Community Assemblies

In a community assembly, members of the community and other interested parties such as business people and local councillors in a town or neighbourhood discuss a locally important issue. If the issue is water pollution, there are likely to be speakers from the water company, an environmental group and people affected. During an afternoon or evening, participants discuss and make recommendations which inform and put pressure on local politicians and create community connections. People and the media begin to understand deliberative processes, and that helps support our campaign for a UK wide citizens' assembly.

Why Use Community Assemblies?



It’s time to decide for ourselves, together!

The current political system is failing to take the actions we need. Let's bring deliberative democracy into our communities to show them the power of deciding together!

By organising local Community Assemblies, we can:

Ready to co-create a beautiful bonding experience in your community alongside your local allies? Continue reading through this book for resources to help with runnning a Community Assembly.

Resources to Run an Assembly

CommunityAssemblies-Broadcast_Banner_PurpleFunghi.png

Local Group Pack

Support

We’d love to know if you are planning a Community Assembly in your local area so that we can support you with any questions you have, help obtain expert advice and possibly help provide facilitation. Please:

Community Assembly Manual

Community Assembly Facilitation Guide

Community Assembly Trainings & Open Calls

Communications

There's lots to do in advance and afterwards (especially to support any funding bid). We've got your back... If you need support on organising press releases, getting your assembly on XR's Events Map, or getting broadcasts out, if you can get your support request in as early as possible, you have the best chance of getting support. Go here to request Comms Support.

Working with the Press

An important part of your communications plan for the assembly will be sharing your event with the press. This will include writing one or more press releases, and identifying the press contacts to share those with. To help with this please see the following resources:

Funding

For assemblies that happened before 17th January guidance is available on this page.

For assemblies happening in the future, or which have happened since 17th January, check out the General Fundraising Guidance.

Local / Combined Authorities Map

If considering involving politicians and officers in your community assembly or escalation plans check out the Local & Regional Authorities Map

If you have any questions on any of the above, please:

5 Step Escalation Plan

The Vision

Imagine a plan to make sure the interests of people and nature are taken into careful consideration in all decisions. How might our society look if none were left behind, as we transition together to a healthier, fairer society?

We have seen corporate offices and government buildings occupied all over the country in recent years, including those with the simple demand to follow the recommendations of a local community assembly on issues that are important to those campaigners.

Community assemblies are one tool in the toolbox of activists; they are a great way to bring people together, bridging divides and laying out practical steps towards fair and inclusive transformation and green transition. They can be one part of making our communities more resilient and bringing us closer to community influencers.

Without effective community decision-making, there can be no just transition; assemblies for the people, by the people help shifts in power.

We know the voices of local communities are systematically ignored or purposefully polarised and that things are getting worse. That’s why we need stronger, engaged communities and regular assemblies everywhere to ensure we are all heard in respectful, inclusive and effective ways.

To apply people powered pressure, you need to be clear who your target(s) is or are, e.g.

Do invite these key decision makers to your assembly, either as expert speakers (with speech parameters set by the organising group), or as general participants, like other members of the public. We want radical inclusivity, so get them onboard. If they say no, at least you know where you stand!

The XR Community Assemblies Campaign group believe that:

DEMOCRATIC ASSEMBLIES + DIRECT ACTION = FAIRER SOLUTIONS EVERYWHERE

and that there is another way to bring about change via a 5 step process...

A Simple 5 Step Plan

  1. Research:
  1. Prepare:
  1. Act:
  1. Occupy:
  1. Escalate:

More Info & Support

At the end of 2023, into early 2024, over twenty local XR groups had run community assemblies, badged and unbadged. When XR funding ran out, Humanity Project took up the mantle and continued supporting what they called 'POPS' (now 'Popular assemblies'). Since then, assemblies, peoples' assemblies, peoples' juries, etc. are happening regularly around the UK.

There are other organisations joining the push for upgrading our democracy, whom you can read about elsewhere in this book. That said, our focus in XR is our Third Demand for a Citizens' Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice. The role of the Community Assemblies Campaign crew is in helping people understand the 3rd demand, through experiencing deliberative democracy where they are and seeing how this might work at a national level.

The assembly escalation plan has been based on a successful action by the Cornwall Climate Coalition, who consistently show what is possible with collaboration with local and district authorities. With some tailoring to the realities of specific authorities, there is no reason why their example can’t work elsewhere.

Assembly Escalation is a direct action campaign to build community resilience and elevate our Third Demand to encourage UK-wide conversations, starting at the grassroots and taking it to the pillars of power. Organising an assembly is sowing the seed at the local level for democratic change and opening conversations on a Citizens Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice.

Community assemblies provide an opportunity to reach out to and build alliances with local community organisations, aligning with XR UK's values as far as possible. They offer one way to give local groups a more powerful voice and help to include a more diverse range of people and viewpoints.

We are stronger together, but unity does not mean uniformity. It is vital that local groups are prepared to stretch their comfort zones. We are all learning together through practising. We need to listen to the voices of other community groups and ensure that projects worked on together are done in the spirit of cooperation, mutual aid and common good.

Let's adapt, unite, build together with this proven tool in our community building toolbox.

Join the Assemblies Escalation group; the Community Assemblies team is here to help every step of our journey into upgrading our democracy together.

Case Studies

Community Assembly Case Studies

Haringey Community Assembly on Climate (2min video above)

Cornwall County Hall Assembly demonstrated how initial NVDA has successfully become a partnership with the District Council. Members of the initial community assembly now have representation on key decisions at a much wider level and this has created progressive participation in what was previously deemed 'Council business'. This uniquely inspirational model for other groups to follow.

S. Yorkshire Climate Assemblies was a council enabled Assembly that made recommendations on the route forward for South Yorkshire. NB the Mayor backs the popularisation of assemblies.

Walshaw Wind Farm Community Assembly, near Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.

Blaenau Gwent Climate Assembly, this was the first climate assembly in Wales.

Blackburn People's Jury on Climate Change Crisis - September 2022, a group organised by the council and the Sortition Foundation; they came up with 15 recommendations to tackle local issues related to climate change.

Cheshire East People’s Panel- video on the cost of living with Positive Money.

Los Indignados Assemblies, a Spanish ad hoc citizen coalitions to challenge specific government actions.

COP26 Global Assembly produced a report answering the question 'How can humanity address the climate and ecological crisis in a fair and effective way?' Findings in their report came from both a Global Citizens' Assembly, and self-organised Community Assemblies around the world.

Grassroots To Global - Scotland.

Co-operation Hull

Eastbourn Citizens and Local Authorities Partnership

Cornwall County Hall Assembly - read more here

Cornwall local XR group were the first to really get success in using NVDA as a tactic, running alongside community assemblies to achieve support from the local authority, initially, then later representation on the District Council.

What follows is the background for everyone to delve into and follow the example of to empower your local community to be heard by local government decision makers and be invited to participate in the statutory decision making process.

How Escalation From Assembly to NVDA and Council Decision Making Inclusion Began

In this video, Myghal Rual, an assembly organiser, talks about Cornwall's Community Assembly here

Prior to the Festival of Resistance in 2022, in his own words, Myghal wrote the following summary of how their escalation process from assembly to NVDA began:

"Just a quick background story to how we held a People's Assembly about the climate and nature crisis. Bringing together Climate Activists and Cornwall Councillors .

We occupied Cornwall County Hall. The seat of power in Cornwall. We were asked to leave by the police and council officials, we held our ground and had our first Peoples Assembly inside county hall. We went on to have many PAs inside county hall.
We have built up constructive dialogue with Cornwall Council. We now have a 4 person team who meet leaders of the council. Ensuring transparency and accountability on a regular basis.

We also occupied Truro Cathedral and asked for a PA in the Cathedral. That PA happened inside the Cathedral on April 6th 2024 with nearly 100 people present."

He goes into more detail on the Assembly escalation process as follows:

"In September 2021 we held a large protest of community coalition groups including Greenpeace, Green Party and XR, outside of our Cornwall County Council building. We decided to go inside the building to hold a People's Assembly on a climate related theme.

We then established contact with the Leader of the Council and other leading Council officials, with the aim of creating constructive dialoge with them.

We now have regular meetings with these council officials and present the feedback from our regular People's Assemblies at County Hall to council officials.

Some councillors have also joined us at our Peoples Assemblies inside the building, in recognition of the spirit of deliberative democracy.

We have also have a working group who engage with the council's carbon neutral team.

In June 2022 we set up a Marquee on Council grounds for a two week occupation. During these two weeks we camped in the County Council grounds and offered an extensive programme of educational events made available to the public and councillors. Initially we were asked to leave. We held firm and eventually Cornwall Council accepted our decision to stay.

These two weeks were an outstanding success, the Leader of the Council even gave a speech as did the Director of Public Health Cornwall, in the marquee. Extensive publicity was generated, largely positive.

Cornwall Council have an aim of Cornwall as a whole reaching net zero by 2030. We aim to ensure that by action, accountability and transparency this target is met."

People's Assembly Held on 29th November 2022 - Summary

PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY AT COUNTY HALL, TRURO ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 29th 2022 Attending: 48

Six breakout groups selected their top priorities.

QUESTION 1

QUESTION 2

Following this initial assembly, more organisations came on board via an online assembly, as can be seen the following month...

Assembly Held on 15th December 2022

Cornwall Council and Members of Cornwall Climate Action Coalition Summary points Topic: Climate Commission Model - continuation

Attendees: Cornwall Council (CC) Cllr Martyn Alvey: Portfolio holder for Environment and Climate Change Mark Holmes: Manager, Carbon Neutral Cornwall Cllr Linda Taylor: Leader Cornwall Council Cllr Louis Gardener: Portfolio holder for Economy, good growth fund, SPF, LUF, energy policy parts of NQ airport & spaceport and councillor for NQ & Pentire Cornwall Climate Action Coalition (CCAC) Karen Jeffereys John Carley Helen Angel Tom Pine Andrew Stott

QUESTION 1: The Climate Commission What has the Council found out about the climate commission model from their contact with ‘Place based Climate Action Network (PCAN)?

QUESTION 2: Timeline and budget

Please outline what is the timeline and process for adding an item to the annual budget?

** Useful background reading** - (Link to PCAN): What is a local climate commission? | Place Based Climate Action Network (pcancities.org.uk) ** For reference CC shared a link to the new reports page on the Hive (This brings together key Cornish reports, including links to the action plan, inventories and performance reports. This was something promised at a previous meeting and the Climate Change pages on the CC website are also under review). In depth notes of the meeting are available via: Karenjeffereys@tiscali.co.uk

Additional Learning

More Resources

If you are seeking one to one advice on how to organise or run your assembly, one of the Assemblies Escalation Working Group holds an 'ask anything and share experiences' drop in every Friday afternoon at 3pm. Drop in link for this.

Training and Support

Additional Guides to Deliberative Democracy

Books

Other Resources

Citizens' Assemblies

See Citizens' Assemblies information on the toolkit.

Need More Help?

Join the Community Assemblies Telegram chat channel. Ask anything, share your positive stories.

Email the Assemblies Escalation Campaign with your questions at communityassemblies@extinctionrebellion.uk

General and Devolved Elections and Assemblies

General and Devolved Elections and Assemblies

Influencing Political Elections

We know that politics is broken and that many rebels refuse to engage in elections, but during high pressured times such as when there are national, devolved and local elections, we can use the opportunity to pick up public interest in the climate and nature emergency and show them a new way of doing politics through community and citizens' assemblies.

Engaging in traditional approaches such as letter writing, signing petitions, door knocking etc are not always effective and so not necessarily a good use of rebels' time and energy. Targeting marginal seats is a good way to really get candidates to listen, however. For example, during the 2024 General Election, XR designed a Map of XR Local Groups within marginal Westminster seats

Feel like today's politics keeps you in the dark and feeds you bullshit - then think Community Assembly

Elections Landscape of Opportunity

Why Local Issues Matter

Local elections provide opportunities to:

'Persuade Elections' Candidates Commit to:

Three Questions to Get Started With
  1. Is there an election in your area? Use the VoteClimate Local Elections Finder or view them on a map.
  2. What is your council’s performance on the climate emergency scorecard? Use My Society and the Climate Action score rating websites to find out.
  3. Have your constituency boundaries changed? They will be of particular interest to the media as they could indicate the outcome of the next General Election.  Look for the key battleground seats analysis on the VoteClimate website.

What Can We Do?

Guides to Running Hustings In-Person or Online:

General and Devolved Elections and Assemblies

Escalatory Potential in a Run Up to Elections

The Bigger Picture

Community Assemblies are part of a bigger plan for Extinction Rebellion and these are also to some degree, driven by significant times in the electoral calendar, such as general, devolved, or local elections. Community Assemblies could be a useful route to escalate issues raised at local assemblies, all the way up to Westminster.

During key points in our election cycles, highlighting XR's 3rd Demand to local politicians - or even local officers and councillors in your local authority - gets the idea of real democracy and participation on the radar of those in power, opening conversations on upgrading our democratic systems.

By building understanding of deliberative democracy in relation to a key area of policy, which has been poorly enacted, namely our climate and ecological crisis, we can advocate for our 3rd demand to demonstrate that there are options to upgrade our democracy generally, beginning with a citizens' assembly on climate and ecological justice.

In The Climate Concerned Mix

Politicians and Officers of Authorities

Remember, that each local area will have different political backdrops. Some local authorities may have declared a climate emergency, while others may still be resisting change. Even where a climate emergency is publicly announced, this may yet not be turning into adaptation and mitigation measures where you are.

Your local group or grassroots campaign may or may not have established links with local candidates, politicians, local officers of the council, or may be aware of whom among your politicians is supporting the Climate and Ecology Bill.

Community Groups

There are so many urgent issues facing communities around the UK, whatever the focus for your community assembly, it's all of value in building active engagement in citizenship, which can only strengthen democratic principles and practices, as face down the risks of societal breakdown through climate catastrophes we are yet to face.

You may be working alongside allied organisations, who share these concerns, or your groups still may be in the process of building connections and relationships, e.g. through climate centres. More resources will be added to over time on our Resources page to help you map your local community and identify whom you can benefit from working with, but we also recommend talking to umbrella organisations for signposting such as the Council for Voluntary Organisations / Associations where you are.

Local community organisers may wish to hold an assembly on a topic important to local people. This may or may not have the aim of making assembly recommendations to take to your local or regional authority. We strongly recommend that your organising group decide in advance of your assembly which outcomes you all want to achieve when deciding your topic for deliberation. What happens afterwards? Might you want to escalate action if local authorities are not responsive to recommendations you share with them (more on this later)?

Seize The Moment!

In the lead up to a General Election, local election, or during the company reporting season (at the end of Q4 / 4th Quarter i.e. March annually) we all have greater influence on power brokers than at any other time.

In particular, where politicians are in deadlock over issues around our climate and ecological emergency, we can open up conversations around community assemblies and a Citizen's Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice. We can also help to amplify complementary aims of for instance the Sortition Foundation, Humanity Project, Assemble, or others in the democracy building space. Reach out to anyone who share your values and aspirations, because we have strength in numbers.

The principle of "Here Comes Everyone" still applies in relation to XR's movement building strategy.

If your local authorities are obstructive or dragging their feet on issues of concern to you and others, then alongside your community allies, that is the perfect time to share the ideas arising from local Community Assemblies on those issues and think about how you can best get other groups on board to push for change at a time when party candidates are jockeying for position in elections!

Tips on How To Engage Your Local or Unitary Authority

  1. Be aware that Council elections usually have low turnout and that this helps you! Local politicians are sensitive to changes in community opinions, particularly those of influential groups. Identifying such groups and finding common ground with them will help strengthen your campaign and reach more people.

Map out your key organisations via this Power Map tool

Outreach_CAB_Power Mapping community groups.jpg

  1. Local politicians are likely to be quite scared of dealing with XR, so start gently. To begin, contact them by email, attend a surgery, or phone them. Invite them to attend your local assembly or ask for their support for a campaign. Think about whatever could work locally.

  2. Try to make an appointment to meet with the relevant Chair of Committee or Portfolio Holder responsible for the issue you’re raising, to discuss an assembly or particular campaign ideas. If you can, offer your local XR group's support for a policy that politician is involved with; it will be appreciated and helps to build trust. Talk to XR UK's Political Circle / Political Engagement Cymru for help.

  3. In advance of your assembly, give the impression of having lots of local support for the issue you're raising (which of course may be the case, such as water pollution). Build your credibility by raising a petition; focus this on local people, they probably won't be interested in the views of others! Alternatively, set up a gathering, run a survey, use social media, take photographs, etc. Contact Councillors to alert them to what you're doing and talk about support gained.

  4. Follow up what you do by submitting Questions to Full Council, which will make the Council’s response public, may be reported in the media, and with prior permission you can film the response and use in social media, to grow interest.

Tipping Point of Community Power!

Extinction Rebellion's strategic aim is to achieve a tipping point of local support that pushes the conversation about a Citizen's Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice.

Ultimately, we want to reach Westminster ears, plus our devolved and regional authorities. This can only come from grassroots in numbers, i.e. us, the people, alongside our allies in the deliberative democracy sphere and elsewhere.

We know our political systems are broken. Imagine a proven and more inclusive method of decision making that ensures the interests of people and nature are taken into careful consideration, in all decisions. Imagine decision making where no one is left behind and we transition together, collaboratively to a healthier, fairer society. Mobilising and empowering local people at the grassroots is the starting point...

XR's approach is that over those months leading up to elections, local groups could be taking up nonviolent direct action around their local authorities who refuse to engage with the people.

Of course, your devolved local or regional authority might already be in agreement to implement recommendations from local assemblies... It's already starting to happen. (See Case Studies).

But What if Your Powers that Be Are Not Listening?

If your local authority, a company, or whomever you need to listen doesn't want to take those recommendations on board, or engage with improving community participation in democratic decisions and citizenship, this is the time to consider escalation.

So for instance, if your local authority will not support your community in the following ways, you may consider occupying uncollaborative local or unitary authorities, or corporate offices.

XR Local Groups have had great success with getting support from allies in some of the following situations where authorities are not collaborating or engaging:

What Does Escalation Mean?

An Assembly Escalation Plan begins with organising your local Community Assembly and collating recommendations for sharing with the decision maker. This could be a local council, regional authority, or even a company such as your local water services provider. In election run-ups, assemblies can have real impact, as candidates want to be seen to be listening to their constituents.

When you share those requests and recommendations with that authority's officers, or local parliamentary / constituency candidates, they may or may not engage. That gives your group the opportunity to build on the original purpose of your assembly with escalatory measures to influence processes. The 'escalatory' approach means applying pressure on local/regional politicians or company board members, to bring about meaningful change, based on the aspirations coming out of your local deliberations.

Find out more on how your campaigning group could follow a set of simple steps to be heard here: 5 Step Escalation Plan .

Need More Pointers?

If you have any questions on any of the choices of direction you face, or just need to bounce ideas around join our Assemblies Sharing Chat.

Whatever your concerns, take from this guidance what is relevant to your local situation.

General and Devolved Elections and Assemblies

Elections Action Pack

Upgrade Democracy Time

It’s time to harness the despair and feelings of betrayal, to re-establish democracy and give power and influence back to people.

This pack gives you everything you need in one place to take action to build connections with local people and groups on local issues.

Educate, inform and engage them in Community Assemblies and deliberative democracy.

Imagine we’re like a Wood Wide Web

A social ecosystem connected through common needs, shared resources and a desire to flourish.

Tree and Mushroom Roots Graphic.png

The Myceleia Network is a shared biome, where ecosystems flourish without greed, sharing resources where needed. The mycelium underfoot ensures close-by neighbouring trees and plants have the resources (nutrients, water, etc.) they need to flourish. They also have evolved ways to distribute nutrients across an entire network.

This short video shows how Community Assemblies connect us.

mushroom

The Communities Assemblies Escalation Plan was part of the 2024 XRUK Action’s Strategy to upgrade democracy. The current 2025 Movement Strategy also refers to how community assemblies fit into our overall movement building aims and our 2025 Actions Strategy will be out imminently.

Local Authority Performance Intel

Go to My Society to find out where your local authority is at in relation to declarations on the climate emergency and decarbonisation planning. Also, the Climate Action score rating website may help you to find out more detail.

Survey Boards Work

Why Community Assemblies Matter

How a Community Assembly Might Apply Well-Timed Pressure

What Next?

Assets

Resources and Support

General and Devolved Elections and Assemblies

Example Questions for Candidates

Example Questions for Party Candidates in Local or National Elections

Questions for Police and Crime Commissioner Candidates

General and Devolved Elections and Assemblies

Resources From Non-XR Organisations

Massembly 2024

Over 450 people took part in our incredible Massembly at Upgrade Democracy, to discuss the question: "How can we take meaningful steps to Upgrade Democracy?"

The 'Massembly' took place in-person at Windsor and also online and a second online 'massembly' took place in Oct 2024.

The input and questions for discussion

Massembly Information Cards

Summary of Results

Sat 31st August 2024 In person and online Over 450 people took part in our incredible Massembly at Upgrade Democracy, to discuss the question: "How can we take meaningful steps to Upgrade Democracy?"

1. Citizens' Assemblies and Participatory Democracy

2. Civic and Political Education

3. Accountability and Transparency in Politics

4. Political Reform and Representation

5. Environmental Protection and Rights of Nature

6. Building Trust and Confidence in Democracy

7. Long-term and Future-focused Governance

Sun 13th October 2024 Online 447 participants voted, 43,153 votes were cast, 96.54 votes per participant on average, 137 commented, 453 comments submitted.

1. Citizens' Assemblies and Participatory Democracy

2. Education for Democratic Participation

3. Reducing Corporate and Private Influence

4. Long-term Thinking and Future Generations

5. Transparency and Accountability in Governance

6. Inclusivity and Diversity in Decision-Making

7. Reforming Democratic Structures