2011 at Albury SoS

Two main areas of concern for ASEN at the moment are Finances and Relevance:

Finance
•  We need to create accessible ways for friends of ASEN to donate cash, e.g. websites, letter templates, (friends of ASEN pack)
• Get ASEN members to put energy into asking networks for money
• Establish 3 aims from this meeting
• Mim is going to get onto letter template
• Face to face meetings are most effective but not lots of capacity currently
     ∘ Hopeful - Would like to be able to pay positions for focusing on income for ASEN
• 'Income Office" name issue - maybe change name, community relations, etc.
• Because we only accept money from ethical sources, our internal income sourcing needs to be developed.
     ∘ Develop financially sustainable income.
• Instead of membership cost outright, maybe introduce a % of campus collectives budget. Then grow it!
• Could introduce an automatic deduction scheme like unions, e.g. Deduct $10 p/year from members until they say not to.
• Capitalise on NUS's decision not to fund Enviro Office because ASEN exists. Stronger case for funding.
• Encourage members to join an ethical bank (MECU) and strike a deal with the bank for support.
     ∘ External funding not very sustainable - focus on internal.
     ∘ Relying on bank for funding is problematic and non-sustainable.
• External funding can be useful in incorporating the interests of the outer community rather than using internal funding for the interests of the internal members.
• Develop an efficient fundraising system.
• Tap into community for financial support sponsorship?
• Aim - for ASEN to be financially stable and independent with diverse income streams. 3-5 years goal.
• Immediate aim, better membership system.
     ∘ AP - Membership platform (management and organising tool) VAN?
• Membership organisation through google apps - mostly free
• Use every opportunity to fundraise. Bucket donations incorporated into all activities.
     ∘ AP - Has some templates on why to be an ASEN member
• Update letters for sponsorship and include space for personal message.
     ∘ AP - Look into the history of ASEN to use in letters
     ∘ AP - Work on drafting a FoA letter
• Once new Friends of ASEN letter is established, email to all SoS participants - SoS collective to give consensus.
• Use stickers/magnets/tshirts in mail out. - bumper stickers create discussion points.
     ∘ AP - Research costs for stickers for ASEN members and FoA
• Raff is excited about propaganda!
• ASEN music CD for fundraising.
• Ownership of ASEN membership encourages and builds the movement.

Relevance
• Ideas of what we stand for - Broad Values
     ∘ Climate Justice
     ∘ Indigenous Sovereignty
     ∘ Against nuclear fuel cycle
• Could have every 2nd Nat Con as policy debate.
• 2 people to suggest process for deciding core values and beliefs - collective consulting
     ∘ AP - Work on process for core values and beliefs
• Is there info/template around, 'why is ASEN relevant to me?' Could create this to help market ASEN.
• Other organisations like GetUp use tactics like tracing emails and calling members.
• Maybe we could use 'pre-cursor' tactics to the above. Start with talking to members about why ASEN is relevant.
• Create/update an interesting spiel for us to use to talk about ASEN to people.
• Can we cut out some of the bureaucracy within the decision making process.
• Use PLU's for decision making instead of just because.
• Have a social event for PLU's to encourage people to come, e.g. a dinner.
• Create some drama around decision making to make it interesting.
• ACTUALLY nominate delegates.
• Use campaign timelines to PLU's to provide organising support and resources
• Define ASEN's aims/objectives/campaigns/collaborations.
     ∘ Clear statements on what ASEN does and who/what we support.
• Have motions passed at SoS/AGM
• Statement of values or ethics exist.
• Create some definite borders or edges around ASEN's values

 

2010 at Adelaide SoS

ASEN Directions

 - we brainstormed general themes of what we'd like ASEN to be then had a roving process where people wrote on the posters/themes that interested them in relation to three questions

 1. What needs to change about this theme, 2. What takes us closer to achieving this theme?, and

3. How do we measure the changes so we can tell if we're getting there?

 

Please add, comment, write to the asen_orgs e-list about it.

 

PARTICIPATORY + ANTI-HIERARCHICAL  - 6*

What needs to change?

–      Newer folk in the dark for less long (re: structure, history, process, roles, people, campaign focus, allies, political 'leanings'

how we share what we are up to

What takes us closer?

–      ? More visibility (via collective presence or wiki..) of organising & decision-making, handover and history

better use of technolgy

making the time to explain and make accessible the organising that has been taking place. If people can see the mechanics of convening and organising then responsibilty can be democratised more = less scary, undermines knowledge hierarchies.

 

How do we measure this?

–      How many people put their hand up to take on roles

through AGM attendance, numbers active through key decision/discussion channels (eg e-list), how many newer folk take on co-ordinating roles (working groups, state..)

accountability & accessibility

ppl wanting to be part of convening because it ISN'T a scary thing (they feel included, they understan structures etc, not scared of knowledge hierarchies!)

 

GRASSROOTS

What needs to change?

–      More formal relationship between collectives, states, ASEN. Major decisions could be put to states with input from collectives. Not all ASENers participate 'in' ASEN they are in states and collectives. Is ASEN truly grassroots?

I think that ASEN is a very grassroots organisation so we should maintain this! Anyone can get involved and that's pretty cool!

Make membership in ASEN clear in all collectives from the start rather than just to people who take on convening roles or more work

What takes us closer?

–      Define membership officer role more and work on membership pack.

How do we measure this?

–      The membership of ASEN would reflect the number of people involved across the country, greater attendance at National Council

 

FISCALLY VIABLE/SUSTAINABLE 5*

What needs to change?

–      Focus on really good finance handover, esp Friends of ASEN details

get a network made of a lot of anti-capitalists to care about money – uh-oh

not having to scrouge around for dosh

What takes us closer?

–      Have more reliable and consistent income sources

Friends of ASEN – more ppl doing it!

The grant proposal

work more on membership affiliation 10 collectives @$50 each = $500 easy

 

How do we measure this?

–      How much time new conveners spend on finding dosh

increase in the % of income from reliable sources; not relying on grants to stay afloat

how much $ we get through FoA/our community

 

POWERFUL 5*

What needs to change?

• Need to organise + grow power, need better understanding of exisitng power structures

more people + orgs knowing we exist and do lots of things

ASEN starting work on so many campaigns & working groups then they fizzle out within 6 months → need to work on stuff that maintains momentum over a longer period of time

What takes us closer?

• Better/more retention of ASEN olds as mentors, allies etc.

Building + better supporting campaign working groups in strategising, organising & winning... tools such as SMART goals, material development etc.

Create environments in which we can see how powerful we are the obstacles on our way etc. (like SWOT analysis)

Having a “media officer” who does media releases and skills up peeps in media stuff

How do we measure this?

• Existence of media officer, seeing ASEN in media

Our ability to set a goal and achieve it. Success rate.

 

FUN

What needs to change?

• Often new people in 'danger zone' at SoS, training camp with ASEN cultures & no good sense to debrief & critically deconstruct... How do we create these spaces

What takes us closer?

• Welcome spaces & processes @ SoS & training camp for new people to be introduced to ASEN & peeps in less confronting way, especially between diverse groups that attend.

Also an info pack which can actually explain ASEN in terms of national, state and collective and certain roles + involvement in that which always difficult to explain to new people

How do we measure this?

• Having everyone looking happy/enjoyment and being involved in the network or talking about the network in some way

Less burnt out activists who've been working heaps & not having fun.

 

NETWORK 3*

What needs to change?

• Centralised organising, urban focus, cliquely culture (comment – yes I have sometimes felt that I don't fit the clique and it can be an isolating & depressing experience – definitely needs to change!)

collectives affiliate to ASEN once then membership is automatically renewed yearly (ie opt-out not opt-in), separating 'being an ASEN afiliate' and 'giving ASEN $$'

• reliance on friendship to empower individuals

What takes us closer?

• Perhaps more affiliation with local action groups etc – maybe there are avenues for this through Friends of ASEN?

Membership processes more clear – people need to feel like they're part of a network & have

How do we measure this?

• Amount of members & affiliated collectives – also involvement of those members and collectives

 

 

POLITICAL 3*

What needs to change?

• Public support or opposition to political party's policy

What takes us closer?

• Constantly working on radical organising structures → our structure is as political as the things we campaign on

How do we measure this?

• Seen as a strong, respectable voice on enviro issues in Australia – approached media doco makers etc.

 

HIGHLY RELEVANT

What needs to change?

• Induction to ASEN process

What takes us closer?

• Website that has ASEN documents

National Council talking about actual campaigns

Member collectives required at National Council – word!

Better resources for working groups to support new/exisitng projects and campaigns

How to's accessible archives of past stuff

Communication tools, ally contacts. $

Lotsa local skillshares, films, social events

workshopping ideas and wants and needs with state collectives

 

How do we measure this?

•  Surveys? anecdotally? Increased engagement

 

TIGHT AS A NETWORK

What needs to change?

• More regular/semi-regular communication between all ASENers at state and collectives levels too → eg cross state network stuff, campaign specific stuff.

City centric organisng hubs & disconnected regional collectives

ASEN not seen as providing opportunities for local collectives to take on national campaign or run really visible events – the allure of more centralised groups grows...

Being more understanding of the different make up of state networks, we all work differently, which is not always seens as a positive.

What takes us closer?

• Making extra effort to understand the different needs of regional collectives to connect with & support them

keeping contact lists up-to-date

Video skype

Formal processes for adding people to e-lists

Strong state networks – conveners supporting state conveners, checking in re how campaigns going & passing on details & info re other collectives around country

How do we measure this?

• People wanting to become members + taking on responsibility for national level roles

ask people in a survey to name other ASEN crew off the top of their head, then drew up the connection web and try to build links where there are gaps.

 

RURAL 3*

What needs to change?

• Personally I'd really like to establish a cross-campus network in northern NSW, because there's a ton of fantastic activism – It's the 'Rainbow Region' and birthplace of forest activism and yet there is no real student involvement, SCU in lismore was once strong, they hosted an SoS, I think we need to rebuild this strength because there's a wealth of knowledge + wisdom in the old 'hippie' vanguard. How – I'd like to at least establish links between UNE + SCU and build from there.

Very little support for rural crew. City kids need to visit rural areas.

 

What takes us closer?

•  rural events & better communication tools for remote collaboration.

Travel budget and an expectation that conveners will visit all affiliated campuses

support in setting up collectives – flyers, posters, meeting agendas, mintue templates etc. Over the phone support, in person visits.

Trip to south coast forests blockade? Engage with highschools in areas where there is logging or mining etc.

Events, ie skill share not being city centric

How do we measure this?

•  How many rural members? How many events held/organised by rural v urban crew.

 

ACTIVISM AVENUE 3*

 

What needs to change?

• More visibility ( at all stuff ASEN does/supports) so more people get to the door

people seeing this as a big part of what ASEN does

not having huge expectations of what we “should be doing” (millions of things perfectly)

Recognising the huge turn-over in ASEN 

What takes us closer?

•  Having more focus on activist education and things relevant to newer people as there are always newer people
• Having collectives as entry points and state networks as places to develop further as an activist 

How do we measure this?

• The number of newer people staying involved

state network foci

type of events being organised around ASEN and their focus, ASEN was the only group in the climate movement classified as organisers/educators)

 

DIVERSE 5*

What needs to change?

• (at SoS) there are still issues with women's + queer involvement and its always really surprising to see that misogynistic + homo/transphobia happens at SoS – so maybe more a focus of breaking this down, even if it's just a simple explanation of gender + sexual diversity in the welcoming speech

We need to not only be an opne and welcome space, but a space that actively reaches out to people and groups who may not have the resources or privilege to other groups eg. Indig, migrant groups

Where are indig students

need to be able to involve non-uni students

look at difference between the way we embrace those who are similar to us compared to how we merely accept or tolerate those who are different, try to break down this two tiered approach.

What takes us closer?

•  Talking to folks from not privileged groups who may be around about their needs & how to support them being activists eg international students

How do we measure this?

 

 

WILLINGNESS TO ENGAGE WITH DIVERSITY

What needs to change?

–      Acknowledging that diversity is good & conflict can be fruitful.

Not just blindly sticking to ideology at the expense of engaging with difference + looking for points of connection.

 

What takes us closer?

–      grievance structures in ASEN – acknowledging conflict exists

actively seeking to challenge ourselves, inviting feedback and critism.

 

How do we measure this?

–      When peeps burnout from interpersonal conflict/stresses = Not good.

ASEN works with many varied and diverse groups in terms of membership, ideology and political persuasion

A more supportive discussion around conflicts around diversity + supporting safer spaces

 

INITIATOR

What needs to change?

–      Engaging with broader grassroots movement to initiate action, as well as supporting

being aware of opportunities to do things

being creative and dynamic

how we discuss things as a network

What takes us closer?

–      More workshops like this and PLUs and events focused on vision amd passion rather than report backs

knowing our strengths

encouraging criticism of existing structures + people getting space to think for themselves

 

How do we measure this?

–      New activities happen

cohensive national campaigns

 

HUMANLY SUSTAINABLE

What needs to change?

–      People knowing what they are doing?

Have more check-ins which are done with people who work together and be tighterand less diffuse

What takes us closer?

–      Buddy systems – ppl check-in with their to do list + figure out if their tasks in time available are realistic

clear roles and expectations of conveners and officers and state networks and working

Processes for supporting potential conveners to help current conveners in role develop understanding of workload, limits etc

–      better + more structured support for campaign collectives

How do we measure this?

–      By having a network of support which can jump in and help out if someone does burn out and a greater feeling of connectedness in ASEN

clarity of report backs, semester plans on e-list out at beginning of each semester