For Existing Leaders
Find New Group Leaders
- If you are starting your second year of group leadership, it is important to the sustainability of your group that you start to identify and develop a new leader who can take your place. Changing leaders doesn’t mean that you have to leave the group, but stepping back can be healthy for your group in the long run. It can prevent you from burning out, and it can also expand the group’s abilities by allowing you to take on other group leadership roles, which helps support the leader by lessening their work load.
Evaluation: Take Stock Annually
- There is no set time of the year that every group must to do an annual evaluation. Many groups, particularly student groups, hold an evaluation meeting in the spring as they slow down or wrap up for the summer. This allows a group to have plans and new leaders in place for the fall. Starting the fall with a September evaluation meeting can help jump start your planning and recruitment process, particularly if you are leading a local group. Either way, make sure you take stock of your group annually – look at your past year’s accomplishments and challenges, and think about what you want or need to do differently during the next year. Use the Planning and Goal Setting guide in this Activist Toolkit to help you out.
Group Structure and Leadership Development
- Doing an evaluation provides a key opportunity to consider the leadership roles within the group. All the core group leaders should check in together. Identify other potential leaders in the group and discuss ways they are being developed through delegation of tasks and increased involvement in activities. If you don’t have one already, make a plan to recruit, identify and develop new leaders.
- If you’re working to find a new leader to take your place, make sure you keep records and develop systems for running the group that you can pass on to the next leader.
- If you and your group are experienced, delve deeper into other leadership resources in the Activist Toolkit and in your community/at your school to help grow, strengthen and develop your group.
Create a Plan
- The fall is generally the start of Amnesty’s “activist year” –when new campaigns begin and regional conferences are held-and is also a good time of the year to become re-acquainted with Amnesty’s campaigns, upcoming actions and resources. Enlist other chapter leaders to attend the regional conference and to find out what is going on within AI. Use this information to create your plans for he coming six months or year. Also use the information on goal setting in the “Run Your Group” section.
Recruitment, New Member Orientation and Group Meetings
- As your group comes together it should work to recruit new members, orient them to Amnesty and your activities, carry out actions, and run meetings on a regular basis. Use the resources in the Activist Toolkit to help you with each of these things. If members of you community group are just getting back together after a summer off, or if school is just starting in the fall or after winter break, consider planning some events which you can recruit members to. As you attract a new group of recruits, make sure they participate in a new member orientation and are encouraged to join in with the ongoing group activities and actions. Be sure to check out the information on recruitment and retention and holding effective meetings, also in the “Run Your Group” section.
Upcoming Events
- Check out Amnesty’s online events calendar to find out what events are happening soon in your region or area. For example, in the fall each region hosts a regional conference that provides Amnesty leaders and members with valuable information, training, and resources.
Student Groups: Is Your Group Registered?
- Student groups have to officially re-register each school year. Officially registered groups receive critical resources, Urgent Actions, Regional Office support and more. Not sure if your group is registered? Contact your Regional Office at 1-866-A-REGION.
Has your group paid its Annual Assessment Fee?
- Starting in October 2006, all Amnesty groups are asked to make a minimum annual contribution of $50 to AIUSA to help cover the cost of training, resource materials and other support you receive throughout the year. (See the section on the Group Assessment Fee for more information, FAQ’s and a submission form).
