California Common Cause has been training students to be organizers and activists for over a decade. We invite you to sign up for our Winter S.O.S. series, which includes seven 50-minute webinar modules. Participants will be trained on organizing and activism as well as democracy reform issues.
The series starts mid March. You can sign up for either the Tuesday or Thursday webinar for each module. We offer a certificate for students who complete all 7 modules and graduate from our S.O.S. webinars!
Module 1 | Find Your Power: Telling Your Story, Gerrymandering & Representation
Our life experiences impact our political views. Activists and organizers motivate others by sharing their story. This module teaches you how to tell your story effectively. California Common Cause is a national leader in ending gerrymandering. Learn how gerrymandering impacts your life and what you can do about it.
Module 2 | Plan Your Campaign: Steps, Resources, Money in Politics
Running an issue campaign effectively includes having a vision, goal, strategy and power map. Learn how to create a successful issue campaign. Common Cause was founded on the vision to address the influence that money has on our democracy. Learn how to find out who is funding the opposition to the issues you care about and what you can do about it.
Module 3 | Plan Your Actions: Steps, Resources, Voting & Elections
Learn how to plan successful strategy and tactics to support your issue including rallies, petition drives, teach-in, social media actions, and more. California Common Cause worked in coalition with our allies to establish online and same day voter registration and other voting and election reforms. Learn about the challenges in our voting and election systems and how you can respond.
Module 4 | Build Your Grassroots & Grasstops: Steps, Resources, Legislation & Policy
Learn the best practices to recruit volunteers, train leaders and build successful coalitions. Practice one-on-one conversations to engage people to join your campaign and build your grassroots. California Common Cause is dedicated to democracy reform. We not only create policy and support legislation to achieve our goals, but we also help students establish democracy reform groups on their campus.
Module 5 | Get Your Message Out: Communications Tips & Skills, Media Reform
Creating effective, informative communications to educate people about your issue is critical to your success. We share tips on working with the press, media and social media campaigns, letters to the editor, and public speaking. We are dedicated to ensuring that “we the people” have access to information. We fight for net neutrality, local media and more.
Module 6 | Lobbying: Advocacy Tips & Skills, Ethics & Accountability
Activists are advocates for the issues they care about. We share tips on the best resources, research and records to support your campaign. We teach effective lobbying skills with your elected officials in person, in a letter, an email, a phone call and, or in public testimony. We will share the struggles and successes of our fight for ethics and accountability in government.
Module 7 | A Movement Won’t Move Without Money: Fundraising & Follow the Money
Successful organizers and activists know that they have to raise money to fund their campaign. We teach the fundamentals of fundraising and share resources on how to follow the money to find out who is funding the opposition to your issue. Finally, we offer students the opportunity to ask additional questions.