Nicky Dodd, Regional Development Officer for South Central, gives us some great hints and tips on what makes a successful action day.
There are many activities a Lib Dem member or activist that can be done solo. Delivery rounds, envelope stuffing, data entry. But sometimes, things are better as a group. Coming together can boost morale, inspire kinship, and remind you of all the reasons you became an active campaigner in the first place. A perfect example of this is an action day.
When planning an action day, there are some key things to consider:
- What is the purpose of your action day? For example, to canvass a housing estate or deliver a polling district?
- Do you have enough material for everyone? For example, enough letters to be delivered or enough turf cut on Connect?
- If you have new people coming along, make sure they receive a training brief beforehand, especially if you are door knocking or phoning. It is a good idea to buddy them up with someone too
- Is your event inclusive and accessible? Have activities for those who are less mobile. The Lib Dem website has an Accessible Events Checklist that can be used to help you plan
- Make sure you have a social aspect to your day. Decide on a venue for lunch that is easy to get to or provide lunch or dinner for the hungry campaigners.
Once you have decided on what, where and when, make sure you tell everyone! You can send out emails, texts and create a Facebook events page, but sometimes that best way to recruit people is by picking up the phone and asking them.
Remember, if they say they cannot help this time, make sure you have another ask – could they deliver a round in their area at another time, could they come door knocking with you another night this week, will they donate to your campaign?
A great example of a successful action day is from Fareham local party. Keen to increase their data and find future candidates, their activists met in the local shopping centre on a bright, cold February morning for a team photo, before heading out to canvass nearby houses.
Local party Chair, Hilary, sums up nicely their positive outcomes:
- Most of those canvassing today were first timers or had little experience in doing so previously
- Likewise, we now have more people competent and happy in the use of Minivan
- Due to Covid, we met some existing candidates/ Exec members face-to-face for the first time
- We gathered lots of information and data, and even the details of a potential candidate!
- We have a better understanding of what the local issues are for the public
- Every house on the list that we visited received our calling card, so they have contact details and know we called
- We were seen out-and-about
- Good photos were taken and put out on social media
- There was a great feeling of enthusiasm and of the team working collaboratively.
A member of the team stayed in the shopping centre with a mini street stall to increase the Lib Dems visibility.
At the end of the session, the team went to a local café at the shopping centre and enjoyed hot coffee together to warm up.
The day was a great success for Fareham; they are already planning their next event. At the end of the day, don’t forget to thank your volunteers. A follow up email or text to say thank you and let them know of all the excellent work they have done will ensure activists feel valued and more likely to offer support for future action days.