Your XR Local Group

Local Groups are the heart of Extinction Rebellion. These are starting up everywhere that people are finding it hard to get to existing meetings or events, from Derby in the north to Denmark in the south. With over 80% of all Australians concerned about Climate Emergency – you can bet that people in your street and neighbourhood are thinking and feeling the same as you.

A Local Group can be 3 people, or it can be 300. Any group of folks who meet up to share their stories, thoughts, feelings and desire for impactful action can become a Local Group.

Local Groups meet to plan local actions, build local numbers, and build capacity and ideas to join XRWA mass actions (‘Rebellions’). They are also terrific social support networks – if you are getting frustrated that no one around you is talking about this crisis, or doing anything about it, you’ll find those people in your Local Group!

Action is the best antidote to anxiety!

If there is not a Local Group in your area, we can help you begin one. Email xrwa@protonmail.com to arrange a chat on the phone!

Try the steps below:

FIRST MEETING

Start with a small group of people you know. Invite them around for a cup of tea, a meal, a beverage, a picnic. You could keep it small and in your house, or use social media like Facebook to make an event and invite a broader network. Have food available – it helps us connect and think! Take turns talking about how you are feeling. But don’t dwell on the problems, move on to the solutions!

Talk about Extinction Rebellion, have a look at the variety of resources online – the Global website has a lot of great info. We have this longer video (1.5hrs) of one of our first talks, in Hamilton Hill, WA.

The outcome of this meeting should be a group of people who are keen to meet again, to bring more people and to establish the Local Group! Write down their names, contact numbers/email addresses and nominate someone to pull together the next meeting – you might divide up the jobs into:

• Venue Booker
• Facebook Event Creator + Instagram + Twitter promoter or any other methods that work for you and your community
• Poster Creator/Designer + Printer
• Poster sticker-upper/s

You could use this template to write names against roles!

We recommend a secure group messaging app called Telegram Messenger to keep everyone together, to keep chatting, sharing info and organising things. You can download it to your phone or computer – it is like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, but has more functions: https://telegram.org/

SECOND MEETING

This is a good time to work through a Rebel Welcome session to establish some group culture and common understanding of XR. Have a look at this template – it steps you through the Rebel Welcome process. Got any questions? Get in touch! xrwa@protonmail.com

THIRD MEETING

Start brainstorming some Action and Outreach ideas! What will make your presence known in your community, and will highlight our 3 Demands? How will you bring them into the movement? You will want some training in Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA) – contact xrwa.training@protonmail.com to organise. You might like to organise a Public Meeting / Town Hall talk to bring people into your group and show them the science of the emergency, and the science of the movement – contact xrwa.outreach@protonmail.com to discuss how to get a Town Hall up and running.