attitudes towards using mainstream media to publicise actions.definitions, beliefs and needs around violence and non-violence.attitudes towards actions that carry a high risk of arrest or criminalisation.blockading a fracking site) or generally disruptive (e.g. preferences for actions that are directly targeted (e.g.preferences for taking actions which are public or covert.Working out how much common ground you have in terms of your aims and tactics will give your group clarity of purpose and help avoid conflict later on. It’s important that people in an affinity group have enough in common to take action together. Alternatively, look for people from your area who have turned up to regional or national events, and arrange to meet up afterwards. This could be a meeting, or something more informal like a film night with opportunities for chatting afterwards. Organising and participating in events can be a good way of finding people who feel strongly enough to take action on your issue. However, even if your situation isn't this perfect, this doesn't need to stop you from doing anything at all.
#Affinity group how to#
How to create an affinity group Finding peopleįinding friends to hang out with is one thing, finding friends to take action with is another! The ideal situation may be to have people you like, who live locally, who have a similar amount of time to take action on the same issues using the same tactics. Working in affinity groups also helps limit the damage if a movement has been infiltrated by undercover police or industry agents. Big planning meetings are much less secure than plans made with a small trusted group. Planning actions in small groups makes it much more likely they will happen without your action target or the police finding out about it first.
Sharing needs and paying careful attention to each other’s well-being before, during and after actions also helps the group be more sustainable and long lasting. Stress, fear, police repression and campaign setbacks are all dealt with more easily as part of a group than on your own. Having a group of people looking out for one another throughout actions or during a long and tiring campaign is an effective way to make sure everyone is cared for. Many actions can be pulled off effectively with just a few people. This also provides an element of uncertainty for the authorities. Because affinity groups can make decisions autonomously, they can react quickly and creatively if the situation changes. 10 groups of 10 people taking direct action can often achieve more than 100 people acting on mass. EffectivenessĪffinity groups are able to make good use of resources. This is especially the case if you work at building up skills within your affinity group, so you can cover the needs of everyone in your group. Your affinity group may be part of wider campaigns and networks, but you often only need to depend on yourselves throughout an action. By working closely with a small group of people you can work out what's important for you, and then go out and make it happen. AutonomyĪll important decisions are made within the group even if you are participating with others in a larger action. This is not just an effective way of making sure people feel committed to the actions you’re taking, it’s also putting the values of equality and direct democracy into practice. The idea of affinity groups is that everyone participates equally in making decisions and taking action together. Why work in affinity groups? Participation and direct democracy This means that decisions are made directly within the group by all its members, and responsibility and power is shared so that everyone has an equal voice. action medics).Īffinity groups are often organised along the principles of non-hierarchy and autonomy. Some affinity groups may also be structured around something else you have in common, such as living in the same place, or sharing a particular skill (e.g. In general, people in an affinity group will be focused on taking action on the same issues, and share aims and tactics. The ‘affinity’ between people in the group is something that they have in common. Sometimes these groups are formed just for one action, but often they are ongoing groups that organise and take part in actions over a number of years. They make decisions together, and support each other during and after action.
An affinity group is a small group of people who come together to prepare for and take direct action.
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