Level Up! Learn New Activist Skills
Skill sharing is how we build people power for transformative change. We’ve compiled a list (below) of useful toolkits and resources to help you learn more and power up your activist skills.
We also run regular training and workshops for activists – learn more here.
This page is updated regularly, so be sure to bookmark this page and visit often.
Missing something? Have ideas or feedback into what we should include here? Please email [email protected].
ARTS
You have a silkscreen, but you have no idea how to start using it? Watch & learn the basics in this short video!
Greenpeace CanadaThis training guide is an introduction to techniques and tools to aid you in creating a visual voice for social justice movements.
Greenpeace USAParachute banners are powerfully visible and photogenic from above, from below, and from all over. Learn how to make one!
350Learn how to screen print t-shirts on a budget! This is a quick and relatively easy technique to make your own tees from start to finish.
CultureStrikeLearn the basics from choosing materials to tracing and painting techniques +++
Rise for Climate Action & Josh YoderHow to make puppets and processions. Topics include simple puppets, backpack puppets, hoop & cloth puppets +giant puppets!
The Puppeteer’s CooperativeHelp prevent the spread of COVID-19 by making and using this upcycled fabric face mask with simple items you can find around the house.
Greenpeace CanadaLearn everything you need to add a message to your own mask at home..
Greenpeace USAHaving beautiful, well-thought-out messages on large banners can make or break a demonstration. In this video, you’ll learn how to make basic flag & marquee banners.
Peaceful Uprising(with projector)Video – 7 mins
A quick and awesome guide to help you with making a banner for your future march or action!
CultureStrikeEver wondered how to access bus stop advertising spaces? Watch this short video to find out how.
BrandalismA quick and awesome visual guide to help you with making a small banner or placard for your future march or action!
Greenpeace InternationalUse art as a catalyst for action. Reclaim, co-opt & beautify public space for the common good! This in-depth guide will help you make it happen!
Greenpeace CanadaNo screen burning or lamps needed! This video provides great instruction on how to make your own stencils for poster making!
Centre for Cultural PowerThis guide is an introduction & a practical ‘how to’ manual for all those who are interested in reclaiming ad spaces in their city/neighbourhood.
BrandalismLearn the basics of street stenciling – why do it, how to do it, how to plan for it & how to care for your stencils! Note: This guide does not teach you how to make your own stencils.
Greenpeace CanadaLearn how to create publicly engaging street art by scrubbing away street grime! All with the help of some friends and a pressure washer:)
Autodesk InstructablesTECHNICAL
A comprehensive guide about different methods of activism, the history of activism, and much more; for individuals and groups to use.
Direct Action Movement D.A.MA basic guide outlining some essential lock-on devices useful for NVDA and when to use them. ++ info on planning tree sits!
Direct Action Movement D.A.MThis UK banner drop toolkit
‘Bridges not Walls’ will guide you through organizing a banner drop using a bridge action example.
Blockades can be used to disrupt, but they can also be used to protect things which we don’t want to be destroyed, such as a protest camp, or an ancient woodland.
Empowering Non-ViolenceWatch this in-depth training and learn everything you need to know to plan and prep for your banner drop.
Greenpeace Canada This manual is a basic yet comprehensive overview of scouting
techniques.
This toolkit will guide you through organizing a human banner, using the “I LOVE ARCTIC” action example.
Greenpeace InternationalHere are 10 useful knots to improve your life and boost your activist skills.
CafesangchunhatHow to take a great action photo in 6 easy steps.
Greenpeace CanadaCOMMUNICATIONS
A guide to having effective face-to-face conversations with members of the public to promote your campaign.
Seeds For ChangeThese training slides will guide you through the importance of storytelling in building & winning campaigns.
Greenpeace USAPrepping for a media interview or planning for an action? Here are some tips to be ready for a media presence.
Greenpeace CanadaThis guide is directed to Greenpeace volunteers, yet it will be useful to anyone new to blogging.
Greenpeace CanadaGetting media attention is a great way to have your campaign or action make a big splash. Here are some tools to do this.
Greenpeace CanadaHere’s a simple yet useful guide to writing op-eds & how to place them.
Greenpeace CanadaORGANIZING
This detailed guide provides in-depth tips and tricks for participatory and empowering facilitation. Topics include structure, formats, power dynamics, conflict resolution icebreakers, and energizers, plus more.
Transgender EuropeProtests are erupting. Statues are coming down. But the time to become actively anti-racist was yesterday.
Greenpeace CanadaThis quick guide was created to support activists in making their spaces more accessible. That is, to ensure everyone is welcome and encouraged to join movements in whatever way they can
Blueprints for ChangeBeing an ally is about disrupting
oppressive spaces by educating
others on the realities &
histories of marginalized people.
Learn how racial justice, gender justice, and other social justice movements play a key role in achieving environmental justice.
Online Leader LabDive into this Beautiful Trouble toolbox, for an interconnected web of ideas and creative best practices that puts the power in your hands. Includes: stories, theories, methedologies, tactics & principals
Beautiful TroubleThese training slides aim to help you gain skills & learn justice-centered approaches to organize in diverse coalitions of allies.
Greenpeace USAA Greenpeace detailed guide to planning people-powered campaigns. Topics include: becoming engagement-centric, mobilizing, organizing & open campaigns.
Greenpeace InternationalNon-violent direct action (NVDA) is the single most empowering
campaigning tool at your disposal.
These protest tips are compiled from a US point of view, but we hope they are helpful wherever you are!
Greenpeace USAThe main benefit of distributed organizing is that it unlocks significant amounts of people power. Find out how!
Blueprints for ChangeYour how-to guide to mobilizing, organizing, and resisting!
Maryam AdrangiHere is a basic example of an information pack to present to marshals an hour or two before your planned event.
Direct Action MovementCheck out this amazing resource for very important information on how to successfully marshal marches. It is also a great example of what type of information to provide your volunteers.
Direct Action MovementWorking collectively? These slides go in-depth on a few key ways to build your group to build more people power.
Greenpeace USAThese training slides reviews 8 basic steps to grassroots organizing and explores a winning campaign as an example.
Greenpeace USAThis guide looks at the questions that need to be answered when we
transform from a series of unconnected individuals into a collective of people working together for change.
An in-depth guide is aimed at people & groups working for social change who want to develop an understanding of conflict & how to deal with it.
Seeds For ChangeThese training slides explore what it takes to really build grassroots leaders & how to effectively coach our peers and ask folks to take on leadership roles!
Whatever your group does, good meetings are vital to working together well. Meetings make
all the difference between a motivated & dynamic group or one feeling lethargic and lost.
A short guide to collaborative, consensus-based decision-making for activist groups, co-ops, and communities.
Seeds for ChangeA down and dirty guide to leading ONLINE courses, trainings, meetings, and events.
Rewa/HunterThese training slides guide you through 3 common decision-making models for people who are committed to working together.
A short guide to creating effective meeting minutes that are
straightforward to write and easy to use.
This fact sheet shares the Jemez Principles: 6 core values that emphasize the importance of inclusion and equity in the organizing process.
SNEEJBy actively listening we can come to understand how the speaker feels about a subject or situation – we hear through their words
and tune into their underlying emotions, concerns and tensions.
This training recording will help you understand how to use power mapping to drive change.
Greenpeace USALearn the basic steps to set up and prepare for a meeting with your federal MP using the Green New Deal as an example.
Greenpeace CanadaFilm screenings can be a great way to increase people’s knowledge and awareness of an issue, in an enjoyable and non-confrontational way.
Greenpeace CanadaThis document goes beyond the basics and reviews important steps to event planning.
Greenpeace USABird-dogging is a powerful tool for ensuring your concerns are heard, and that our political leaders aren’t dodging their responsibilities. This guide shows you how, using the Green New Deal as an example.
Greenpeace CanadaPhone calls are also a great platform to engage people in open-ended conversations of the sort which have been proven to change people’s minds. Find out more!
Blueprints for ChangeDIGITAL
Learn how up to show up to the virtual appearances or events of elected officials, political candidates & other decision-makers to pressure them to do the right thing!
GreenpeaceThis online webinar was recorded to teach some basics in using social media for local activism!
Password: ReadyForAction
Using digital tactics can be impactful and have widespread appeal. These training slides will teach you the basics of planning a day of action on social media.
GreenpeaceGREENPEACE TOOLKITS
A detailed toolkit with many resources and examples to help people around the world create actions to push retailers, corporations, and businesses to reduce single-use plastics.
Greenpeace InternationalEverything you need to know about organizing a fundraiser for Greenpeace, plus tips and tricks to help you succeed!
Greenpeace CanadaSupport for a Green New Deal is spreading! Together we can create an alternative path that meets the scale of the climate emergency. Get started using this guide.
Greenpeace CanadaAn essential orientation guide for all Greenpeace Local Groups in Canada.
Greenpeace CanadaThe classroom is a great place to start discussing plastic pollution and how to address it. This toolkit is designed for educators who want to inspire youth to tackle the plastic crisis.
Greenpeace InternationalAn action toolkit with a menu of tactics to help cut off pipeline funding. #NotPipelines
Greenpeace Canada