Over the last 18 months, thousands of people have got active with the Divest Parliament campaign – asking their MPs to divest the Parliamentary Pension Fund from fossil fuels. So far, 165 MPs, including leaders of the Labour Party, the SNP in Westminster, Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party have signed up, and we’re pushing for more.
We know it’s pressure from constituents that gets MPs to act. So the Divest Parliament team have devised a training session to empower constituents to engage effectively with their MP to get action – and we want to bring it to where you are!
The training session is action focused, with next steps built in, and looks at top tips for constituents engaging with MPs – from reading body language to asking the right questions to getting the right people in the room.
The Divest Parliament Trainers are here to work with you to bring the training to your community. We’re interested in working with as broader a range of groups as possible – whether it’s a sixth form politics class, your local choir or a existing group, and especially if your MP is in the Conservative Party.
As a host, you’ll need to sort the room and logistics, and work with us on a local promotion plan to get people in the room (small is beautiful – it’s amazing what you can do with a handful of committed people). If your MP has already signed, could you help a constituency nearby to get their MP over the line?
The training session is 2.5 hrs long, but can be adapted based on what would suit your group.
Things you will get out of the session:
- An introduction to the divestment movement,
- Essential skills on how to build relationships and effectively communicate with people in power of all stripes,
- A chance to put these skills into practice right away,
- An opportunity to work together with people in your community to force political action on climate change.
As we build up to the ‘Speak Up’ week of action 30th June – 8th July when MPs will be asked to push a net zero emissions target before 2050, what better time to brush up your skills and build a lobbying crew in your community?