Why have workshops in direct action?

Taking direct action for or against something we are concerned about can be a very powerful way of expressing what we think and feel, let alone an effective tool for change. It can, however, be a big and slightly scary step to take for those of us who are first-timers, especially since it can have legal consequences. More experienced activists will hopefully already value preparation and training as a means to prepare yourself and your group, to build up your own self-confidence about the action and to build confidence and trust in each other. The workshops that Faslane 365 offer are there to prepare, empower and facilitate the process towards feeling comfortable and safe while taking action.

If you take part in Faslane 365 you are very likely to get arrested. Even if you are a support person, and arrest is less likely, it is important to be prepared for this. The workshop will deal with this and other fears and concerns - the more you know about the procedures and possible scenarios the safer and more confident you will feel when you take part in Faslane 365!

By actively participating in a workshop we get to know each other, talk about issues we are concerned about in relation to civil resistance, learn more about different tactics of for example blockading safely and effectively, or finding out more about the legal consequences and what happens when we get arrested. You might find that sharing these concerns with other people in a workshop like this will help you find your own ground, trigger you to explore what your boundaries are in terms of direct action and help you to feel better equipped for dealing with the different situations that can occur when you are 'out there' taking action.

Preparation and planning is very often the key to success - also in civil resistance and direct action. A workshop can provide the basic tools for groups to organise and plan their own actions, as well as offering a space for practical skill sharing. The workshops are there for you and your group - they can be tailored to suit your requirements and needs. And don't forget: having fun while preparing and taking action is essential!

What can Faslane 365 offer in terms of workshops?

The Faslane 365 Trainers Network can offer workshops to groups who want to prepare themselves for participating in the year-long blockade. We aim to tailor the workshops so that your specific needs are met in order for the participants to get the most out of the time they put in. Our workshops can run between 3 hours and a day (or possibly two evenings) - depending on what you would like us to cover.

We can help answering practical questions about Faslane and point towards useful sources for further information about civil resistance and direct action. We can also provide participants with handouts relevant to the workshops.

We would like to involve new people as co-facilitators in order to de-centralise the skills and ways of working as much as we possibly can. For this to happen we also offer workshops for people who want to become trainers themselves, providing a wide range of methods and techniques proven useful for facilitators of direct action workshops.

For any enquires about workshops please contact training@faslane365.org.

What do we expect from participants?

We expect the participants to be seriously considering taking part in Faslane 365 in one way or another. This can be done through a variety of ways: by physically taking part in the blockades, functioning as support on the day of action and also in the lead up to your day at the gates, as drivers, media contacts and prop makers - there are so many different ways you can participate and support! And every role is equally important if we are to shut down Faslane, have fun and celebrate hope at the same time!

We expect the groups who would like a workshop in their area to find and book a suitable venue for it, advertise it in their area, make sure that possible participants find their way to the venue, and take care of other practical aspects of the workshop.

We expect the groups to provide us with information about what areas they would like us to focus on in the workshops and how many participants there will be.

We expect the groups to cover the travel costs of the 2 workshop facilitators (or one if they are providing a trained co-facilitator). If there is a need for it, we expect the facilitators to be offered simple accommodation somewhere close to where the workshop will be held.

What can a workshop cover?

These are some of the areas we can provide workshops on / include in a workshop:

• Intro to Faslane 365: what, why, how, when, who, FAQs
• Mobilisation: how to get more people involved
• Support structures: legal support, logistics, accommodation
• Different roles: arrestable roles, supporters
• Buddy system: the importance of looking after each other
• Personal preparation: personal safety, personal reasons, fears and hopes
• Practical stuff: what to bring, how to dress
• Nonviolence: why nonviolence
• Blockading tactics: blockading equipment such as lock-ons and arm tubes, props, practice, creativity!
• Practical skill sharing: what skills do we have within our group, how can we use them?
• Quick decision-making: scenarios, consensus
• Legal briefing: consequences, arrest procedure
• Media work: awareness raising, press releases, interviews, contacts
• Contingency plans: what do we do in case....?
• Further training needs: on regional basis, providing workshops in specific fields like legal support, media etc.
• Police liaison: how, why, liaison person
• How to use the Faslane 365 website

If there are additional requirements other than those you can find in the list above please don't hesitate to contact us and we will see what we can do. We might need some time to prepare, so please let us know well in advance.

Training for Trainers weekend 28-29 April 2007

Over the past few months many 365-participants have expressed an interest in facilitation and how to run NVDA workshops in their own areas or groups. That's why we are offering a weekend of training for trainers, facilitated by experienced folk from Seeds For Change.

This will be a 2-day workshop in a Glasgow venue. Accommodation will be provided from Friday night and we suggest people arrive on Friday if possible. The workshop itself will start at 10:00 sharp (gather from 09:30) on Sat 28 April and will finish by 18:00 on Sun 29 April.

Please bring a sleeping bag and a mat - if you don't fancy sleeping on the floor then let us know and we will try to organise something more comfortable. Vegan and vegetarian food available. If there is interest and energy we will end the weekend with an action at a nearby navy establishment.

For more information and bookings, please email training at faslane365 dot org or call 0845 4588 365 and let us know if you are coming! This is a free event but donations most welcome - especially to our facilitators!

You can download an A4 poster or A5 leaflet advertising this event. (Both are in PDF format, if you have problems viewing PDFs then see here for help.)

Resources for Meetings & Trainings

The following resources are available to assist in mobilising for Faslane 365. They are all available as PDFs or as Open Document Text files or MS Word files

Alternatively, you can download everything on this page as a .tar.bz2 file (222k) or as a zip file (300k)