intimidating

than being asked to do something all on your own.

Many groups are started by a few close-knit friends and it’s

easy to carry all the behaviors of that closeness into a group

meeting. Similarly, members who have been around for a year

or two tend to sit together, make side comments to each other,

and so on. That can be a tough scene to break into if you are

new in the room!

Burn Out

Chill Out

Blocked Out

Tip from Student Leaders – Try the Buddy System!

Try partnering people up for tasks. This way, more people get

involved and people who might be a bit nervous gain confidence

so they can get more involved in the future.

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Try basic things such as saying the names of new people when talking with them

during a meeting, making sure all the “experienced people” aren’t all in the same

corner of the room, and using facilitation techniques that give everyone an

opportunity to contribute: for example, a “go-around” in which everyone has a chance

to say only one word or idea (as opposed to long lists from the first few speakers,

which leaves everyone else with little space to say anything!).

Settling into a routine can be comfortable and

reassuring, but it can also become boring … and that

rarely benefits a group that is trying to grow.

Build in some variety, including rotating the chairing

of meetings. And, even though Amnesty deals with serious subject matter, that

doesn’t mean fun and creativity can’t be part of how you approach your human rights

campaigning.

Once an event is over, you shouldn’t cross it off

the “to do” list until people have had a chance to

talk about how things went and learn from the

experience.

This should include acknowledging the work

people have done. This helps build a creative and appreciative atmosphere that

people will want to continue to contribute to.

Same Old Same Old

Evaluate & Appreciate

Idea:

Why not plan meetings with your members around action? Instead of

holding meetings “just because”, plan to meet when you actually have

something to do. i.e you could have letter-writing Mondays and talk

during the event. This more casual format might make people feel more

comfortable getting involved, provide opportunities for leadership and

will ensure that time is well spent.

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Step 3: Time to Take Action! How to Plan Your Year

A certain level of organization at the very beginning is helpful in order to attract new

people to your group. They need to know what they are getting involved in! But make

sure to leave space for new ideas – all members should feel they can really contribute to

a group or campaign. Your group can do really great things if you are receptive to the

wider pool of ideas, talents and perspectives held by your members.

Use this guide to help you plan a basic framework for events and actions throughout the

school year, and keep the AI events calendar handy as a reference throughout the year.

Start with a basic framework

Take a look at what worked well and what was a bust last year (or in other groups you’ve

been involved in). Pick a couple of key activities you’d like to do over the coming year –

it can be something as straightforward as a series of information tables – and advertise

this at your first meeting.

Take a look at the “campaign calendar” for the year

This is sent out in the September mailing and gives an outline of what major actions will

be happening throughout the year, as well as materials that will be available to use for

these actions.

Find out where your group’s interest lies

Are there certain upcoming actions that have members of your group really

excited? Are there certain days that your group feels are really important to mark (for

example International Human Rights Day – December 10th and International Women’s

Day – March 8th)?

Bring others into building a plan

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Survey the interests, abilities and talents of the people joining the group.

Provide opportunities for everyone to brainstorm ideas for the group’s work and priorities.

Trim down the list you develop and set some priorities. Factor in how well the ideas on the list match the interests, abilities and talents from the initial survey.

Assign coordination roles, tasks and do a “reality check” on timelines and workload. Make sure people are able to say “no, this is too much” without guilt. Many groups create an overly ambitious plan the first time around.

Map it all out

Once you’ve come up with a draft plan for your group’s activities, draw up a calendar to

see how everything fits in. Be sure to include beforehand the dates of exams, holidays

and other busy times (don’t be surprised if that takes out a third of the year!).

A few final Tips:

Make sure you also include research tasks such as:

where you can get donations of materials, permission for

events such as marches, etc;

Timing of other events happening in your area (maybe there are other events or people you can work with?); and of course, talking with people who already have experience organizing some of the activities you have planned – use their knowledge!

Check in regularly on the progress of your plans, and re-

design things or re-allocate tasks and roles as needed.

This isn’t simply being “bureaucratic” – we all need to put

No group is an

island

Monitor, evaluate,

revise

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energy into how we organize ourselves. Without a solid

basis, our human rights campaigning will not be as creative

or effective, nor will it likely be sustained over time.

Use the “AI Activity Planning Chart” to plan your events, keep

track of what’s on the task list, and who has signed up for

what. (Included in this package)

Activity Planning

Chart

Tip from Student Leaders – have fun!

The team that plays together, does amazing activism together. Plan a social event to kick off your

year, and another one to end it. It doesn’t have to be expensive, and you can incorporate human

rights work: Ask a local band to play a show and raise money from ticket sales. Or, find a band who

is already playing, and ask if you can bring some petitions for the crowd . Forming a strong group

bond will encourage people to continue working with Amnesty in the future

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Budgets and Fundraising

Ah fundraising. Oh Budgets. It can be the best of times, it can be the worst of times.

It’s all about how you do it. Only one thing is certain – a little bit of planning can save a

LOT of work later on. Here are a few simple questions to help you get started.

Why do we need to raise money?

It costs money for you to mail the letters you write. It also costs money for us to mail

you newsletters, campaign packages, and so on. It costs a lot of money to research all

the cases we take up as an organization.

How much do we need to raise?

This will depend largely on the size and activeness of your group. If you’re not a

completely new group, chances are you’ll have an old budget that can give you an

idea of your operating expenses. If you are just starting out, here are some things to

be sure to include:

a) Membership Contribution. Groups and clubs are encouraged to contribute at least $50 per group or club. Your contribution is used to pay for postage, printing and development costs and for all that excellent support you receive from AI Canada.

b) Meeting Costs. Is there a room rental cost for the place where you hold your meetings? Do you serve refreshments or use audiovisual equipment? Take the cost of an average meeting and multiply by the number of meetings you expect to hold that year. Don’t forget to budget a little extra for your first meeting (when you’ll probably have a lot more people than usual) and for any major annual meetings, if you hold them.

c) Postage. The costs of postage can add up, especially for a very active groups or members. If your group uses faxes in their actions, include the cost of transmitting faxes.

d) Publicity. This may include photocopying and printing costs for creating newsletters, flyers and posters.

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e) Special Actions and Events. This will include the costs of all “props” you’ll need (signs, placards, posters) and any additional costs such as room rentals, equipment rentals and refreshments.

f) Resources. Although many resources can be obtained free or borrowed from the Amnesty National Office, there may be videos, posters or other resources you wish to use that carry a small cost.

g) Travel. Sometimes groups may budget to send members or leaders to conferences or meetings, or to bring others to the group. This could include sending representatives to AI Canada’s Human Rights College or Annual General Meeting. In addition, you may wish to bring speakers to talk to your group or at a conference. You may have to include travel expenses for this person, as well as a small gift or honorarium.

h) Volunteer/Member Appreciation. You may wish to recognize your members. It is important to thank your volunteers for the work they do, and to celebrate group successes.

What resources do we have to work with?

Material Resources: What does you group already have? Access to free meeting

spaces? Art supplies? Access to a photocopier? Funding from your student

council/union?

Human Resources: What are the particular strengths and abilities of your group

members? Do you possess skills or talents that could be of use? i.e. if someone in your

group is a great baker, why not hold a bake sale?

Network Resources: What relationships does your group have with other people and

organizations? Do any of your group members have connections that could help the

group –businesspeople, entertainers, politicians, or even other activists who have a lot of

experience and wisdom to share with the group.

Fundraising is human rights work!

In order to maintain our impartiality and objectivity Amnesty International accepts no government

funding. That means that all of our work is sponsored by our members and donors. Conducting

research and coordinating activism on a global scale can get expensive – so try to put fundraising

into everything you do. Here are some simple ideas: put a donation box on your information table,

challenge another school to a fundraising contest, show a movie with a pay-what-you-can

entrance fee (try suggesting a fair donation, maybe $2) – any event can become a fundraiser if

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Check the Rule Book

Check with your school, town (or other “authority”) before you start planning your

fundraiser. Do you need a permit (or letter of permission) for your action? If you

don’t play by the rules, you could get shut down and actually lose money.

In-Kind Donations

These are donations of goods or services to your group, rather than money. For

example, rather than paying to rent a hall for an event, you group could ask the hall

owner to provide the space for free. When fundraising, look for different forms of in-

kind donations that can be made, rather than just asking for money.

Tax Donations

Amnesty International Canada is a charitable organization and does give receipts for

donations. If you have questions about this, or have a donor who wishes to receive a

tax receipt, contact the National Office.

Risk Management

Huge elaborate events can seem really exciting as fundraisers, but they may come at

great cost. You may wish to start off small with your fundraisers, minimizing cost and

risk, until your group is more experienced and comfortable with your fundraising

environment. Remember even the smallest fundraisers can experience problems (like

a forecast for rain at your picnic or car wash) so try when you’re planning to imagine

Helpful

Hints

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all the possible things that could go wrong, and come up with contingency plans to

address them.

Always Say Thank You!

When the event is over, always recognize your volunteers and often your donors. This

may be as simple as a thank-you card or letter of reference. If people don’t feel

appreciated, they’re not going to come back next time!

Step 4 – Get the Word Out! Promotional Strategies for your Group

You’ve got your group set up, or at least a couple of friends who are interested, and now

you want to reach out to the rest of the students in your school and let them know what

human rights are all about. Here are eight ideas to get you going.

Table

Setting up an information table is an amazingly easy, excellent way to get information

out at your school. See the Resources section in this package on how to set up an eye-

catching table.

PA Announcement

Some schools have a ‘thought of the day’ – why not an ‘action of the day’ or ‘human

rights fact of the day’? Talk to your administration to see if they’d be willing to co-

operate with you on this.

Get In Print

Team up with your school paper or newsletter. You could organize anything from a story

on your Amnesty group to a regular column written by one

of your members.

Organize an Assembly or Information Meeting

This takes a little more work than tabling, but it could

have excellent results. Bring in a guest speaker, show a

short film or hold a panel discussion. You can also turn

Tip:

Many groups launch the year’s work

with an information table in a busy

hallway or mall and/or a special

“introduction to AI” meeting

featuring a guest speaker. These

tried and true methods work very

well, especially if you are attending

a school or university which has a

“clubs day” or week.

23

this into a fundraiser – maybe people can pay $0.50 to get out of class and go to the

assembly.

Take Your School’s Human Rights Temperature

Check out how at: www.hrusa.org/hrmaterials/temperature/default.shtm

Publicize the results with a giant thermometer on the wall.

Contest

Contests are one of the best ways to make people aware of your group, and to gather new

supporters who haven’t been involved with Amnesty before.

Screen a Video

Amnesty has tons of videos available, from our 40-minute “Cry for Justice” film to

informative documentaries on specific countries and themes

Get creative and project the films onto walls or the sides of buildings. You’d be

surprised what a great movie theatre your average cafeteria can make!

Harness the Power of the Classroom: A Captive Audience

Talk to your teachers about how you can incorporate Amnesty’s human rights work into

the curriculum. Human Rights Education compliments a number of subjects (English,

Civics, Geography...) for all age levels. There are even teaching resources available from

Amnesty and other NGOs.

If your teacher is unable to include Amnesty in his/her teaching, you could even do a

project or presentation yourself!

Tip from Student Leaders – there’s no replacement for human contact!

Trying to stay in contact with your members? Email is great, but it’s not the only way to

talk to people - we all know how tempting it is to hit “delete” when your inbox is filling

up. Make sure to contact members in diverse ways – how about a phone call to

members who you know have an interest in a particular issue? Or a drop in with free

food (always a winner!)? Make sure you budget in advance for these smaller events

24

Some Creative Publicity Ideas:

“Teaser” posters or newspaper ads:

These can be used alone or in a series for even more intrigue and suspense. For

example:

What do Radiohead and the Dalai Lama have in common? Watch this space for the

answer or come to room 12 on Sept 20 to find out!

[The answer: they are both Amnesty supporters working for human rights in Tibet]

Props and Costumes:

- Walk around carrying over-sized pens and pencils, computer key boards, huge

postcards/petitions (carry a real pen so people can sign!), and other materials

associated with writing appeals. Wear a human rights defender t-shirt and cape while

passing out leaflets or gathering signatures.

- Collect signatures along a cafeteria line up.

- Dress in “message board” t-shirts or prisoner garb while studying in the

library....chained to your books perhaps?

An injection of humour into the serious matter of human rights protection can challenge

otherwise cynical passers-by to think about supporting your campaigns or maybe even

getting further involved.

Guest Speakers, Readings and Videos

25

If your group is at a university, check out any programs run by the administration,

student federation or specific faculties that maintain lists of speakers across Canada and

may provide funding for bringing them in.

Step 5 – Doing it Right

You’ve got your group organized and ready to go, you’ve got your campaigns planned out,

and your publicity is all over the school. Here are some resources that will help you carry

out actions in the most effective way we know how, some best practices from other

amnesty members, and some general information to help you get started on your

research

Guide To Letter Writing

Traditionally, Amnesty International has been known for launching highly

effective international letter-writing campaigns.

Letters (and postcards) are an effective way for individuals and small

groups to contribute to a large global movement – because every single

letter counts.

As an activist with Amnesty, you likely have been or will be part of many

letter-writing campaigns. Here are a few tips to help you perfect your style:

In Your Letter:

1. Give the Facts Give as much information (date and place of the violation, names and other facts

about the victim, etc) as possible. Cite the article (from the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights or other convention) or law that has been violated. This will convey

that you are informed as well as concerned.

2. Follow Amnesty Guidelines

26

All AI Canada letter-writing actions give recommendations or requests to be made of

the recipient. Be sure to follow these exactly – if the action asks for a prisoner to

receive medical treatment, say that – don’t ask for things that aren’t included.

3. Be Brief A simple, one line letter is adequate and certainly better than no letter at all. A good

rule is not to write more than one page (one side of a paper).

4. Be Courteous and Respectful Remain impartial. Avoid making reference to any particular religious beliefs, cultural

norms or political ideologies. Amnesty’s impartiality is key to its success. Refer to

basic human rights standards from the Universal Declaration of Human rights and

other international documents instead.

5. Make it Personal! Remember that this is a letter coming from you. Writing a letter in your own words

and with your own style will be more effective than a form letter. You may also wish

to give an idea of who you are (ie. high school or university student) as this will help

indicate that the letter is genuine, and that people of all ages and walks of life are

interested in the case.

If you are writing about a specific person, highlight that person’s name. That way,

even if your letter is not read, whoever opens it will quickly understand its meaning.

6. Watch your language! Even if you are writing to a country where English is not an official language, a well-

written English letter is better than a letter in another language that may contain

mistakes. In the same manner, if you understand another language and feel that an

appeal may be more effective written in that language, write away!

What To Do if You Get a Reply:

Send a copy to the National Office!

Copies of all replies (including form letters) should be sent to the National Office:

27

312 Laurier Avenue East

Ottawa, ON

K1N 1H9

Fax: (613) 746-2411

At the National Office, staff will ensure that copies are sent to relevant people, such as

country coordinators and researchers.

Sometimes Amnesty members receive replies in languages other than English.

Unfortunately, we are not able to provide a translation service for letters that you receive.

If you know someone who can translate a reply for you, don’t hesitate to ask them – you

may help draw a new person into human rights activism! If you don’t know anyone who

can help you, try the language department of your local college or university. If you are

able to receive a translation, the National Office would appreciate a copy.

28

Creating an Eye-catching, Effective Amnesty Table

Tabling is a great way to raise awareness of Amnesty International, its campaigns and

your group! If done right, tabling can be a way to promote awareness of human rights, to

take action on a specific campaign or issue, to recruit new members and even to

fundraise!

What is tabling?

“To table” (the word table in verb form) is to set up an actual table covered with

information and eye-catching displays, staffed by knowledgeable and eager young

activists (that’s you) to educate and involve people in their campaigns.

Aren’t afraid to step out in front of the table or engage passers-by in

conversation. Be outgoing – some people might be too shy to approach you!

Set up the table in a high-visibility area.

Have a minimum of two people at the table.

Set a total amount of time that you will be at the table, and divide that time

into shifts.

Are high energy and enthusiastic about what you are doing.

Are efficient (get to the point quickly, yet thoroughly).

Keep a record of what you accomplish. How many signatures were gathered,

or actions signed? You may wish to set a goal before you start and see if you

can reach it!

Tabling works best if you:

29

Where to Set Up a Table:

In a centrally located area on your campus or in your school, such as the main hallway, a common study area, a school cafeteria or library, faculty lunchrooms, parking lots/garages, etc.

In your local community, such as at local shopping malls, downtown areas, community fairs, and grocery stores.

At conferences and other events with large populations. Student activity nights, rallies or even school sporting events will provide you with a large audience.

Mix it up once in a while! Be sure to set up your table in different spots to catch different groups of people. Some students might never visit the library – so catch them in the cafeteria next time!

The Table/Tabling Area

Sounds obvious doesn’t it, but more than one group has arrived at the spot they

booked for a table only to realize that they never clarified who was supplying the

actual table! It’s also a good idea to know the size of the table and the basics of the

display area. For example, is there wall space behind the table to hang a banner?

Banners

Whether paper or cloth: make them big, make them bold and challenging, make them

colourful! Aim for simple clear messages that are positive and easily read from a

distance. Make sure you have a clear plan for how to hang up your banner – and a

plan B should you run into problems (tip: duct tape can be very useful in a crisis!).

Tabling Checklist

30

The National Amnesty office also has banners that you can borrow. For more

information email: [email protected].

General information/Campaign Information

Have a reasonable quantity of general information about Amnesty on hand such as

the Youth and Student Program pamphlets, current campaign material, letter-writing

actions, etc.

Make sure this basic material is clearly displayed on the table – not everyone

stopping by will feel comfortable asking questions, especially if there are already

several people at the table.

Information on Your Group

Create a handout on when and where your group meets, as well as who they can

contact for more information. If you have some upcoming events and/or are looking

for help with some tasks, be sure to include that information, too. If possible, display

this information on poster-size paper for passers-by to read.

Action Opportunities

Have a simple action that people can do right away, such as signing a petition or

postcard. Have quotes and success stories on hand for anyone asking about

Amnesty’s effectiveness. The “Amnesty Works” display and booklet are excellent

resources for this. You can order these from the on-line shop! (they’re free!)

Donation Jar

You’d be surprised how quickly spare change can add up! Have a note on or

near the jar explaining how donations will be used for your human rights

campaigning.

Conversation Space

Some people drop by a table for only a moment or two, while others like to stick

around for more information or to engage in a debate. Try to provide a space beside

your table for extended discussions.

31

Tabling Skills

It’s important that the people behind the table feel comfortable and have the basic

skills and knowledge to answer general questions about Amnesty and the work of your

group. People also need to be aware of things like body language, which can make

passers-by feel more or less welcome. Why not pair up newer members with people

who have staffed a table before and/or hold a special group meeting to go over the

basics of tabling?

When Things Go Wrong!

Occasionally, you may encounter difficult situations when tabling. It could be a person asking challenging questions about Amnesty and its work. Or, it could be someone with a challenging personality (angry, confused, sad, etc.) Don’t let the situation frighten you. What Should You Do? 1. First, judge whether the situation is serious enough to warrant action or response. The situation may quickly sort itself out. For example, the person may make a challenging remark but then quickly moves away from your table. Don’t go after the person and force a confrontation. Or, the person might make a minor complaint about something that you don’t have an answer for. (e.g. “ I think that Amnesty is a good organization, but I just wish that you did more work on country “x”.) In this case, acknowledge the complaint and tell them that you will let the Amnesty staff know about the person’s opinions or ideas. It is not possible or advisable that you try to engage with every person who approaches you. 2. Listen carefully to what the person is saying. Is s/he attacking Amnesty or is s/he genuinely seeking information? If the person is simply seeking information and is asking questions that are challenging to answer, then it is only the questions that are challenging, and not the person. (See the Q + A’s for Challenging Questions). 3. If the person is attacking Amnesty, deal with the person right away. Correct any misinformation so that others listening in at the table will not go away with the wrong impression of our work; but at the same time, don’t prolong your discussion.

32

4. Do NOT get into a moral debate with people. You can try to answer the questions as objectively as possible to let others know what Amnesty’s position is. If the behaviour persists, you can say things like:

*”There are lots of people who are waiting to talk to me, and I won’t have any more time to answer your questions. If you have any further questions, here’s the Amnesty number…..” *”If you would like to give me your contact information I would be happy to send you some information on Amnesty’s position on this matter…”

5. If the person is disruptive or belligerent, take the person aside (or get another Amnesty member to do this) to calm the person down and ask the person to leave. This will minimize the disruption to the other people visiting your table. Be polite but also be assertive in defusing the situation. Refuse to be baited into making angry or hasty responses.

Amazing Amnesty Presentations

One great way to get people involved in Amnesty is to give a class presentation on AI. Some of the things you should include in your speech are:

Human Rights

What are human rights? They are inalienable, indivisible, interdependent. (give examples)

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights – its history, meaning, what it contains.

Other examples of human rights documents (Convention Against Torture, Convention on the Rights of the Child, etc).

Commitment of governments to respect human rights.

Human Rights Abuses

How do governments violate human rights? How do non-state actors violate human rights?

Amnesty International

History

33

Mission How it functions Characteristics of Amnesty (effective, impartial, diverse, unrelenting,

independent, democratic, self-governing, accurate and reliable)

Personal Empowerment

Can one person make a difference? Does Amnesty work? How will joining Amnesty contribute to human rights work? Take action! Challenge (hand out action)

Top Five Things To Remember When Giving A Speech:

2. Know your audience: What you say and how you should say it depends a lot on who you're talking to. In

most cases this means not using acronyms or complicated jargon and making sure

that your vocabulary and method of presenting will be well-received by the

audience.

3. Have a point: Don't walk into a presentation without a plan on what you're going to say. If you're

going to speak "About Amnesty," will you be talking about our history, mission,

philosophy, structure or success stories? What are the key points that you're trying

to make?

34

4. Be clear and concise: Keep your speech short and to the point. Don't write a speech and read it word-

for-word. Write key points in point-form and elaborate on these as you speak.

Allow enough time for people to ask questions.

5. Practice: The more often you speak in public, the better you'll get at it. Also, be sure to

review your presentation at least once or twice to get all the bugs out.

6. Give them something to do: Be sure to include an action component to your presentation. Make it really easy

for your audience to take action, by providing a postcard action or petition they

can sign right away.

Great Tips from the Pros

Be positive! There are many success stories that show us that Amnesty works! Motivate your

listeners by showing them that activism can really have an impact! Check out our

website for some good news about recent Amnesty success stories.

Start And Finish with a Bang! Use a story, quote, tasteful joke or interesting anecdote to get your presentation

started. Often, successful public speakers will link the beginning and end of their

presentations (ie: refer back to the story) to ensure a sense of continuity.

35

Add A Human Dimension. Include human-interest stories and personal accounts, not just facts and figures,

to get your point across. Try to get your listener to understand that human rights

affect us all!

Bring Out the Facts and Figures. If you are trying to make a point, illustrate it with a figure. Instead of saying

"many refugees are women and children" tell your audience "80% of refugees are

women and children." This has a much bigger impact. Don't drown people in

numbers, but use facts to enhance your points.

Repeat, Re-introduce and Revisit. Go over key points throughout your presentation in fresh and different ways. This

will help people remember the basics of your presentation.

36

Success Stories and Quotes (for promotional materials)

“Amnesty International ... has blackmailed over 100 nations of the world...”

- President Idi Amin, Uganda, 1975

“I am very happy to be released. I am extremely grateful to Amnesty International, who

have campaigned since the beginning. In my opinion you saved me. Thank you to all

those who tweeted,”

- Eynulla Fatullayev, Azerbajani Prisoner of Conscience. Released two days

after a massive twitter campaign launched by AI UK.

I am free. I have just been freed this evening. I assure you that I owe my freedom to you.

I survived thanks to you. It is true that one must never despair in life. This victory is

completely yours, you who have been untiring workers. From this moment a new page in

my life has been turned.

- Released prisoner of conscience (Benin), in a letter to Amnesty International

When the first 200 letters came, the guards gave me back my clothes. Then the next

200 came, and the prison director came to see me. When the next pile of letters arrived,

the director got

in touch with his superior. The letters kept coming and coming: three thousand of them.

The president was informed. The letters still kept arriving, and the president called the

prison and told them to let me go. After I was released, the president called me to his

office. He said: 'How is it that a trade union leader like you has so many friends from all

over the world?' He showed me an enormous box full of letters he had received and,

when we parted, he gave them to me.

- Julio de Pena Valdez, released prisoner of conscience (Dominican Republic)

37

Ice-breakers

Icebreakers are the activities and games that are played at the

beginning of a meeting or event to get everyone to relax and get to

know each other a little better. We’ve all played them at one time or

another (“hi my name is Claire and I like Cake” “Hi my name is

George and I like gummi bears”). Here are some suggestions of

excellent icebreakersto help get your meeting off on the right foot!

Getting-To-Know-You Bingo

Use the attached Bingo card template included in this kit or make

your own and fill in each square with a personal characteristic. Hand

each member of your group a card at the beginning of the meeting.

Give participants five minutes to introduce themselves to other

members of the group, and ask other members to sign their name in

a square that corresponds to them. Only one name per person per

card! The first person to get a full line yells BINGO!

Finish the Sentence

The simplest way to start off a meeting with everyone feeling like they are involved is to

ask each person to finish a sentence. For example, start off with: “I came to this

meeting because……” or “A project/theme that I am most looking forward to tackling

is….” Try to find a statement that is both positive (I like/I am looking forward to/I am

good at) and interesting – the point of this exercise is to learn about one another!

Where Do you Stand?

Create four large signs that read: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree and Strongly Disagree.

Tape them up in different corners of the room. Read out statements to the group and ask

participants to stand under the sign that corresponds to their response. For example

“Our group can change the world” or “Creativity is the most important quality a group

can have.”

Tips for running

good ice-breakers

Icebreakers should be

fast and high-energy.

Any ice-breaker that

goes on for too long will

become a drag.

Avoid ice breakers that

put people on the spot

or single them out –

remember the point is

for people to feel more

comfortable in the

meeting space.

38

Has ever written

for a school

newspaper

Has not

checked

their

e-mail today

Has a birthday

on a holiday

Has been in a

country south

of the equator

Is afraid of

heights

Has experience

tabling

Is vegetarian

or vegan

Has ever been to

a demonstration

Does not like

the taste of

coffee

Plays a musical

instrument

Will tell you their

most

embarrassing

moment

Used public

transit today

FREE

SPACE

Enjoys public

speaking

Speaks a

language other

than English or

French

Was born in or

has lived in

another country

Regularly

plays a team

sport

Has never dyed

their hair

Has a pet

other than a

cat or dog

Has a tattoo or

body piercing

Is wearing nail

Has green

Owns a

Has their own

Is wearing an

article of clothing

39

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

(Summary)

Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms in the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights, regardless of race, colour, sex, language,

religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or

other status.

Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4. Slavery and the slave trade are prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5. No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading

treatment or punishment.

Article 6. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to

equal protection of the law.

Article 8. Everyone has the right to an effective remedy for acts violating the

fundamental rights granted by the declaration.

Article 9. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10. Everyone is entitled to a fair and public hearing by an independent and

impartial tribunal.

Article 11. Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed

innocent until proven guilty.

polish on their

fingers or toes

eyes skateboard website that was made in

China

40

Article 12. Everyone has the right to protection of the law against arbitrary interference

into privacy, family, home or correspondence.

Article 13. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the

borders of each state, and the right to leave any country and return to their

country of origin.

Article 14. Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from

persecution.

Article 15. Everyone has the right to a nationality.

Article 16. Everyone of full age has the right to marry and to have a family. Everyone is

entitled to equal rights in marriage and at its dissolution. Marriage shall be

entered into only with free and full consent.

Article 17. Everyone has the right to own property and not to be arbitrarily deprived of

that property.

Article 18. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

Article 19. Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

Article 20. Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

Article 21. Everyone has the right to take part in the government of their country, with

equal access to public services.

Article 22. Everyone has the right to social security and is entitled to the realization of

economic, social and cultural rights.

Article 23. Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and

favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

Everyone has the right to equal pay for equal work, and to form or join trade

unions.

Article 24. Everyone has the right to rest and leisure.

Article 25. Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for their health and

well-being and that of their families, including food, clothing, housing and

medical care. Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and

assistance.

Article 26. Everyone has the right to education.

41

Article 27. Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the

community.

Article 28. Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights

and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can by fully realized.

Article 29. Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full

development of their personality is possible. Everyone shall be subject only

to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of

securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others.

Article 30. Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State,

group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act

aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms included within.

What’s next?

You’ve made it through this guide, so we hope you are excited and confident about

getting your Amnesty group up and running.

Here are a few final reminders:

www.amnesty.ca— it’s a great resource. It has updated actions and news stories. You

can order resources (books, videos, reports, posters, actions, etc), and you can find

in-depth information on various issues and much, much more.

When you’re on the site, don’t forget to drop by the youth page

(www.amnesty.ca/youth). We have tons of helpful information in our Youth Action

Toolkit.

We’ve included with this guide a few other resources to help you get your group up

and running!

And remember: We love to hear from you!

42

If you have any questions, want some advice or just want to share what your group

has been up to, please contact us. Send us information about your events, and

pictures that we can use in our monthly newsletter In the Mix.

You can email: [email protected]

You can call: 1-800-amnesty

Or you can write to our National Office:

Amnesty International

312 Laurier Avenue East

Ottawa, Ontario

K1N 1H9