Abortion Rights Activist Bootcamp

Are you pro-choice and pissed off? Want to do something to guard and accelerate abortion rights, while also boosting your CV and making new friends? 

Abortion Rights wants YOU to join our Activist Bootcamp virtual training programme! 

What will I be doing?

Over a period of 9 months, you’ll receive comprehensive training in key campaigning skills including grassroots organising and engaging with MPs. At the end of the programme, you will complete a self-led activism project of your own design, supported by our experts. This could include putting on a local music or drama event, holding a protest, conducting some local research, or founding a local activist group.

Every month, you’ll attend two virtual group sessions and complete two independent tasks aimed at expanding your skills. In addition, you’ll receive 1:1 support from our expert team of mentors to support you in your learning and your self-led project. The total expected commitment is 2 hours per week.

What will you learn?

You’ll have access to tailored training and support delivered by some of the most experienced abortion rights activists and lobbyists in the UK. 

You’ll gain campaigning, project design and management experience to add to your CV, and you will also gain a new network of pro-choice allies in your fellow activists.

By the end of the programme, you will:

1. Understand and feel confident communicating the need for abortion decriminalisation, and understand the existing political and legal context for abortion rights across the UK.
2. Have the skills and confidence to campaign and mobilise people in your local area. 
3. Have the skills and confidence to engage directly with your MP.
4. Be able to apply a reproductive justice framework to your abortion rights activism.
5. Feel part of a community and movement of abortion rights activists.

You will be supported throughout the programme by:

• Monthly learning sessions with guest experts covering key skills and knowledge areas.
• Monthly ‘working group’ sessions with a small group of other activists.
• 1:1 support from a mentor every two months, to help you develop your bespoke programme.

Who can participate in the Activist Academy?

This programme is aimed at people of all ages and backgrounds with little to no previous experience of abortion rights activism. People of all genders are welcome to apply. 

We particularly encourage applications from people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those who did not attend university. 

We are sorry that this programme is currently only open to people living in England and Wales in 2022 – 23. We will examine the possibility of expanding the programme to cover Scotland and Northern Ireland in future. Unfortunately we are unable to accept applications from anyone under the age of 18.

How to apply

Applications will open on Saturday 30th July.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY