Engage your Community
How to Involve Your Communities in STANDFast
WHY should I involve my community?
In extending our efforts to communities, we can strengthen our capacity to end the genocide and mass atrocity. Community groups can support your efforts by providing resources to make your event as successful as possible by drawing participants and press.
WHO can I involve in my community?
Any group or individual who may want to join the fight against genocide and mass atrocity: already-existing anti-genocide groups, human rights advocacy groups, your community of faith, your community leaders, local business owners, other activist groups, community service organizations, youth groups, your family, your friends, your teachers, your local politicians. Remember, everyone can play a part in ending genocide and mass atrocity.
HOW can I involve them?
You can involve community members on a number of levels:
- Ask them to fast with you: whether it be your family members, your best friend, or your entire congregation, let your community know that by giving up even just one small luxury and donating that amount to GI-NET’s Civilian Protection Program, they can protect fellow human beings in Darfur and Burma.
- Come together as a community: $3 allows a woman in Darfur to safely collect firewood for a week; $5 enables urgent warnings of an attack to reach villages in Eastern Burma– set a goal to raise what it might cost to protect your community (or all the students in your community) if your community were in Darfur or Burma now. It’s ok if it’s a big goal – set your sights high and you’ll be surprised at how far you can reach!
- Make the personal political, make the political personal: while you assemble your community to protect civilians in Darfur and Burma, bring that message to your politicians: “we are doing something to protect innocent lives in Darfur and Burma, what are you doing?” or “We are raising money to protect communities in Darfur and Burma, communities in many ways like ours. What if it were our community who was attacked – what would you do if it were us?” Convey this message in creative ways: with a lobbying visit, with a series of op-eds in your local paper, a photo petition with the pictures of the participants of STANDFast, a tally of how many civilians you’ve protected…
WHAT steps should I take to get them on board?
- Explain what is happening in Darfur and Burma: not everyone knows what’s happening in Darfur and Burma – taking the time to give a brief overview of the crises or even to share a personal story may give community members the information and motivation they need to get mobilized.
- Explain GI-NET’s Civilian Protection Program: let them know where their money is going by referring to the one-pagers on the program, available on our website.
- Ask them to participate: sounds simple enough – but it’s all in how you present it. Be engaging and encouraging, bring the message home and make it personal, and, if possible, follow up!
- Point them to STAND resources: Share all the educational, fundraising, and event-planning tools and resources that STAND has provided online for STANDFast participants.
- Keep them in the loop: let your community members know about your progress and ultimate success raising funds and awareness, locally and nationally! When people know they are part of something big that made a big difference, they will be more inclined to help next time they are called upon.
WHEN should I approach them?
Start as soon as you can! However, don’t worry if you can’t get everyone in your extended family and community involved by STANDFast. Student-community partnerships will always be important, and you can always invite a group to become a partner in the fight against genocide and mass atrocity.
Click here to download a STANDFast Community Partner Invitation
Click here to download a STANDFast one-pager for Community Partners
