After the Foundation Programme
What next? Your ideal role
We hope the Foundation Programme has inspired you to volunteer either for a role in your nearest Local Group see this map, or for a role in a regional, national or UK-wide team, as advertised on the Volunteer website.
Roles listed on the Volunteer Website can be filtered by:
- Role Type (from home or in-person)
- Types of Work
- Region/Nation
- Hours per week
It’s fine to try out more than one role to experience different aspects of XR. It’s also ok to leave a role if you find you no longer have capacity, or you would prefer to move to a different role, but please give your team a little notice.
You will have learnt about Our Structure in the Foundation Programme and how you can explore this using the Organism, where you can read the mandates for all the groups and teams.
If you would like advice on which role to apply for, please email us at volunteer@extinctionrebellion.uk. And if you've applied for a role but have not heard back from the team after a week, please let us know and we will chase them up for you - their integrator may have been on holiday. We would really welcome feedback on your experience as a volunteer.
Group roles
From the Rebellion Academy module Working Group roles,, you will have read that teams have the following Core roles in accordance with our Self-Organising System:
- External Coordinator
- Internal Coordinator
- Group admin
XRUK's default roles can be found here - click on the + sign to read the role mandate.
The other team roles are:-
Secretary / Minute-taker : this role requires reasonable keyboard skills and very good listening skills. The secretary:
- arranges meetings and take minutes
- deals with day to day running of the team
- ensures that Action Points are clearly communciated to the team
- might act as facilitator if no-one has filled that role (but it is not expected)
Facilitator : this role requires training since XR meetings run in a specific way. The facilitator ensures that:
- meetings run smoothly according to the group agreement
- every voice is heard
- the agenda is covered as well as possible
- the meeting does not run over time
Integrator : the person in this role makes sure that the team/Local Group has members to fill its roles by recruiting and onboarding new members (often supported by the Foundation Programme course). Find more about this role in the Integrator Handbook.
Budget holder : a good understanding of figures and banking is required, or a willingness to train. The budget holder:
- understands what budget is available to a team and what it must be spent on
- approves expense claims from receipts for goods and services
- approves VLE (volunteer living expenses)
Types of Work
The volunteer roles on the XRUK Volunteer Website can be filtered by 'Types of Work':
Actions
These groups plan and support specific actions and rebellions which need UK-wide involvement.
- Normally you would need to be referred by a trusted rebel and already have some experience through your local group.
- In some cases, your actual presence would be required on-site to help build stages for an action, act as a steward or provide wellbeing on a march.
Media
The Media & Messaging team is the mouthpiece of XRUK and coordinates all our communication channels.
- It’s a big team with many sub-groups.
- This team sits at the very heart of XRUK, closely linked with Actions and our many allies.
- The team’s output sets the tone and energy of the movement - this is extremely rewarding and impactful work!
Community
Regions and Nations
Each Nation (Scotland, Cymru/Wales, Northern Ireland) and Region (South East, South West, East of England, London, Bristol, Midlands, North, North East & Cumbria) has its own support system and structure.
- You can find these roles quickly on the Volunteer Website using the filter 'UK Region/Nation'.
- Each Region & Nation has a 'Gardener', who supports the Local Groups within that area to grow and develop.
Justice Steering Group
The XR UK Justice Steering Group (JSG) strives to bring in and amplify the unheard and silenced voices of historically and currently marginalised groups, and to advocate that the movement becomes, and remains, radically diverse, equal and accessible for all through transformative and restorative justice.
Finance
Finance roles include accounting, book-keeping, managing and monitoring expense claims, Volunteer Living Expenses (VLE) claims, strategic finance, supporting budget preparation, supporting budget holders and reviewing XR's financial and tax status.
Legal
Some roles need legal professionals, but training is available for other roles, e.g. back-office during actions and the support of rebels in court.
Tech
Our computer services and technical team support and develop our websites, the Action Network application (for emails and newsletters), the Hub, GDPR and Security.
Well-being
Regenerative Cultures is about creating a self-perpetuating system grown through community, ferocious love and genuine courage.
- This sustains the understanding, exploration, development, training and sharing of regenerative practices.
Governance
Self-Organising Systems (SOS) provides governance by supporting teams on how to be self-organising, decentralised and non-hierarchical, by reference to the XR UK constitution and its principles of holacracy.
Training
Talks & Training teams include the following:-
- Heading for Extinction
- Welcome to XR
- Rebellion Academy
- Nonviolent Direct Action (NVDA)
- Foundation Programme
Fundraising
XR operates almost entirely on contibutions from individuals.
- We never accept corporate sponsorship.
- Raising enough money for the rebellion to function, to amplify our wider messaging, deepen our relationship with supporters and create powerful content to serve the whole movement is one of the most crucial aspects of our work.
- Without it, XR would not exist!
Research
The Data Analysis & Insights team supports evidence-based decision-making across XR UK by carrying out, and consulting on, data research and analysis.
Global Support
This is a worldwide network of rebels who help XR chapters [Local Groups] grow. Their website is Extinction Rebellion Global.