Engaging elected representatives
Engaging with our elected representatives can be complicated. These guides offer clear and practical information to make this process easier.
Contacting your MP
This is a resource for Quakers and other people campaigning for positive change. It will help you to decide on an approach, contact your MP if appropriate, and engage with them further when they respond. Your MP could help you to raise awareness of a political issue or to change a policy or legislation. This booklet covers tips on writing an effective email to your MP and the areas that your MP may be able to help with.
Download Contacting your MP (PDF)
Elections and hustings: a guide for meetings and individuals
Hustings are a way to raise awareness of an election. It is a chance for voters to hear directly from the candidates and to make up their minds about who to vote for. This briefing is to help area and local meetings decide whether to hold hustings during elections, and to provide information for those who do. It provides advice on who to invite and how to plan a hustings.
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Elections and hustings: a guide for meetings and individuals (PDF)
Local government: a guide for Quakers
Many of the issues that Quakers choose to campaign on have far-reaching global implications. But while policy direction can be determined within central government or at international conferences, policies are frequently implemented at local level, with local councillors and officers often doing more than parliamentarians to put policy into action. This guide is for individuals and groups who want to know more about how to engage with local government. It provides an overview of the structures of local government in Scotland, England and Wales, the Quaker concerns it works on, and ways of engaging with it.
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Local government: a guide for Quakers (PDF)
Media and social media
Once you've planned a campaign, project or action, you'll probably want to publicise it to gather support, raise awareness of the issue and to reach, or build pressure upon, any decision makers you've identified. These guides offer some ideas about how you can do this.
Reaching the media
The media is one of the best tools we can use to publicise our messages as widely as possible – to demonstrate what we're doing and why we as Quakers are motivated to do it. This guide covers some tips on getting your project or campaign covered in your local media, to help you to gather support and build enthusiasm, raise awareness of an issue, and reach – or build pressure on – decision-makers.
Download Reaching the media (PDF)
Using social media
From a campaigning point of view, although there are risks that come with using social media, it is counterproductive not to use these tools. This is especially true if media outlets are not yet covering the issue you hope to highlight. This guide gives you a grounding in how to use freely available online communication networks. This should make it easier to spread your messages beyond your own immediate social circles.
Download Using social media (PDF)
Speaking out
Speaking out as Quakers
Communicating publicly about our faith and the testimonies is an essential part of our lives and something all Quakers are encouraged to do. This briefing aims to help local and area meetings speak out confidently.
Download Speaking out as Quakers (PDF)