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Get Involved

In this section:

See also:

  • Help out with the Climate Camp.
  • The meetings section has all the details of the dates and venues of upcoming planning meetings.
  • The 'about the camp' section gives an idea of the sorts of things people will need to do when it comes to the event itself.
  • The links section lists lots of other groups campaigning against climate change and the fossil fuel economy.

If we're really serious about making a difference, if we're really determined to be part of a movement that challenges the fossil fuel economy, then it's going to take a lot more than a 10 day camp. We see the camp as a means of support and a catalyst for what needs to be a growing local, national and international movement. A movement doesn't just happen, it's made up of a string of inspirational moments that feed into each other. We hope the camp can be one of these moments. So this section is about how you can get involved in the camp itself, but also gives some ideas about how to get involved in or kick-start groups and actions that will challenge the fossil fuel economy more broadly.

There are tonnes of things to do and many ways to get involved. These fit into three main sections.

Come to a meeting

The easiest thing to do is to come along to a meeting, meet people there, find out what needs doing, and do what you can to help. There are three different sorts of meetings you can get involved in:

  1. Local collective meetings

    There are groups forming all around the country to organise for the camp and to take action against climate change. Have a look at the list of local collectives to see if there's a group near you and find out how to get involved.

  2. Monthly planning gatherings

    Organising meetings take place over a weekend, once a month - there's a lot to plan and discuss before the camp takes place! Meetings move around the country so that they are accessible to as many people as possible. Have a look at the list of future meetings and see if there's one coming up near you. We also operate a travel pool: those who can get to the meeting cheaply and/or can afford to pay a bit more make contributions to help those who have to come a long distance and/or otherwise wouldn't be able to come. See the meetings page for more details.

    We spend much of the time organising in working groups (have a look at the list of working groups and see what you might be interested in), but there are also sessions as a big group so we can keep each other informed of what we're doing. We work by consensus, which can take a bit longer, but it's a really empowering process that ensures that everyone's voice gets heard. Have a look at the agenda for the next gathering or read more about how our meetings work (also available as pdf).

    See the meetings page for more details about planning meetings.

  3. Working group meetings

    If you don't fancy coming to a weekend-long meeting, don't worry! There are plenty of other ways to get involved and do stuff. Each working group is empowered to make decisions, and to judge for themselves what needs bringing back to the whole group. There's plenty of work to be done between monthly gatherings, and some working groups meet inbetween-times or have email lists. Contact them if you'd like to get involved, or have useful information or offers of help. At least a couple of people from each group need to be at the big meetings, but they don't have to be the same people each time, and there's plenty that can be done outside the big meetings!

    More on working groups.

Get a group together in your area

All around the country, local groups are forming. Some are specifically focused on the camp (e.g. they've taken on the running of a neighbourhood,) some are campaigning on these issues more broadly. Some groups such as Rising Tide have been campaigning for several years on climate change and are supporting the camp and organising a neighbourhood.

If there isn't a group near you, why not get one together? If you're a bit nervous about this, or don't really know where to start, we're putting together a short guide to help you get going, or you could contact a group such as Rising Tide directly to ask for help. Be confident: taking action is as real, as reasonable, as necessary as it gets.

Local groups have been doing lots of things to prepare for the camp. Here are just some examples:

  1. Preparations for the camp

    Local groups have been doing lots of things to prepare for the camp. Here are just some examples:

    • Put the word around

      Talk to people about the issues and the camp, get a group together and come along.

      Download some fliers and resources, print them off, and give them out!

      if you need help or info about networking in you local area contact the networking group at: networking[at]climatecamp.org.uk.

    • Organise transport from your region to the camp

      Get some people together, book a minibus, fill it with bio-diesel, and off you go!

    • Fundraise for the camp

      Individual donations are great, but groups can raise larger sums much more easily. So now's the time to put on the gig/community cafe/sponsored bike ride you've been meaning to organise.

    • Form a direct action affinity group

      One of the main points of the camp is to take direct action against the causes of climate change. And if people come along in affinity groups with a sense of what they might like to do, this action can be much more effective. A good guide can be found at Trident Ploughshares So get planning!

    • Organise a neighbourhood

      This basically means organising the catering and meeting space for about 200 people for the duration of the camp. This group could be the focus for activity on climate change, an information group, a discussion group and an action group. Neighbourhoods might organise benefits and talks etc in the buildup to the camp.

      If you're interested, or think you might be, we've put together some more information on setting up a neighbourhood: have a look and see if you think you're up for it!

  2. Longer term stuff where you live

    It's not just about ten days in late summer: the idea is that the camp acts as a catalyst for a whole bunch of activity on climate change, across the country and beyond. We hope that local collectives will last well beyond the camp itself.

    Here are some of the sorts of things local groups have been doing, or are planing to do:

    • direct action against nearby targets
    • awareness-raising events: stalls, flyering, etc. etc.
    • discussion forums
    • etc. etc.

Come along to the camp...

  • ...and be part of a working group there.

    You might just want to turn up at camp and help out. If there's a working group you'd like to be part of during the camp but you cant meet up beforehand contact them and you can arrange things that way. If your interested in a certain group but are not sure if you have the confidence or skills contact them and talk it through. Some groups such as facilitation will be running ongoing training so people can get the necessary skills in the buildup to he camp.

    more on the camp.

  • ...and generally get stuck in.

    If this is all too formal or you don't have time then just come along to the camp. It will be self organised, it's not an event that is being put on but a happening that we will create together. If you think of things you would like to happen at he camp, talks, debates, stalls or actions then get in touch.

  • ... and organise or link up with a direct action affinity group.

    The camp will be about taking action so when we know where it is going to be you could start planning actions or get an affinity group together.