ACT Handbook - Jewish World Watch

ACTIVIST CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING HANDBOOK

JWW.ORG Jewish World Watch 2011/2012

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About Jewish World Watch Jewish World Watch (JWW) is a hands-on leader in the fight against genocide and mass atrocities. Founded in 2004 by Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis and Janice Kamenir-Reznik as the Jewish response to the genocide in Darfur, the organization has grown from a collection of Southern California synagogues into a global coalition that includes schools, churches, individuals, communities and partner organizations sharing the vision of a world free from genocide. JWW bears witness to first-hand accounts in conflict regions, partners with on-the-ground organizations to develop high-impact projects that improve the lives of survivors, and helps to build the foundation for a safer world. JWW inspires our communities to support tangible projects and advocate for political change. JWW has raised more than five million dollars for relief and development projects that impact tens of thousands of people in Sudan and Congo.

Current Priorities Sudan: The Darfur genocide is now entering its 9th year. Up to 400,000 civilians have been murdered by the Sudanese government and allied Janjaweed militias since February 2003. 2.7 million people are internally displaced within Darfur, while 300,000 additional civilians live as refugees in neighboring countries such as Chad and Central African Republic. Recently, credible reports have surfaced of genocidal violence against the Nuba civilians of South Kordofan as well. Congo: Raging since 1996, the conflict in Congo is the deadliest since WWII. At least 5.4 million people have been killed in a brutal campaign to control Congo’s precious mineral wealth. The International Rescue Committee estimates that 45,000 people continue to die every month. Hundreds of thousands of women have reported cases of rape – likely only a small fraction of the actual cases that have occurred. Over 2 million people are displaced by constant insecurity.

JWW 2D Tags http://gettag/mobi JWW Home Page

Solar Cooker Project

JWW Donation Page

Conflict-Free Petition

ACT: Activist Training

Certification and

Jewish World Watch, Inc. © 2010

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The ACT Program The ACT program is an activist training program geared towards high school students. By participating, you will gain the skills well-rounded activists must have to take action against genocide and other mass atrocities: how to educate, how to advocate, and how to fundraise to support development projects. In completing the ACT program, you will earn certification as an official JWW Youth Activist . Form an Activist Circle! Activist Circles are groups or clubs of high school students interested in combating genocide and mass atrocities, with particular focus on Jewish World Watch’s areas of engagement: Darfur and Democratic Republic of Congo. You can either form your own club or join with an existing club already established at your school with a similar human rights focus. Activist Projects By participating in this program you’ve committed to completing three activist projects throughout the school year, each designed around one type of activist skill: Education, Advocacy, and Development. After completing an Education event, an Advocacy event, and a Development event, you will earn your full certification as a Youth Activist. However, your activist training does not have to end here: In subsequent years, with each additional activist project, participants will reach higher tiers of activism and will receive additional certification for each level passed. You earn your certification by submitting an evaluation describing your projects. Send information to Jewish World Watch by email at [email protected], or by mail at: Jewish World Watch 5551 Balboa Blvd Encino, CA 91316 In this handbook you’ll find three sections, one for each of our skill sets (Education, Advocacy and Development). Each section has sample projects and other ideas for putting together your events. Remember – these are just EXAMPLES of projects you can complete for your certification – we absolutely welcome creativity and original ideas! Don’t worry; JWW is here for you every step of the way. Let us help guide you through your certification so your work can be the more effective! For more ideas, help, or resources for any of your projects, contact JWW at [email protected] or (818) 501-1836.


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ACTIVIST CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING

EDUCATE HANDBOOK Earning your ACT Education Tag, the first step towards your Youth Activist Certification, means taking on a project to raise awareness in your community. Raising awareness is an essential part of being an activist – no one can take action about things they know nothing about! Whether you teach people in your family, school, temple or church, or any other community organization, you’ll need to figure out two important things: how to educate yourself and how to educate others.

SM


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EDUCATING YOURSELF As Youth Activists, you’re going to need to understand what genocide is in general, as well as the details of the conflicts in Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. Just being a part of an Activist Circle means that you probably know more than most people about these two things. But if you don’t, then you soon will! When we add your knowledge to the knowledge of your fellow ACTivists then you can probably paint a pretty good picture of what’s going on. But to be able to teach others about genocide and other mass atrocities, you’re going to have to know enough to answer some main questions. And that means doing a little research. Here are some of the main questions you’re going to want to find answers to. You may want to research each of these as a group, or you might want to assign one or two questions to individual members of your Activist Circle, and then report back at your next meeting. General Questions 1. What is genocide? (How common has genocide been in the last few decades? Who can perpetrate genocide? Who can have a genocide perpetrated against them? Is genocide defined by size?) 2. What constitutes an egregious violation of human rights? 3. What are the conflicts in Sudan and DRC about? 4. Who are the parties to the conflicts? 5. What can the US do about these conflicts? 6. What can other international actors (e.g. China, UK or France) do about these conflicts? 7. What kind of influence can the United Nations or the International Criminal Court have on these conflicts? 8. What impact can individual activists do about these conflicts? 9. What can be done to prevent future genocides? Another more long term question you should begin thinking about is: What can our group do about Darfur and Congo? There are a lot of really good sources out there. A good place to start is Jewish World Watch’s website (www.jewishworldwatch.org). JWW’s Educate section is pretty helpful. You can download a fact sheet on genocide, a fact sheet on preventing genocide, look up primary sources and other resources on genocide, and read histories of the conflicts. But you should never trust just one source! While JWW’s website is a good place to start, you should keep looking. Each one of you should make sure to read at least three opinions about each question. Keep track of where you’re getting your information – you’ll need to let people know that you’re collecting information from credible sources. Jewish World Watch, Inc. © 2010

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Don’t confine yourself to internet research—visit your school or local library! Your local library probably has a large selection of- or at the very least access to- scholarly journals and books that are not available online that will help you became an informed activist. The librarians themselves are excellent resources on how and where to research and how to pose your research questions. If you have never visited your local library before, you can find it at www.publiclibraries.com. Be a critical reader! When you start looking into any new resource, you need to ask yourself the following questions:  Is this a credible source? o For example: Blogs can be amazing resources, They give us the opportunity to read the personal accounts of activists, anthropologists, aid workers, community organizers that are citizens of the country you are researching and many others-all on the ground giving real time information, or perhaps analyzing news across an ocean or two. However, while the insights blogs provide us can be helpful, it is important to remember that many blogs reflect only the opinion of the writer, and should not be considered a credible news source.  Is this an unbiased source?

Here are some good resources for your research on genocide, Darfur, or Congo: Resources on Genocide: 

UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide o

http://www.hrweb.org/legal/genocide.html

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Genocide Intervention Network http://www.genocideintervention.net/

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Genocide Watch http://www.genocidewatch.org

Resources on Darfur and Congo: 

Council

on

Foreign

Relations

–

Crisis

Guide:

Darfur

http://www.cfr.org/publication/13129/ 

ENOUGH Project www.enoughproject.org

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Save Darfur Coalition http://www.savedarfur.org

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Stop Genocide Now http://www.stopgenocidenow.org/

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Human Rights Watch www.hrw.org/en/world-report-2010/democratic-republiccongo-drc

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CNN www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/07/24/us.congo.conflict.minerals/index.html


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EDUCATING OTHERS Now that you have educated yourself, you are ready to spread the word. There are many different ways that you can raise awareness in your community about what is happening in Darfur and Congo. Keep in mind that these are just suggestions and you can always design your own project.

Education Event By putting on your ACT Education event you are taking the first step towards your Youth Activist Certification by creating a project to raise awareness in your community. This is an essential part of being an activist – no one can take action about things they don’t know about. Whether you educate people in your family, school, faith community or any other community organization, you’ll need to figure out two important things: how to educate yourself and how to educate others. Sample Projects: 1. Invite a Jewish World Watch speaker to come speak to your school. 2. Create a YouTube video about the conflict and distribute it to students and faculty at your school, friends, family, and other community members. 3. Ask a large group of teachers to show a short video about the conflicts in all of their classes for a day and have them pass around a sign-up sheet if anyone wants to get involved. 4. Hold an art exhibit. Ask other clubs to make an art piece about the conflicts and display them at lunch along with some statistics about the conflict. 5. Get an article in your newspaper or newsletter about the conflict. 6. Have the conflict mentioned in the morning announcements and that your club is doing something about it. 7. Make posters and flyers to put around your campus with statistics and facts about the conflict. 8. With permission, use chalk to write statistic on the ground in your hall way. 9. Screen a movie after school. 10. Create a Facebook group or event for your club with information on it about the situations.

Jewish World Watch 2011

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Education Activist Skill Tips Public Speaking 1.

Know Your Audience:

Knowing your audience is crucial to making and delivering an effective presentation. This is the most important piece of advice we can offer you about public speaking: never forget who you're talking to. You don’t have to figure it out exactly. But ask yourself this: Who do you WANT to talk to? Do you want to tell younger kids about what’s happening in Darfur, or are you hoping to get your peers interested and involved? Or maybe you think the best way to spread the word is to tell your parents or teachers. With whom will you have the greatest impact? Who will you feel most comfortable talking to? Once you figure that out, design a presentation for the audience you hope to get. Keep in mind: a) Language – a room full of six-year-olds is not the place to pull out language like “preliminary peace negotiations” when what you mean is “sitting down to talk about peace.” Knowing your audience means knowing what they can – and can’t – understand. The same goes for adults – make sure your remarks are prepared to target the age range of the majority of your audience members. b) Graphics – When we’re talking genocide, we have to be extremely careful of the pictures we show people. Showing that room full of first-graders graphic images of what’s happening in Darfur or Congo isn’t going to get you anywhere, and may only give the kids nightmares. But such information may very well be effective with an older audience. Visuals in general are good; but choose wisely. c) Body Language: Kids especially will need to feel comfortable with you, so smiles, and even sitting down on the floor with them, may be necessary to draw them in to your story. But your peers, or an older audience, will probably expect a more professional atmosphere – read your audience, and be prepared to be flexible with your body language. d) Background Knowledge: What does your audience likely know already? Don’t assume too much, but don’t bore them either. Are they students at your school who saw a documentary about Darfur, but now you are going to teach them about activism for Darfur? Do they know about Darfur but very little about Congo? OR, more likely, do they know very little about either? Do a little research to find out.


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Organize Yourself:

Organizing your presentation is just like organizing an essay. You’ll need an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Whether you use a formal outline, start out with a mind-map brainstorm, or use another strategy, organization is key – the audience has to be able to follow your thoughts. Introduction: There are a lot of ways to start a presentation off right. You’ll want to grab your audience and get them interested right away. Again, look back at WHO your audience is before figuring out how to do this – would a story work? How about a picture, or asking your audience a question? Body: There’s a lot out there you could possibly tell your audience, so you’re going to have to pick and choose. A good rule is to choose three main themes to tell your audience. When thinking about the whole complex stories of Darfur and/or Congo, you might consider the following simple outline: I. II. III.

How the conflict started (just the main points here!) What is happening now What is being done about it

With a little bit of research, you should be able to figure out the main points for each of these themes pretty easily – in fact, you probably know a lot of what you need to know already! Conclusion: The difference between an Activist Presentation and most other presentations people usually give is that this time around, you don’t only want your audience to learn something, you want them to actually be inspired to DO something. In our experience, we’d suggest that you pick ONE thing that your audience can do immediately following your presentation, and one thing they can take home for later. You’d be surprised – some people are going to want to join your cause right away, and will need to feel like they’ve done at least one thing to help immediately. Consider bringing along postcards to call President Obama, or a petition, or having JWW activist merchandise (bracelets, t-shirts, buttons) handy to sell (JWW can provide you with all of these). You might also want to give people websites to go to for more information, or for other ways to take action.


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3.

Choose Visual Aids:

Visual aids are not always necessary, but they are good to include if they help you get your point across. The key is to make sure that they truly add to your speech. Maps and images of Darfur or Congo, for example, are usually pretty helpful. Remember, JWW has a lot of these – we can help point you to maps or pictures that are free/fair use, with no copyright issues. A key to using visual aids well is to keep them simple. Images and uncomplicated graphs are best, but if you want to make a list of points to go over, keep each line of the list brief, and the number of lines just as short. Studies have shown that when you have a visual aid with words on it, your audience is neither listening to you nor reading what’s on your poster/screen – rather, they’re only listening to you enough to compare what you say to what’s on that poster/screen. The human brain just tries to see if the two match up. That means the less words on the screen, the better! Remember – not everything you find on Google’s image search is up for grabs. Make sure you give credit to wherever you got your images. Just in case someone asks, you can tell them where they can find them, as well. 4.

Tools of the trade – PowerPoint:

If you’ve never worked with PowerPoint before, it may seem a bit overwhelming. Never fear! There are a ton of PowerPoint tutorials out there on the internet. We found two to be particularly useful:  

Microsoft’s Online Tutorial: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/HA102184981033.aspx PowerPoint (this one is a little corny, but still helpful!) http://www.actden.com/pp/unit2/2_main.htm

Welcome

to

PowerPoint Tip #1 – Treat each slide like a paragraph. That means each slide should have only ONE main idea. You may have more than one statistic or image as evidence for that main idea, but everything should work back to your larger point. PowerPoint Tip #2 – Keep it simple. PowerPoint has lots of fancy transitions to get from one slide to another. Consider your audience and your message. You may very well be speaking to a group that expects certain professionalism; keep it simple and your audience will understand you better.


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5.

Practice and Prepare:

Rehearsing can make the difference between a good presentation and a great one. The best speakers become that way through constant practice. Not only do you familiarize yourself with your material, but doing so gives you a confidence that your audience will definitely respond to. People use various methods to rehearse presentations. You can stand in front of a mirror and speak, tape-record or (even better) videotape yourself delivering your presentation, or rehearse your presentation in front of parents or friends. Some things to keep in mind when you’re practicing:     



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If you’re doing a group presentation, make sure everyone knows not only their own parts, but how to transition from one person to another. Be conscious of your posture, gestures and body language – you’re practicing that as well! Ask friends or family to give you constructive feedback about your presentation – what you did well, and what you might need to work on. As you improve, see if you can memorize sections without relying on the notes at all. These memorized sections will give you a longer stretch of time to connect to the audience. Once you feel very comfortable with the material, don't be afraid to ad-lib some parts when you feel like it. This is your speech and you can say whatever you want; as long as you're sure you can get back on track, try speaking off the cuff. It'll help you sound conversational instead of like a robot. Take note of the volume of your voice – you don’t want to be too quiet, but you don’t want to shout across the room either. Project your voice – find the object furthest away from you in the room, and deliver your speech to it. Get a Gig:

Whether it’s a classroom, school assembly, a religious institution, or a community meeting you’ll want to make sure to confirm the date and time a week in advance. Be clear on what materials you will need to bring (JWW can provide materials for you as well), how many people you are speaking to, what topic you are presenting on, and anything other relevant information.


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ACTIVIST CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING

ADVOCATE HANDBOOK Earning your ACT Advocate Tag, the second step towards your Youth Activist Certification, means working towards convincing people in power – both at home and internationally – that genocide and mass atrocities are not issues that can be ignored. We’ve divided this handbook into two specific sections – Introduction to Advocacy and Sample Projects. The first section will teach you how to assess your own power and take you through analyzing who has the power to make major change in Darfur and Congo. The second section will take you step-by-step through three sample projects: Organizing a petition or letter-writing campaign, holding a Congressional meeting, or organizing a rally/protest.


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Advocacy Project Becoming an Advocate You’ve probably heard the word “advocate” a million times. Advocates influence people in power to create long-term change. This means that advocates have a good deal of power themselves. Think back just to US history and you can see evidence everywhere of advocacy creating change: women’s rights advocates lobbying to secure voting rights for women; civil rights activists voting for equal rights for minorities; unions lobbying for worker’s rights. Without activists lobbying for change, women wouldn’t be able to vote, segregation would still be a reality, and some people (even children) would be forced to work grueling long days in unbearable and dangerous conditions. Power isn’t something that just the leaders of the world have. Those elected to public office are working for the people and the issues you find important. That means that you have a great deal of power – and a great deal of responsibility – to let them know what’s important to you, and what you want them to do. The power of your Activist Circle will come from three sources: organized people, organized resources, and organized ideas. The following section is going to help you get organized so you can influence the leaders around you to create real, lasting change in Darfur and Congo. First, visit the Jewish World Watch site, www.jww.org, to find out what the most up-to-date campaign for Darfur and Congo is so you can ensure your energy is going to the right places. Once you’ve done so, figure out who you’d like to target and then flood their attention with these human rights issues.

The Powers-That-Be – Choose Your Target Advocates choose their targets carefully. Your target has to have an important role and influence over the issue that’s important to you. For the issue of bringing an end to the genocide in Darfur and war in Congo, this means three major players:


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1. The US Government As far away as you may be from Sudan and Congo, the US has a whole lot of influence internationally. The US has the power, money, and influence in the United Nations – and that means a lot of responsibility to shine light on human rights issues in the world. Specific Targets in the US: 

President Barack Obama: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, Phone number: (202) 456-1111www.whitehouse.gov

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: U.S. Department of State, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520, Phone: 202-647-4000, contact-us.state.gov, www.state.gov/secretary

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Representatives of the House: find your representatives at www.house.gov

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Senators: find your Senators and contact info at www.senate.gov

2. The United Nations Not only is the UN the keeper of international law, but influencing members of the UN is our way of telling other world leaders and world governments that the issue of Darfur and Congo is an international issue that cannot be ignored. Specific Targets: 

President of the UN Security Council: Rotates monthly, check current presidency at http://www.un.org/sc/presidency.asp

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US Ambassador to the UN: Dr. Susan Rice, Ambassador Susan Rice Press and Public Diplomacy Section, United States Mission to the United Nations 140 East 45th Street, New York, N.Y. 10017, 212-415-4050 [email protected]

3. Electronics Companies With the high demand for electronics products in the US and throughout the world, Electronics Companies don’t always think about the consequences of their actions. Apple- [email protected] BlackBerry- [email protected] Nintendo- [email protected] Dell- [email protected]

HP- [email protected] Samsung- [email protected] Nokia- [email protected] Motorola- [email protected]


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Ways To Get Your Voice Heard Now that you’ve got your campaign and your target, put your power to work! There are many ways to do advocacy but remember your goal is to get the attention of those who can make the right policy choices. Visit jww.org for the most current campaign/ language to use.

Sample Project Ideas: 1. Letter-Writing Campaign 2. Petition Campaign 3. E-mail Campaign 4. Hold A Congressional Meeting 5. Facebook Campaign 6. “We Want Conflict-Free” Video Campaign 7. Organize a Rally or Protest 8. Organize A Phone-a-thon 9. Send Postcards

Tips To Remember: 

Know what you are talking about and be concise about what you are asking for

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Be organized and well thought out before moving forward with your ideas

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Be persistent (but polite). The louder you are, the more likely to be paid attention to.

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Delegate responsibilities: more advocacy is better, but you can’t do it alone.

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Be sure to have everything you need in order to be in a public space (permits, consent, etc.)

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Choose a good location and advertise well (if putting on an event)

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Collaborate with other groups on campus, the more people, the louder the voice

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Get press coverage if you can, even an article in your school newspaper is great! Jewish World Watch 2011

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SAMPLE PROJECT #1: Letter Writing/Petition Campaign One of the most effective ways we have of informing others and keeping focus on the issues we feel strongly about is by starting a letter-writing or petition campaign. Sending a letter or petition is a great way to demonstrate your support for your cause. Legislators keep track of each letter and e-mail that comes into their offices to see which issues are getting the most public interest. The more of their constituents who write in support of a certain issue, the more likely they are to support it themselves – so you can imagine the kind of impact you could have if you get, let’s just say, 50 of your closest friends to write letters of their own or sign letters you’ve produced for them. Skills inventory: You’re going to hone a lot of different skills by doing this project. Think back to the skills inventory you did in this first section. To do this project, you’ll want at least a basic grasp of:  Research and information gathering skills,  Writing skills  Leadership skills Don’t worry if you don’t feel like an expert in any of the above – working on this project will develop and reinforce the skills you already have! In the following project, you’ve got two main options, both of which use the same above skills: 

Letter-writing campaign: In this option, you write a letter, photocopy it a bunch of times, and get people in your school, religious institution, and/or community to sign the individual letters. In a variation on the theme, you could create a document with simple talking points, and encourage them to create their own letters. The positive side of this option is that you wind up with a big stack of letters to send to your target – impressive looking! The downside is that you’ll have to pay for more postage to send the big impressive package!

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Petition campaign: Basically the same project, but you write one letter and simply ask everyone you know to sign that same letter. You’ll have a smaller stack of paper, but just as big an impact. With a petition, though, it’s hard for people to edit or create their own letters – sometimes they won’t sign just because they don’t like one or two sentences, or because they don’t have time to read the whole thing.


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Step One – What to Say Major Skill: Research and Information Gathering You’ve picked the target and issue that most interest your group. Now comes the hard part - you have to figure out what to say. How will you organize your letter so that your target can best understand what you want them to do? Figuring that out means doing some real research. Luckily, you’ve got your “Educate Yourself” skills to fall back on. Here are some questions you’ll want to answer as a group: 1. Who do we want to help? 2. Why do we want to help? (Knowing and being able to explain this will help you inform and convince others) 3. What outcome(s) do we want to see happen (this should be specific, like “multilateral sanctions on Sudan,” as opposed to general, like “peace in Darfur.”) 4. Who is our target? 5. What do we want them to do? 6. Possible ways to inform and/or convince our target could include: a. Fact or statistic… b. Fact or statistic… c. Fact or statistic… 7. What questions do we still have? 8. What information do we still need? As you likely discovered in the last trimester, there are a LOT of places offering information that will help you answer these questions. Here’s a quick list of resources that should definitely be first-stops in your research:      

Jewish World Watch: www.jewishworldwatch.org ENOUGH Project: www.enoughproject.org Save Darfur Coalition: www.savedarfur.org Genocide Intervention Network: www.genocideintervention.net Ask the Candidates: www.askthecandidates.org Human Rights Watch: www.hrw.org


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Step Two – Drafting Your Letter Major skill: Writing You’ve got a target, you’ve figured out what you want to tell that target to do, you’ve done some research to find some supporting facts and statistics that will help convince your target to take action. Now it’s time to call on those writing skills and actually draft your letter. Below are just a few quick pointers to keep in mind when writing your letter. We’ve also added some sample letters that may be good models. 

Organize! Organizing your letter before you write it is the most important thing you can do. You want to make sure you’ve got all your most important points in the letter in a way that’s easy to understand.

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Be concise: The letter you write should be short and to the point. The people you are targeting are busy folks – that doesn’t mean that they get to ignore your letter, but that does mean that anything over a page won’t get read.

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State your goal up front: The first paragraph should contain your purpose for writing. If your letter pertains to a specific piece of law, make sure you identify it according to its bill or resolution number (for example, UN Security Council Resolution 1769/2007). This way, they know exactly what you're talking about.

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Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want: Remember, the people that run the US government and the UN work for us. You have every right to ask the leaders of the world to do what you think is necessary – if you don’t tell them, who will?

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Be courteous and respectful! Even if you think someone is doing a particularly terrible job, you must remain courteous and respectful in your tone at all times. World leaders respond to pressure, but they do not respond to bullying.

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Thank your target: It may seem odd to ask for action AND to thank your target, but this is a part of being respectful. You can thank your target for constructive action they have taken in the past, or you can thank them simply for taking the time to read your letter.

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Include at least one name and address: Make sure to include contact information for at least one person in your Activist Circle so that you can receive a response. It’s also a good idea to leave room for people who sign your letter to include their location or email address – national and international leaders keep track of where pressure is coming from. Jewish World Watch 2011

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Step Three: Gathering Signatures Major skill: Leadership Gathering a lot of signatures for your letter, whether you do a petition or an individual letter-writing campaign, allows you to work collectively. Organized groups have more power than even the most powerful of individuals. Try to gather as many signatures as you can for your letters or petition. You’ll have to think of the following things in order to make your campaign as effective as possible: 

Who will sign our letter? Do you want to target fellow students at your school? Folks at your religious institution? Random people on the street? Your school is probably a great first step, since school gives you a large group of people that would likely be sympathetic to your cause.

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Where and when should we get them to sign? Do you want to set up a table at lunch? Go from classroom to classroom? Put an announcement about the letter or petition in the bulletin for school, for your synagogue or church, or for a community organization? You’ll want to make sure you are working in a hightraffic area. Make sure you organize a concrete time and location, and assign specific responsibilities to different people in your Activist Circle.

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How will we draw attention to the letter? Do you want to have signs or placards attracting people to a place to sign? Do you want to station people in different places in school or in public to gather people around and sign? Again, make sure you talk about this ahead of time, and assign specific tasks to your peers!

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How should we approach people? You’ll want to come up with a short and courteous opening question with which to approach people. Something as simple as “Have you signed our petition to help Save Darfur?” or “Have you taken the Conflict-Free Pledge today?” works pretty well!

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What materials will we need? At the very least you’ll need copies of your letter or petition and pens. You may also need a table, chairs, flyers or posters with information, or clipboards. Make sure you talk about and decide exactly what you will need BEFORE you go out to gather signatures!

Try to set yourselves a goal for how many signatures you’d like to gather. It’s great to send a letter with 50, 100, or even more signatures attached to it. Remember, leaders count each letter they receive in the mail as if it represents 100 of their constituents!


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Ready to send your letter? Make sure you include a brief cover letter that states the number of signatures you’ve gathered in support of your cause. Keep a copy of this letter for yourselves – it’s important to keep track of how many signatures you’ve been able to rally together for the future. Email Jeremy at Jewish World Watch ([email protected]) and your Circle Leader to tell them how many signatures you’ve got! One last tip: Don’t get discouraged if you don’t hear something right away! Fighting issues as serious and complex as genocide or conflict minerals is a long road. That means you may not see immediate results from your letter-writing campaign. Remember – our job as activists is to be a constant part of the headache, always there to remind our leaders that they have an important responsibility to act to end genocide and other mass atrocities! Sample Letters Below you will find a few different kinds of sample letters. Remember that you can always check Jewish World Watch’s website (www.jewishworldwatch.org) or any of the national Activist organizations to find advocacy letters and postcards that might also be good models. The below letters DO NOT represent the most current requests that need to be made, so make sure you don’t copy these word-for-word. They are here as models only. To Congress: Dear Congressperson ___________, I am writing to urge you to support H.R. 3127: Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2006 which will be before the House of Representatives on March 29, 2006. The genocide in Darfur is the world’s most alarming conflict and ending the conflict in Darfur should be at the top of the list of priorities for this country. Imposing sanctions, supporting humanitarian projects in Darfur and the surrounding refugee camps and encouraging a peaceful end to the conflict is in the interests not only of United States security, but also the security of the world. Since February 2003 up to 400,000 people have been killed and over 2.5 million displaced. Please act now, in the spirit of freedom and democracy, to help the victims of this genocide and put an end to their suffering now. Thank you for your support and dedication,


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To the Senate: Dear Senator ________, I am writing to urge you to support S. 3884: Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2006 which was read before the Senate on September 12, 2006. The genocide in Darfur is the world’s most alarming conflict and ending the conflict in Darfur should be at the top of the list of priorities for this country. Imposing sanctions, supporting humanitarian projects in Darfur and the surrounding refugee camps and encouraging a peaceful end to the conflict is in the interests not only of United States security, but also the security of the world. Since February 2003 up to 400,000 people have been killed and over 2.5 million displaced. Please act now, in the spirit of freedom and democracy, to help the victims of this genocide and put an end to their suffering now. Thank you for your support and dedication,

To the White House: Dear Mr. President, I am writing to ask that you take immediate action to end the genocide in Darfur (or Congo) and restore humanitarian aid in Sudan (or Congo). I urge you to:    

Publicly call for the international community to demand a restoration of aid and isolation of President Bashir; Conduct a private diplomatic effort to explore how governments could downgrade relations with Bashir and eventually end his 20-year presidency; and Form a coalition that can both negotiate with and pressure Sudan to seek peace in Darfur as well as implement the existing peace agreement for the South Sudan must take concrete measurable actions in a very short period of time to restore the necessary humanitarian aid, engage in meaningful peace talks, disarm and disengage the Janjaweed militia, and genuinely implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Please make this a top priority.

Sincerely,


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To the Security Council: Dear Ambassador, Thank you for your role, as Ambassador from ____, in the recent passage of UNSC Resolution 1769. This resolution is essential in bringing desperately needed protection to the people of Darfur. As President of the Security Council for October 2007, I ask you now to lead the world in ensuring the full and immediate implementation of Resolution 1769. By October, and under your Presidency, UNAMID must:  

Establish its headquarters and the financial arrangements to cover troop costs for all personnel deployed to the African Union Mission in the Sudan (AMIS); and Assume operational command authority over the light support package, personnel currently deployed to AMIS and heavy support package and hybrid personnel..

I also ask you to maintain constant pressure on Khartoum to cooperate with the international community in ending the crisis in Darfur, including preparing sanctions against the nation should it delay deployment of the hybrid force or disrupt its work. To Electronic Companies: To Whom It May Concern, The conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo, the deadliest war in the world since World War II, is being fueled by a multi-million dollar trade in minerals: tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold. As a company that uses these minerals in your products, you have an obligation to ensure that you are not helping finance armed groups or contributing to human rights abuses and crimes against humanity along your supply chain. More than five million people have died in eastern Congo, and hundreds of thousands of women have been raped. The violence worsens every day. To ensure that your company is not in any way financing this violence, I urge you to commit to ensuring that your products will be conflict free by tracing and auditing your supply chain of tin, tantalum, tungsten or gold down to the mine of origin. Like many of your customers, I want to be certain that my electronics products are not helping fund violence in Congo. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Jewish World Watch 2011

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To Your School Board: Dear Valley Hill School Board, Our school group recently learned about the ongoing war in Congo that has killed 5.4 million Congolese since 1996. The conflict is being fueled by a multi-million dollar trade in minerals that go into our electronic products, from cell phones to digital cameras. Consumers of products containing tin, tantalum, tungsten, or gold that may originate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have an obligation to ensure that they are not financing armed groups and military units or contributing to human rights abuses. We urge you to adopt a Conflict-Free Schools Resolution that states that our school would pay the nominal premium to purchase conflict-free products when they become available. We will be joining a movement that will show the electronics companies that there is a large community – our school included – that would purchase these products. Sincerely,


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SAMPLE PROJECT #2 Organizing a Rally or Protest In the US, we’re lucky enough to have the right to free assembly - when groups of individuals feel strongly about an issue, they have the right to express those views publicly. A great way to express your opinion on an issue is through a rally or public protest. A rally works well because it is so visible – whether you’re at school or in another public space, getting a big group of people together around one issue can really draw a lot of attention. Skills inventory: You’re going to hone a lot of different skills by doing this project. Think back to the skills inventory you did in this first section. To do this project, you’ll want at least a basic grasp of:  Follow-through with details  Community building skills  Inspiration Don’t worry if you don’t feel expert in any of the above – working on this project will develop and reinforce the skills you already have! Step One: Organize Yourself Major Skill: Follow-through with details Putting together your rally means staying organized. A rally doesn’t have to be a complicated event, but it can easily get messy if you don’t make a few key decisions ahead of time. Here are some things you’ll want to think about: 1. Target: Choose your target wisely, as always (see the Introduction to Advocacy section of this handbook). A clear understanding of who your target is – whether the US government, China, or the UN – will determine your decisions for pretty much everything else, including message and location of your rally. 2. Purpose of Rally: The purpose of many rallies is to inform others about the cause you are rallying for. Sometimes rallies, especially street protests and picket lines, are intended to pressure powers into seeing the importance of the message. Is your goal to inform the public or to pressure leaders to make specific changes? Both are valid and both are important. 3. Message: As always, your message is an incredibly important thing to think about. It is important for everyone at your rally (and passers-by) to have a clear understanding of the message that has brought people together. Your message should be clear and concise, but still precise enough that people can understand why you’ve gathered together. Jewish World Watch 2011

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4. Location: Don’t underestimate how crucial this decision is! You’ll want to be in a place where a lot of people can hear your message. Understanding your target, your purpose and your message will help you make this decision. A pep rally at school, for example, is a great way to get a small group of people informed, involved and excited. A rally or vigil in a public place is a great way to raise awareness amongst a large number of people. If your target is China, for example, you might want to consider holding your rally outside the Chinese Consulate (the one in Los Angeles is located at 500 Shatto Place, Los Angeles, 90020). If your target is someone in the US government or the UN, you might consider holding your rally in a generally public place, where lots of people can see your message (unless you’re willing to travel to New York or Washington DC!). 5. Permits: Depending on your location, you may need to get permits for your rally. If you need permits, get them early—to get a permit you need to contact your local police department. Usually if you have a smaller group on a sidewalk, or in a private space like a school, you won’t need permits. Permits might be necessary, however, for large groups to congregate in public spaces like street corners or parks. Contact your local authority to find out—better safe than sorry. 6. Communication: You’ll want to think ahead of time as to how best communicate your message to the public or to your target. A few options to consider are: a. Signs/Posters: Signs and banners are a great way to get your message across. When large groups of people hold the same sign with the same message it can have a powerful effect on people who see it. Messages on signs should be short and concise, and make the message loud and clear, like, or “Stop Genocide in Darfur”. b. Chants: It may sound hokey, but coming up with some chants that everyone can yell together can be very effective. Chants also tend to get people excited, and help your participants keep a loud, unified voice. c. Speeches: Short speeches, particularly from someone well-recognized and wellrespected, can really draw a crowd and garner attention for your rally. Choose speakers wisely – you’ll want them to know something about the issue and be able to speak clearly and effectively.


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Step Two: Organize your Community Major skills: Community building Numbers make a big difference. The more people at a rally, the more attention you’ll get, and the more people you have a chance to influence. When someone attends a rally that has high energy and excitement they leave excited and inspired to continue to do work on the issue on their own and are more likely to inspire others to do similar work. This is how grassroots activism works! Here are a few things to consider to help you get as many people as possible to attend your rally. 1. Where can we advertise? Think of the communities you have access to easily. You and members of your group can probably get the word out at school, at religious institutions, at public libraries, at other community organizations, and even at some businesses (there’s no reason parents can’t help). 2. How can we advertise? There are several ways that you can get the word out to each individual community. Consider the following: a. Word of Mouth: Talking to people is a great way to raise support and awareness for your rally. If each person in your group can find 5 friends to commit, that’s already a big group attending; imagine if those 5 friends each find another 5 friends! b. Flyers/Posters: Designing and posting a flyer or poster about your rally is another effective way to get the word out. Your flyer or poster should be clear and concise, include your message, and include all relevant information about time and location. c. Bulletins/Announcements: Take advantage of existing methods for getting the word out. Does your school have announcements during homeroom? Does your synagogue or church have a bulletin? Do any of your community organizations or youth groups have a monthly newsletter? Does your apartment building or community have a bulletin board? Make sure to get the information about your rally included in these resources as well. 3. Are there any groups we can coordinate with? Activism is all about networking! Like-minded organizations can provide support, resources and people for your rallies. Jewish World Watch can help connect you to other organizations in your area that might be interested in helping you out.


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4. Can we get press coverage? You might consider trying to generate some press coverage for your event. If you have a large group of people coming together for an issue, you will want people to know about it. Your local newspaper, TV station, and local radio stations often have community service announcements. You’ll want to consider sending a Media Advisory – a brief description of your event - to local TV stations, radio stations, and newspapers – and don’t forget your school newspaper! A sample Media Advisory is below:

FOR PLANNING PURPOSES Contact: [Insert contact info for your group here] MEDIA ADVISORY DAY of your event: TITLE (for example, Local student advocates rally for peace in Darfur) CITY – DESCRIPTION OF YOUR EVENT (Example: Local student activists will on hold a rally in [CITY] on [DATE] to raise awareness of the ongoing genocide in Darfur and conflict in Congo. Activists, joined by [LIST ANY NOTED PARTICIPANTS HERE], aim to pressure China – as Sudan’s chief diplomatic sponsor, major weapons provider, and largest foreign investor and trade partner; and as host of the 2008 Summer Olympics – to use its unique position to lead the world in bringing an end to the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Darfur. WHO: [NOTED PARTICIPANT, TITLE] [NOTED PARTICIPANT, TITLE] […] WHEN: [DAY], [DATE], [TIME] WHERE: [NAME OF LOCATION] [ADDRESS] About [Your Group] – Description of Your Group here (Example, from Save Darfur: The Save Darfur Coalition raises public awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and mobilizes a unified response to the atrocities that threaten the lives of people throughout the Darfur region. It is an alliance of more than 180 faithbased, advocacy and humanitarian organizations. The coalition’s member organizations represent 130 million people of all ages, races, religions and political affiliations united together to help the people of Darfur. For more information on the coalition, please visit www.SaveDarfur.org. To obtain footage from the Darfur border region, coalition events, various interviews, and more, please visit the Save Darfur Coalition media gallery at http://media.savedarfur.org. All footage may be previewed in non-broadcast quality and may be purchased in broadcast quality by filling out the purchase request form provided on the site.)


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Step Three: Holding Your Rally Major Skills: Inspiration You’re organized, you’re advertised, and you’re ready to hold your rally! This is the great part – where all your work serves to inspire your community to action. Here are a few things you’ll want to get together in the days before your rally: 1. Program: Make sure you know what’s going to happen at your rally at every moment. Are you going to spend the whole time on a street corner, getting attention from cars? Are you going to have any speakers? Make a timeline or an agenda for your rally and give copies to all of the organizers – you’ll need to know what should happen when. 2. Materials: What are you going to need on the day of the rally? Make a check-list of materials and make sure someone is responsible for bringing every item. Some things you might need on the day of the rally are: press advisories, leaflets or flyers to hand out, signs and posters, a microphone or megaphone, a podium, etc. If you’re having speakers, you may want to have somewhere for them to sit while they’re waiting to speak. If you’re planning on having a petition at your rally (see Sample Project #1, above), you will also need copies of your petition, pens for people to sign with, and possibly clip boards. 3. Delegates: You’ll want to delegate specific tasks to specific people in your Activist Circle. Someone should be responsible for: a. Day-of coordination: This person should be the person primarily responsible for making sure the program for the day is adhered to. They’ll cue speakers, make sure everyone’s on time, and so forth. b. Crowd control: This person is responsible for making sure everyone adheres to any rules in your location. They should be firm, but respectful and polite. c. Materials: This person is primarily responsible for making sure that needed materials arrive at the rally on time. That doesn’t mean that this person has to create all the materials, but they are in charge and are responsible. d. Press: If you’re expecting any press to come out, you’ll want to designate one person as a spokesperson to greet the press and answer any questions about the event. It’s good to have someone like this prepared just in case! e. Chant leader: Chants are a great way to get energy up at your rally, but if you don’t write the chants ahead of time and designate a person to lead them, we guarantee SOMEONE at your rally will do it for you – and you never know what they’ll say! f. Leaflet/flyer person: If you’re planning on having any information to hand out to passers-by (flyers, brochures, leaflets and etc), you’ll want to designate specific people to be responsible for handing out materials. Remember, a big part of your job at this rally is to inspire your community and your leaders to take action. They can only have as much energy as you do, so go for it! Good luck at your rally! Jewish World Watch 2011

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ACTIVIST CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING DEVELOPMENT HANDBOOK Earning your ACT Refugee Relief Tag, the third and final step towards your Youth Activist Certification, means working to raise the money we need to get essential aid to the refugees in Darfur. We’ve divided this handbook into two specific sections – Introduction to Refugee Relief and Sample Projects. In the first section, you’ll learn why refugee relief is so important and get information on some of the Refugee Relief programs you can support. The second section will take you through two sample projects: how to organize and build a team for the 2011 Walk to End Genocide, and how to organize a fundraising event.


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Development Project How to Give You’ve learned how to educate your community and raise awareness about genocide. You’ve learned how to ask the leaders of the world to take action to stop the genocide in Darfur and human rights violations in Congo. In the long run, your education and advocacy skills are what will make the genocide in Darfur and war in Congo end. By educating your community and raising awareness, you can get more people involved in the movement to stop the genocide and other mass atrocities. And that means more people involved in the real essential work of advocacy, asking the American and world leaders to take the kind of action that will bring peace to Darfur, Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. Development can be seen as just a temporary solution, something that one can do immediately but, ultimately, will not solve a crisis. Providing temporary relief won’t end the genocide in Darfur or the war in Congo. But if you take a second look at what development accomplishes, it’s just as important as a full intervention. Providing refugees and survivors with food, water, shelter, and medical supplies will not convince the Sudan Government, the Janjaweed, or Congolese rebels to stop fighting. But it will keep those affected alive until peace does come. Working to meet the needs of the refugees and survivors in the short term, then, is just as important as working to end genocide in the long term. In fact, you can’t do one without doing the other. That’s why, to earn your certification, you must learn the skills involved in all three aspects of activism: Education, Advocacy and Development. Take a minute to think about what you really need to survive. Everyone needs: food, clean water, medical care, shelter. These sorts of needs are called “basic needs” in the relief world, because they are the basic building blocks of survival. Some of the other things that refugees really need are psychological counseling, education, jobs, and skills training. All of these things are absolutely necessary if refugees/ survivors are going to not only survive, but recover, rebuild, and thrive. By supporting these high-impact projects on the ground you are making a real difference to those who are most affected by these conflicts. These projects mean more to them than you can imagine and give many the opportunity to regain their dignity and their lives. The first step is to choose which project you’d like to fund, as your work can go a lot further when focused in one place.


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Current Jewish World Watch Projects WOMEN IN CRISIS: Women and girls suffer disproportionately during conflict, often subject to all forms of gender-based violence. But women also play essential roles as survivors and rebuilders of society, often responsible for ensuring the livelihood of their families amidst chaos and destruction. JWW works to help women survivors rebuild their lives through projects that not only provide relief but restore dignity, build skills, and provide opportunities for economic development. Solar Cooker Project, Darfuri Refugee Camps in Chad 

By manufacturing solar cookers, Darfuri refugee women use natural energy from the sun to heat meals without the need for long and often dangerous walks to collect firewood. The project not only serves to protect women, but also provides them with income opportunities through manufacturing solar cookers, training others to use the cookers, and producing carrying bags to increase the life span of the cookers.

HEALing Arts Center, Congo 

By teaching women vocational skills such as sewing and tailoring, this project offers survivors of sexual violence a chance to pay for their medical treatment and a way to restart their lives.

Safe Motherhood Project, Congo 

Women join together in Maternity Collectives and together run a small business. The profits help to train traditional birth attendants and pay for each woman's prenatal and maternity care.

Training Female Journalists 

Rural Congolese women are trained as radio journalists to report on sexual and gender-based violence, women’s rights and human rights issues.

Animal Husbandry Training 

Female survivors of sexual violence learn animal husbandry skills, raising small livestock for food and fertilizer, while at the same time rebuilding their families and communities.

CHILDREN IN CONFLICT: With an entire generation growing up in refugee camps or displaced by conflict, the futures of Sudan and Congo are in jeopardy unless JWW can provide for their children. JWW projects support the health and well-being of Darfuri refugee children, providing them with the supplies that meet their basic needs and programs that provide for their future growth.


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Sister Schools, Darfuri Refugee Camps in Chad 

JWW, in partnership with the Darfur Dream Team and top NBA players, has sponsored the building, staffing and equipping of the Sudan Djedid (New Sudan) and Ali Dinar B Schools in the Djabal refugee camp in Eastern Chad. The schools will serve over 4000 students and will be the first in a series of schools built in the 12 Darfuri refugee camps in Chad. In partnership with the Gary Saltz Foundation, JWW is currently building a new school in the Goz Amer refugee camp as well.

Darfuri Refugee Children in Israel 

JWW has supported the health and well-being of 81 Darfuri refugee children absorbed by the Bialik Rogosin School in Tel Aviv. After traveling to Israel by foot and undergoing a harrowing experience, the children receive hot meals, psychosocial counseling and health and hygiene workshops sponsored by JWW, which provide both the children and their parents with the essentials for ensuring the children’s success in the future. JWW is now providing these children with further psychosocial counseling and also remedial education resources so that they can study at the same pace as their peers.

HEALTH & SAFETY: In areas of conflict, ordinarily preventable or treatable conditions can easily turn into life-and-death situations. JWW works to maintain the health of refuges through projects that both provide much-needed medical aid and supplies and further develop the knowledge and skills of the refugees themselves to maintain their own health and sanitation. Rape and Crisis Center of Chambucha, Congo 

In partnership with the International Medical Corps, JWW is building, staffing and equipping a Rape and Crisis Center in Chambucha, Congo, a remote area in North Kivu. The Center will provide the highest level of gynecological and obstetric surgical care to the 22,000 women of reproductive age in the region.

Primary Care Health Posts, Darfuri Refugee Camps in Chad 

A network of four primary health care centers focused on treating preventable diseases, acting as urgent care centers and offering health and sanitation programming.

Bukavu Burn Center, Congo 

Through a unique partnership with Israeli NGOs and Congolese hospitals, JWW has established eastern Congo's first Burn Center with the region's first skin grafting equipment.


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Past Projects Jewish World Watch has been lucky to have many student activists over the years that have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for on-the-ground projects that have significantly improved the lives of the people of Darfur and Congo. Here are a few examples of their projects: Shelby Lane: Refashioned and sold vintage jewelry, of which 100% of the proceeds she had donated to the JWW Solar Cooker Project. She has also hosted screenings, implemented JWW’s Activist Certification and Training program at her high school and raised awareness in her community. Jacob Robinson: Jacob started painting spoons and selling them for six dollars each. The hand painted spoons can be hung up as an artistic reminder of what is happening in Sudan, while a plain wooden spoon is sent to the Darfuri refugees to help the women cook their food. Gabe Ferrick: Put on his own Walk for Darfur in Santa Rose, CA. In order to achieve this monumental project, he spoke to hundreds of people in local schools, synagogues and youth groups and got them all involved. Jessica and Aaron Isaacs: These siblings along with many friends, put on a full day of activities for students of all ages. They fasted for seven hours in honor of the seven-year-long genocide in Darfur. It was an incredible afternoon of singing, dancing, letter writing, advocating, solar cooking and educating. Hannah Kolus: Started the Paperclips club at Burbank High School, met with Congressional Representatives, organized a candle light vigil, put together a community Genocide Awareness Week, and participated in a live feed with students at the JWW Sister School in Chad.

Where to Get Involved JWW currently has activist clubs at the following public and private high schools. Don’t see yours? Start your own! Agoura High School Burbank High School Calabasas High School Harvard-Westlake Hebrew High Academy High Tech LA Kehilla High School Milken Community High School New Jewish Community High School Oak Park High School Santa Monica High School Shalhevet High School

Taft Valley Torah Yeshiva University, Los Angeles


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Ways to Fundraise Fundraising is one of the most difficult parts of being an activist. It’s not easy to ask for money, even when it’s for good projects. Here are some ideas and tips to be the most effective. Fundraising Ideas 1. Organize a Walk To End Genocide team 2. Hold a bake sale 3. Get your school to add on an extra dollar to an activity price “Dollars for Darfur” 4. Design T-shirts to sell 5. Have an art show and sell the art 6. Have a car wash 7. Put on a concert 8. Utilize local businesses to give a portion of the proceeds for one night 9. Have a garage sale 10. Have a basketball or soccer tournament 11. Hold a dance-a-thon 12. Sell candy 13. Organize a penny drive between grade levels 14. Make crafts 15. Send letters to family and community members 16. Run a farmers market booth 17. Join a community fair 18. Sell hot coco or apple cider in the winter 19. Have a comedy night 20. Have a holiday card sale 21. Have an arm wrestling contest between teachers 22. Have a fashion show 23. Do a recycling campaign 24. Sell flowers 25. Sponsor a fundraising dinner Jewish World Watch 2011

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Things to Remember 1. Know Your Strengths: With your group, do a quick inventory of the skills and interests you collectively have. The most successful events are the ones based on interests and hobbies you already. If you like doing something or making something, it’s likely that someone else will be interested in participating or, hopefully, in buying. 2. Target Your Community: While it’s really important to play to your own strengths and hobbies, you also have to remember to sell a product or activity that is appropriate for the community you’re targeting. 3. Plan Your Budget: It’s important to know how much an event is going to cost in the early part of planning. Consider the cost of every part of the event and look for potential sources of donations. The more stuff you get donated, the more you’ll have for the project. 4. Advertise: Utilize all social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter, or text messaging. This can also mean placing signs around town and at community bulletin boards, putting posters up at school, or making an announcement during homeroom. You might also want to put an ad in your school newspaper or synagogue/church bulletin. 5. Reel them in: Think about how you’re going to attract people that just happen to be walking by your event. Do you have welcome signs? Are you all wearing the same color shirt? Is someone assigned to greet people? 6. Remember to document: Take photos of all important things about your event, like participants, the products you’re selling, the signs, and especially the members of your group! 7. Clean up: Make sure you leave your venue in the same state in which you found it. Clean up any stray paper, materials, and signs. Check to make sure you haven’t left anything behind! 8. Thank Yous: Make sure to thank anyone who helped with your event. That means teachers, rabbis, other community leaders, any sponsors – anyone and everyone that helped make your event a success. It’s very effective to send a thank you card. 9. Count it Up: Time to figure out how much money you raised. Count up all the money you made from donations, sales and etc. Remember to deduct the amount your event cost!


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10. Donate: You can give your money to JWW in one of several ways. Feel free to stop by the office with cash. Or you can give the money to a parent or a teacher and ask them to give you a check in return. That check can be sent to Jewish World Watch at: 5551 Balboa Blvd, Encino, CA 91316. Remember to include the development project you raised the money for on the check, or you can give your donation to JWW as an organization for operating costs that allow us to run the organization.

Sample Development Project 1: Organize a Walk to End Genocide Team! Jewish World Watch tries to hold events that contain at least two pillars of our mission: educate, advocate, and development. Sometimes we are lucky enough that all three fit in together. The Walk to End Genocide, in April, is an example of all three. We are gathering thousands of people together (advocacy) to raise money (for development projects) and participate in an Awareness Fair (education). Putting together a team for the Walk to End Genocide gives you a chance to flex all your activist skills. It means rallying people to a cause, organizing your community and, of course, having a good time! Below are a few tips on how to organize your team for the Walk: 1. Choose a Team Leader Before you get started, you’ll need to choose a team leader. Your team leader is going to be in charge of starting the registration process on the Walk to End Genocide website,www.WalktoEndGenocide.org. He or she will also be in charge of making announcements to your entire team on the website. 2. Register Your Team Registering your team on the Walk to End Genocide website is really easy: 

To create your team, your team leader should go to www.WalktoEndGenocide.org. At the top of the page, click the link that says “Register here”



This will take you to a page with a waiver. ALL WALKERS MUST ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. Read the waiver and click “I accept” if you agree to continue.


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

That link will take you to the registration page, where you will find a menu with several choices. Your team leader should click “Start a Team” and then fill out his or her information. Your team leader will be asked to choose a team name (make sure you discuss this ahead of time so that you all know what team to sign up for!), and to choose a fundraising goal (how much money you think your team can raise) and a recruitment goal (how many people you think you can get to join your team). You can always change these goals later.

There are variable registration fees for the Walk – but in all cases, you have a choice: you can either pay your fee yourself, or (and we encourage this!) you can raise the money by getting family, friends and local businesses to sponsor you. Here are the fees: 

Children 11 and under: No Fee

We suggest:   

Teens: Set a goal to raise at least $50.00. Those walkers who raise at least $50 will receive a walk T-Shirt. Adult: Set a goal to raise at least $75.00. Those walkers who raise at least $75 will receive a walk T-Shirt. Bar/Bat Mitzvah Project: Set a goal to raise at least $180.00. Those walkers who raise at least $180 will receive a walk T-Shirt and a special tote bag.

Adjust these suggestions to your community’s reality as you see fit. 

Make sure you join the team! If you are not the team leader, make sure you and everyone in your group joins your team. To do so, click on the “Join a Team” option, then select your team from the drop-down menu that appears. The rest of the instructions are the same!

3. Build your Team! The Walk website is really versatile and gives you a lot of options to help you build your team. You’ll be able to keep track of your fundraising and recruiting goals, invite people to join your team, and invite people to sponsor you for the walk. To do all these things, you visit your headquarters, “HQ” – and of course, getting there is easy! From the main www.WalktoEndGenocide.org homepage, you’ll see a place to log in on the left. Click “Main Login” and type in the username and password you selected when you registered. You’ll be taken to your headquarters (HQ).


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Click on the “Email” tab and edit the email asking people to join your team (make sure you include your team name). Send it to as many people as possible - Remember: you can rally your friends, neighbors, and family to join your group. We’re keeping tabs on the size of the team - the largest team gets to lead the walk! You can also use this page to get people to sponsor you for the walk (see below) – just edit the email accordingly and, again, send it to everyone you know! 4. Get Sponsored! One of the most important things you can do for Darfur and Congo right now is to get sponsors for the Walk. Getting sponsors means more than raising money for the refugees and victims – although these people, now more than ever, desperately need our help. But remember – each person that you get to sponsor you is another person that has heard about the genocide in Darfur and conflict in Congo. Visit your HQ (by logging in with the username and password you chose when you registered) and go to the tab that says “My Webpage.” Edit your webpage however you like – you can add a new picture, choose a different theme, and even edit some of the text that comes up! Once you submit, this will create a personal donation page for you – one that you can send around to anyone and everyone you know. Next, click on the email tab. Edit the email however you like, and send it to EVERYONE! The email will automatically include the link to your personal donation page.

5. Prepare As A Team You’ll want everyone to know that everyone walking with you is on one team. Consider making banners, posters, matching hats and shirts – anything to identify your team. 6. Walk! On the Sunday of the event, get ready to walk! Check-in begins at 8:00, and the Walk itself will begin promptly at 9:00 AM. Make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes! And have your banners and signs with you so that everyone knows that the team leading the way is your group. With thousands of people present, you want to make sure your team stands out. Drink plenty of water! Good luck!


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At the Awareness Fair you’ll have the opportunity to collect information to then pass on to everyone you know, which will help you spread the word about what’s happening in Darfur and Congo. You’ll also have opportunities to take advocacy actions that will help end the genocide in Darfur and the conflict in Congo. We will also need some volunteers at the walk site at 7 AM to help set up, and some to remain after the walk until about 12 PM to clean up. If you’re interested, you can earn double the community service hours for volunteering!


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Sample Development Project 2: Organize a Fundraising Event! Putting together any event – from something as simple as a bake sale to something as complex as a concert – takes the same set of skills. You’ll have to rely on your organizational skills, from organizing your resources to organizing people. We purposefully didn’t put together a handbook on a specific type of event. This trimester, we hope that you and your group can focus on using your own skills and interests to come up with an event that will appeal to your community – and you know that information best! Most of all, we want you to remember that the purpose of this project isn’t necessarily to raise as much money as possible. Of course, more money means more aid for the people of Darfur and Congo. But what’s important here is that you reach out to as wide a community as possible. Each person that you speak to – whether they choose to donate money or not – is someone else you’ve educated about the genocide in Darfur or conflict minerals in Congo. Step One Planning Your Event A successful event is a well-planned event. The more details you can work out ahead of time, the less scrambling you’ll have to do while your event is happening. And that means you’ll be able to speak to more people more effectively. Here are some things you might want to think about: Know Your Strengths. With your group, do a quick inventory of the skills and interests you collectively have. Is anyone particularly good at writing? Maybe you could put together a story for your school newspaper. Is anyone good at music? Consider a concert for Darfur and/or Congo! Art, drawing, jewelry making, cooking, sports…all of these hobbies can be turned into fantastic events: art shows, jewelry sales, bake sales, basketball tournaments. The most successful events are the ones based on interests and hobbies you already have – because you’re playing to your strengths, you’ll be able to spend more time talking to people and convincing them to support your cause. And if you like doing something or making something, it’s likely that someone else will be interested in participating or, hopefully, in buying. Decide on Location. You’ll want to hold your event somewhere accessible, easy to get to, and ideally, free. School is always a great choice, as is your synagogue, church or community organization. If you’re planning on holding a concert, try your school auditorium or the social hall at your religious institution or community center. Sports tournaments can be held at public parks, school gyms, and many community centers. And sales – bake sales, jewelry sales, anything sales! – can be held just about anywhere that has high foot traffic. Plus, you can ask business venues to donate space Jewish World Watch 2011

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Target Your Community. While it’s really important to play to your own strengths and hobbies, you have to remember to sell a product or activity that is appropriate for the community you’re reaching out to. Are you planning on doing an event in your synagogue, with people of all ages? Then a basketball tournament might not be a great idea, but a bake sale could work really well! On the other hand, selling something really expensive at your school might not work, while you could probably put on a more expensive event at your synagogue or at another community organization. Plan Your Budget. It’s important to know how much an event is going to cost in the early part of planning. For a carwash, for example, cost would include soap, washcloths, and use of a facility. You may need to have some money up front to buy supplies for the event. You could potentially ask your student council to sponsor your event, or seek sponsorship from parents or even local businesses Get your supplies together. Make a list of all of the supplies and materials you will need to bring with you for your event to run smoothly. What will you need to bring from home? What will you need to buy? Assign responsibilities to everyone in your group equally. You may want to assign one person in your group to call everyone the night before your event and remind them of what to bring. Always bring advocacy materials, such as petitions and letter-writing cards, as well as general JWW literature. Advertise! As noted above, make use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and text message, as well as placing ads and flyers in public places and announcing your event at school. Step 2 – Event Day and Follow-Up On the day of your event, you’ll want to arrive early to the venue with your team members. Set up tables, chairs, signs and other equipment. Make sure you’ve assigned all of the various responsibilities for set up to everyone on your team ahead of time – that will help make set up as speedy as possible. Also remember to do all of the “Things to Remember” from a few pages ago: reeling people in, documenting the event, cleaning up, sending thank-you notes, counting up the money, and sending it to JWW. If you plan well and follow the list, you should have a very successful fundraising event!


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CONGRATULATIONS!!! Now that you’ve educated your community, advocated for public policy change, and raised funds for one of our high-impact on-the-ground projects, you are an official Jewish World Watch Youth Activist!! Everyone in your club who helped put on your events will get certified. All JWW needs is an evaluation of your project(s). Be sure to send us: 

Your school and club name

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A list of all the names of your club members

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Where the certificates should be sent

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Who organized and implemented the project?

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What was your project and how did you come up with the idea?

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The amount you raised

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Was your project successful?

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What was the most challenging part?

Once you have all your answers together, send them to [email protected] or mail them in Jewish World Watch 5551 Balboa Blvd Encino, CA 91316

Don’t Stop Yet! Even though your project is completed or the school year is over, this doesn’t mean your fight to end genocide has to end. It would be wonderful if your year of ACT training alone was all it took to end genocide, but unfortunately that’s not the case. The only way to ensure continued attention on these issues is continued engagement from the community. For every year you are involved with JWW, putting on events to educate, advocate, and fund development projects, you can earn higher and higher levels of activist certification! Year One:

JWW Youth Activist Certification

Year Two:

JWW Upstander Certification

Year Three:

JWW Change Maker Certification

Year Four:

JWW Anti-Genocide Campaigner Certification

Thank you for your continued dedication to helping end genocide in the world, to the people of Darfur and Congo, and to the message of Never Again! JWW couldn’t do it without you.


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