What on earth do activists do? Well it's not all going on ships and climbing chimneys; those are the rare treats if you like that kind of sweet. Campaigning is slogging away, lots of sending emails, writing letters, going to talk nicely to politicians or staff at retail outlets or branches of big companies, standing around smiling at the public and asking them to sign a postcard or help in some way to stop ancient forest destruction or airport expansion.
So one thing we organise in the ASU is what we call Street Campaigning Training, so that new activists can spend a day with experienced people, finding out the dos and don'ts of standing around on the streets talking to the public. Most new people are worried about a range of things - I won't know enough, suppose someone is rude to me, asks me a nasty question, suppose I'm picked on by a drunk, what happens if the police come? The Street Campaigning Training deals with all these worries and is also lots of fun. It's run by experienced volunteer trainers all over the UK, as is the Nonviolent Direct Action Training, which is for those activists who are keen to take part in the various actions Greenpeace organises (and who may, therefore, end up on a roof or chained to a gate somewhere). It's one of the great pleasures of working in the Active Supporters Unit, to see new activists nervous at a training day and then meet them months later at a festival, on a high street or on an action, smiling and confident. And who knows where they'll end up... Go on, do the training, have fun, meet people, don't just sit there, do something. Street Campaigning training dates are advertised here
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