What’s Happening?
First, some big internal news — after ten years as a flat structure organisation, we’ve unflattened (just a little). We hope to put our reflections in writing soon; watch this space!
You’ll likely know Hannah, previously our Curriculum Lead extraordinaire, who returned from parental leave as our new Head of Programmes alongside a new team member, Anu, as Head of Operations. We’ve been getting to know each other as a team with Ant and Faith, and had two lovely residentials in beautiful Machynlleth.
We’ve said goodbye to four trustees — Damian, Lucy, Becky and Emanuelle — and welcomed four new ones — Chiara, Mark, Olga and Olivia. Find out more about us here.
What are we up to?
Elections across the UK have left many holding a complicated mix of feelings: despair, division, exclusion, indifference and hope. At a time when ‘normal’ continues to show its propensity for cruelty and violence, it’s important to us to find ways of connection, grounding and rest. With that in mind, we’re excited to launch:
- Narrative Change 1-2-1 Clinics
We’re offering new light-touch one-to-one support for grassroots organisers and narrative change practitioners. The space is for you — to share your situation, troubleshoot any difficulties you’re having, sound-board creative ideas that need some air-time, and find connection if you’re feeling a bit stuck. We could go over a tool, theory or practice you’d like to experiment with. We could chat through a narrative or comms project that you’re working on at the moment. Or we could talk through other avenues of support that might be available out there.
for more info.
- Online Resource Library
We’re building a free online resource library of participatory narrative change tools, including toolkits, worksheets and messaging guides, and sections on climate, social and economic justice, communicating across political divides, anti-oppressive and decolonial practice, and so much more. This is due to go live over the next few months — watch this space.
- Narrative Change Gathering
This Autumn, we’ll be bringing together grassroots activists, movement organisers and narrative practitioners from around the UK to share insights, build collective strategies and seed potential collaborative projects. More details soon!
- Sharing our organisational learning
PIRC turned 50, and we haven’t had a chance to celebrate yet. We’ve been reflecting on PIRC’s history, how we’re currently structured, why we chose to unflatten, what we learnt from being a flat-structure organisation and how the change is going so far. More on all of this soon.
What are others up to?
Useful things we’ve found…
Training and Events
Ella Baker School of Organising
Defeating Narratives of Division: various sessions taking place in June and July. And they’re recruiting 500 community trainers to deliver workshops on finding solutions rather than scapegoats.
Democracy Re:Boot Camp
Fully funded, five-day intensive in Cres, Croatia (24–28 September) for 18–28 year olds. 30 places for young European leaders working on democratic resilience. Apply by 7th June.
IPPF EN – Face the Fire
Building on our work together at ULEX, one of our Associates, Sho, has created a toolkit that helps activists role-play scenarios to prepare for anti-rights communications threats.
Reading, Listening and Watching
The Anti-Authoritarian Toolkit A comprehensive resource for understanding and pushing back against authoritarianism, with chapters on narrative, power, framing and more.
Against Securitisation — Noor x The Polis Project: A sharp and timely paper tracing how far-right and fundamentalist agendas are embedded not just in laws and policies, but in the infrastructures and technologies that shape daily life — border enforcement, biometric systems, militarised policing, digital surveillance. Grounded in Global South contexts, it’s a useful lens for understanding how security narratives normalise authoritarian interests.
Framing the Social Implications of AI — FrameWorks Institute: AI is everywhere right now. This resource from FrameWorks is one of the more thoughtful takes on how to talk about it in ways that build public understanding and make the case for social good.
We Need More Serious Conversations About AI and the Nonprofit Sector — Nonprofit AF: Vu Le on why the sector needs to grapple more honestly with what AI means for our work.
Black Climates — Selina Nwulu: An Associate of PIRC, Selina, has written a book on the connection between the climate crisis and racial violence — and what a more equitable future could look like. We couldn’t be more proud.
Breathing Spaces: Crisis, Denial and Collective Care: — A report centering the experiences of Covid-safer, disabled and clinically vulnerable communities in the UK and Ireland — including our own Selina Nwulu, who features in the launch event. Led by Dr Stephanie Davis, it asks what our movements can learn about collective care, denialism, and organising in hard times.
“Culture is a battleground where some narratives win and others lose. Whether we believe someone should be locked in a cage or not is shaped by the stories we absorb about one another, and whether they’re disrupted or not. At a time when inequality and white supremacy are soaring, collective opinion is born at monuments, museums, screens, and stages—well before it’s confirmed at the ballot box.”
Elizabeth Méndez Berry and Chi-hui Yang
