Are You Ready

Forewarned is forearmed, a wise man once said, and we're still saying it now so he must have been onto something. Before you get stuck into campaigning, make sure you know what you're letting yourself in for - it's a bumpy road, my friends.

  • Eat a banana - bananas contain just the right levels of potassium to boost your serotonin levels (a feel-good brain chemical) and make you feel all jolly.
  • Get organised and write lists: ticking things off will help you make sure you don't miss anything out as well as showing you that you're making progress.
  • Give someone a compliment. Making them feel good will make you feel good.
  • Go for a walk – fresh air and a little bit of exercise will clear your head and make you feel better if you’re stressed out.
  • Write down 5 things that you think you’re good at: sometimes it's hard to do this but it's important to make yourself aware of your strengths. If you get stuck you could try this with a group of your friends each writing one another's strengths.

Jane from CALM

If campaigning does get you a bit stressed out. Jane from the Campaign Against Living Miserably suggests you visit thecalmzone.net which will have you as right as rain in no time. She also recommends you watch these films:

Forget-me-nots

Just as aeroplanes can't take off without wings, your campaign won't get off the ground without these essentials; tick them off as you go through the handbook:

  • Yourself – make the most of your greatest resource with our questionnaire
  • Campaign strategy
  • Getting noticed
  • Spreading the word
  • Spare socks (preferably Argyle)
  • Supporters
  • A goal
  • A slogan
  • A brand
  • Some money
  • Legal know-how

For a handy guide to the whole process have a squiz at Michael Norton's pdf How to be a community champion(PDF is 20MB to download)