In April 2017, social workers walked 100 miles, from Birmingham to Liverpool to demonstrate their opposition to austerity.
Stopping in towns along the way to gather support, people told their stories through songs, music, poetry and impassioned speeches. The march was supported by politicians and celebrities and covered by local and national journalists. This was the start of a movement.
The Austerity Action Group set up by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) approached Campaign Collective to develop a campaign pack that could be used to encourage other social workers to get active. They wanted step-by-step guides for social workers who were coming to campaigning for the first time and they wanted to create a historical record of their march.
Campaign Collective created a comprehensive campaign pack that takes the reader from the inspiration of the march through to being able to organise everything from an online petition to a march and rally and from a fundraising film night to a mass public meeting.
The pack opens with an endorsement from film maker Ken Loach and then showcases the stories, news articles, music, songs and poetry gathered from the march to inspire the reader to take action.
Then follows a series of step-by-step guides to organising events, getting into the media and how to use real-life stories to illustrate a campaign. The pack outlines how to map out stakeholders, build alliances and use celebrity support to raise profile. There’s an all-essential, ‘staying legal’ section to keep campaigners on the right side of the law too. The pack is completed by tools and templates including handy checklists and model materials.
The pack was supplied in PDF format and added to BASW’s website following a launch in Salford by local Rebecca Long-Bailey MP that included films, music and songs from the march. Campaign Collective assisted with the launch that received media coverage in Community Care and Salford Now.
The pack was developed by a member of Campaign Collective who has significant experience of organising campaigns from grassroots to a national level and inspiring others to get involved.