Involve More People

Now that September 27th 2008 is over, we are no longer actively updating the Resources section.   If you are looking for get engaged in the movement for green jobs and an inclusive green economy, visit Next Steps.

The content below is dated to before the day of action.

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The more people we involve on September 27th, the stronger our message will be. Here are some suggestions to recruit more people to your event.

Hosting an Inclusive Event

An important goal of Green Jobs Now is to elevate the voices of low-income people, people of color, indigenous peoples, and other vulnerable constituencies in this growing movement for an inclusive green economy. The broader and more diverse the participants in our events are, the more powerful our movement will be.  Engage a broad range of people and organizations, especially those that don't specifically focus on environmental issues. 

Seek out organizations in your area who you want to build partnerships with, and invite them to plan your event with you. Start with your common goals and explore whether a partnership will strengthen your event. Consider these questions a potential partner might ask themselves:
1.How would partnering on a Green Jobs Now event benefit  the issues we care about?
2.How much time and resources will we be asked to put in?
3.How is the organization reaching out to us going to support what we're already trying to do?
Come to a meeting with them ready to listen, learn, and adapt your plans as needed.

Click here to download some tips on inclusive organizing.

Who to Ask

First, invite all of your friends — even the ones you don't think will be interested at first.  Friends provide the best kind of publicity for your event: word-of-mouth.

Next, reach out to people you don't know. Everyone can get excited about Green Jobs Now; we just need to find a way to reach them.  You might try contacting:

• Organizations that work on social or economic justice
• Youth organizations or students
• Groups that focus on homelessness, hunger, or poverty
• School teachers
  
• Labor unions
• African American, Hispanic, Native American, and other ethnic or culturally-focused groups
• Faith groups who've expressed an interest in working on community projects
• Local farmers or food producers
• Communities who live close to dirty energy sources, who are dealing with pollution in their daily lives
• Local environmental organizations
• Businesses (potential employers for green-collar jobs)
• Community Colleges (potential trainers for green-collar jobs)

How to Get the Word Out

Letters to the Editor

If your local paper features a story about global warming, energy independence, or economic struggles, try writing a letter to the editor inviting people to participate in Green Jobs Now.

Posters

A well-placed poster can get the word out to thousands of people you'll never get a chance to meet or talk to.  Click here for some posters you can print out.  Place them in local hangouts and be sure to include your contact information!

Fliers

Handing out fliers is a great way to make face-to-face contact with people.  Closer to the event, find some committed friends to hand out fliers with you at local events and hotspots.

E-mails

E-mail everyone you know, and everyone you want to come, and encourage them to forward the message to their contacts. Send an announcement to any email lists you are on. Add a line to the bottom of your e-mail signature with a link to your event on www.greenjobsnow.com.

Telephone

Identify local groups you want to make sure know about your event.  Call their offices to tell them all about it and ask them to partner with you.  

Word of Mouth

There is no substitute for the one-on-one invitation. If you are excited about your event, talk it up!

Guiding Principles

Here are some more general principles about how to invite people and keep working with them after Green Jobs Now:

Learn

You must find out what matters to the person. Why do they care? Why do they act? What do they think about this issue specifically?

Inform

You must show the person how your issue or your event relates to their thoughts, values, and interests.

Involve

You must find a way to involve the person in your issue or project. They should leave with something to do that matches their interests, and respects their schedule.

Thank

This is a fellow volunteer you are dealing with. Showing them genuine appreciation is essential. You do this by simply thanking them when they agree to get involved.

Then: REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT!

Involve folks once, then involve them further in the planning process. Ultimately you should have a core group of folks who will be competent and confident enough to step up and make your event a huge success.