Training

The Greenpeace Organizing Term (GOT) is an action-packed semester and the best hands-on training for students to become environmental leaders. You’ll be making an investment in your leadership skills. You'll travel with Greenpeace and join a team of incredible activists working to protect the planet!

What is the training like?

The GOT combines classroom style, discussion based training with on-the ground, hands-on field work. Students will leave the program with a comprehensive set of new organizing skills and a life-changing experience.

Each week will offer something new and different, combining case studies, issues briefings, skill development, reading discussion and campaign work. With the rare opportunity to work so deeply on one campaign, students will be challenged to take their skills to the next level. Just as any winning campaign will combine bold, creative and strategic action, so too will be your experience and training through the Greenpeace Organizing Term.

What will I get trained in?

Grassroots Organizing

The Greenpeace Organizing Term will work with students to ensure their success as campus and life-long organizers. The semester includes over 50 cutting-edge workshops in grassroots organizing, media, direct action, and campaign strategy. These include: running effective meetings, volunteer management, developing and coaching leaders, recruitment, running phone banks and how to engage activists online.

Planning Effective Campaigns

Learning the tools to develop both strategic and creative campaigns can be an integral part to making a big impact back home. This is why we will teach you all the necessary pieces to planning a fun and effective campaign!

In these workshops you’ll learn how Greenpeace plans some of our biggest campaigns. You’ll learn how to choose an issue, develop a strategy, and how to execute your campaign during our comprehensive goals, strategy and tactics training. This training is the backbone of organizing and your time with the GOT. We’ll spend time learning how to craft an effective message that will rally support around your campaign and effectively communicate your goals. You’ll also get a taste of what it’s like to pitch local news outlets when you’re back home on campus.

Non-Violent Direct Action

Greenpeace is committed to Non-Violent direct action and civil disobedience. During the program, you’ll spend a week learning about NVDA as well as learn how to make banners, climb, and practice peaceful direct action.

Do we have a reading list?

To encourage students to become more analytical and strategic campaigners, students will read books and articles on topics including campaign strategy, strategic messaging, the theory of organizing, and issue-specific reports and documents. Students are expected to complete daily reading assignments and fully participate in regular book club discussions. Past readings have included:

• Rules for Radicals: A Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals by Saul D. Alinsky, 1971.

• Don’t Think of an Elephant! by George Lakoff, 2004

• The Heat is On by Ross Gelbspan, 1998

• Organizing for Change by Kim Bobo, Jackie Kendall and Steve Max, 2001