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Glossary

Jargon is useful shorthand within a group but we know it can be unhelpful to new joiners so we have created this page to help.

If you come across jargon and acronyms during in-person meetings, you can hold up a 'C' shape with your hand to ask for a clarification. You might even do this if you know what it means if it might help other people in the meeting to have it explained.

Terms

  • Action Network (AN) The system we use to keep records of XR subscribers and send out mailings and newsletters.

  • Action Point (AP) Record of a specific task someone agrees to take on, usually at a meeting.

  • Affinity Group (AG) Small groups of people who work together at actions.

  • Citizens’ Assembly (CA) Innovative bodies that can empower people, communities and entire countries to make important decisions in a democratic way. They are populated by a formal selection process, rather like a jury selection.

  • Community Assembly A way by which communities can have discussions and make decisions. Community Assemblies are typically held to discuss local issues and to make decisions about how to improve the community.

  • Community Group (CG) A group brought together by identity e.g. faith, culture, occupation or really anything! e.g. XR Grandparents, XR Muslims, XR Doctors etc.

  • Cloud XR UK's secure storage alternative to Google-Docs.

  • Coordinator 1. Internal Coordinator (IC) Manages the relationships within the group. 2. External Coordinator (EC) Manages the group’s relationship with other groups.

  • DNA The things that make us XR e,g, our Principles & Values, Self-Organising System, Ways of Working etc.

  • Forum an online message board platform, linked to the Hub. Longer discussions than on Mattermost.

  • Foundation Programme An in-depth training course aimed at helping people take on a role in a working group.

  • Gardener a person whose job it is to support local groups and communicate information between local groups and the UK layer of XR.

  • Global Support a network of people who support XR groups around the world Extinction Rebellion Global website.

  • The Hive - the widest circle in the XRUK organism, made up of representatives from each Nation and Region of the UKUK, the XR Community Groups, as well as some from the UK Support structure. It aims to hold XR UK’s shared purpose, supporting it to achieve its 3 demands in the UK.

  • Hub A webpage which gives access to our XR UK online communications tools and links to the different platforms we use all from the one place.

  • Integrated Budget Group (IBG) distributes income raised for XRUK in line with the movement’s strategy.

  • Integration The process of welcoming and training new joiners and helping them to find a role.

  • Mandate Each role and circle within XR has a mandate, and this tells those in that role or circle what they can do and lets others know what that role or circle is responsible for.

  • Mass Mobilisation mass recruitment and engagement in nonviolent direct action.

  • Mattermost XR's own online communication platform (best for short form chats).

  • Nonviolent Direct Action (NVDA) The practice we use to achieve our goals of social change. It includes protests, civil disobedience and economic and political non-cooperation.

  • Peoples’ Assembly (PA) A brain storming or decision making tool for groups that empowers people to share their ideas and opinions. In XR they are typically convened "on-the-fly" as a part of a larger gathering. The goal of a people's assembly is to give people a voice and to allow them to participate in decision-making processes.

  • Rebel Anyone who joins us and commits to our principles and values.

  • Rebel Code (used to be called Rebel Agreement) Five rules which we ask people to adhere to on actions.

  • Regenerative Culture The principles of care, mutual respect and listening we try to abide by.

  • Self-Organising System (SOS) Our system of organising. It is how we make decisions, define roles, structure ourselves and evolve as we learn what works and what doesn’t.

  • Volunteer agreement Our principles and values and data protection policy. It must be signed by people who have access to personal data on other XR members.

  • Working Group (WG) (or ‘circle’ or ‘team’) A group of people who do a particular type of work e.g. talks and trainings (T&T), media and messaging (M&M).

Acronyms

  • AC - Actions Circle
  • A&LS - Arrestee & Legal Support
  • AF - Arts Factory
  • AG - Affinity Group
  • AP - Action Point
  • APC - Action Planner's Circle
  • AN - Action Network
  • AS - Arrest Support
  • BADON - Building a Distributed Organising Network
  • CA - Citizens Assembly
  • CG - Communities Groups
  • CCA - Christian Climate Action
  • EC - External Coordinator
  • GS - Global Support
  • G&V - Guardianship and Visioning team
  • IBG - Integrated Budget Group
  • IC - Internal Coordinator
  • ISN - Internationalist Solidarity Network
  • KYR - Know Your Rights
  • LG - Local Group
  • LO - Legal Observer
  • M&M - Media & Messaging
  • MM - Mattermost
  • MoM - Movement of Movements
  • NVDA - Nonviolent Direct Action
  • PA - People's Assembly
  • PSS - Police Station Support
  • RA - Rebellion Academy
  • RISE CWUP - Pre-action/arrest training (Reasons, Impact, Support, Embed, Concerns, Wellbeing, Uncertainty, Preparation)
  • RR - Rebel Ringers
  • S&C - Systems and Culture circle
  • SOS - Self-Organising System
  • T&T - Talks and Training
  • TESN - Trained Emotional Support Network
  • VA - Volunteer Agreement
  • VLE - Volunteer Living Expenses
  • VW - Volunteer Website
  • WALA - Week of Aligned Local Actions
  • WG - Working Group
  • XRU - Extinction Rebellion Universities
  • XRY - Extinction Rebellion Youth
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