ACTionism in ACTion newsletter
The best bits of the #CitizenFuture we've spotted this week. including our spotlight, A brand new podcast. How ‘angry women’ are bringing people together on the streets of Devon. An invite to host an ACTionism screening in your community
Something to join: ACTionism Spotlight: Parisa Wright - Greener & Cleaner Jan 30th - 1pm*
From that first meetup above a pub to influencing government policy - Parisa Wright's journey with Greener & Cleaner shows what's possible when community action meets strategic thinking. Everything starts with a single action - yours could be as easy as joining this Zoom call on Friday. *Please come at 12.55 if you can, as we will start at 1 pm on the dot, as there is so much to fit in!
Cleaner & Greener is so much more than a sustainability hub in Bromley. Our Spotlight session THIS FRIDAY, 1-2 pm GMT, will challenge you to consider what's possible when you put people's day-to-day reality at the centre of your work.
Whether you're working in community development, wrestling with how to make community action genuinely inclusive, or curious about what systemic change looks like from the ground up, this session is going to be fun, interactive and inspiring - PLUS Parisa is looking for volunteers in England to test out her Community Hub Model, so this could be your chance to hear more about how you can sign up.
Something to Listen to: New podcast “Screw This, Let’s Try Something Else”.
Ever wondered, "Does the world need to be this broken?" Then you're going to love Antidote Studio's new podcast “Screw This, Let’s Try Something Else”.
Brian Eno has called it “A podcast of hope-filled stories that could genuinely change the world”
Hosts Matt Golding, Maryam Pasha, Jess Lyne de Ver visited six communities to hear how ordinary people are ALREADY demonstrating that the world we’re living in isn’t the only one possible - by showing us mind-blowing community action that shows us better ways to get things we all need: food, energy, housing, decision making and more.
Something to read: A group of 'angry women of a certain age' set up 'Common Ground' to highlight that we have more in common than divides us.
Tired of the usual divide-and-conquer strategy of the media and the Right (where they isolate single issues and exploit them for political gain), the Grassroots community group Common Ground has found its own way to make change happen - by starting conversations on the streets in Devon.
Self-described as "angry women of a certain age," they've set up Common Ground. Their approach is simple: set up a board of questions in a busy area, stop passersby, and invite them into real conversations about what matters. Using flip charts and stickers, they capture these discussions, showing people that "we have more in common than we are told." Find out more about what they are doing and their tips for trying the same approach where you live.
Want to take an ACTion today: Host an ACTionism film screening
ACTionism, the documentary film that encouraged us to start this project, is a film about the art of finding your people to take collective action. About collectively moving from passive consumers to active citizens. A story centred around doing things with others, not to others. And we want more people to see it!
We love people to watch ACTionism through community or workplace screenings so that it can inspire and connect people through shared experiences and conversations. So we're setting a goal for the first half of 2026: another 100 community screenings. Interested?
Take a look at what @jatinkalikasarmour and @DragonCoworking thought about their recent screening, and if you'd like to host your own, get in touch here
