Parallel A

To discuss and prioritise how best the P&P support office should focus its efforts to support students’ campaigning

Session purpose

• To prioritise where the P&P Support office concentrates its efforts to support students’ campaigning through communications, group support and campaigns;

• You will have the chance to discuss, review and explore:

• ‘web 2.0 technologies’ (social networking, blogs and video)

• supporting campaigns not chosen by the network (eg Redress Fashion) supporting groups local campaigns

• P&P network members and staff will present new methods and structures of how the Support Office could aid groups;

• The session will then get students to discuss opportunities and decide what to do next, gathering opinion and expertise from the working groups and identifying network members who would be key in implementing the plan.

• The information and action plans gathered will be fed into the supports office’s work through recommendations to the office.

Background info

The landscape of the P&P campaigning network and tools available to student activists is increasingly changing. New internet technologies are increasingly being used by students and campaigners, creating key opportunities for reaching new audiences.

At the Forum 2008, students chose Redress Fashion over Treat Aids Now to continue as a campaign led by a student working group with limited office support for a year. This office support will finish in June, with staff support wholly focused on the new Corporate Power campaign. Given these changes a discussion at the Forum is required about the possible future of the campaign. Will it continue as a DIY campaign and if so how can this be done?

P&P groups have traditionally ran P&P network campaigns and some choose to get stuck in with local campaigns too, this session will be a chance to look at the current structures of how the Support Office fits in with these structures and how it could be done more strategically, tailoring campaigns to the needs of local groups.