Why do we need to grow a mass movement?
Young people are facing multiple crises – housing is more expensive and insecure than ever, we face increasingly severe and intense climate disasters every year and cost of living means folks are doing it tough.
What’s exciting is that we have the power to change all this. This federal election, young people make up 47% of voters – more than ever before. This isn’t just about voting – it’s about transforming who has power in our democracy.
To make sure we make the most of this opportunity we need a mass movement aligned on a vision for the future with good jobs, great public services and a safe climate for all. Building a mass movement starts with joining people up – AKA recruitment!
How can we grow a mass movement?
Having 1:1 conversations – via phone, in person or on the street – are a really effective way to grow movements.
This is backed through research done by organisations like the Harvard Kennedy School Research by Marshall-Ganz, Analyst Institute, Yale & UCLA and The New Organising Institute (NOI), and on the ground organising experiences through large scale international campaigns.
For example, the Analyst Institute found that volunteers who receive personalised contact (1:1 calls or meetings) are 2-3x more likely to return than those who only get mass emails.
There are three key things to remember when thinking about growing a mass movement:
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You are giving someone an opportunity to be part of something, not asking for a favour.
Young people have an opportunity right now to make a difference in the world. At a time when there is so much injustice visible in the world, so many of us have a deep desire to be part of making change. When you are trying to recruit someone to something, you are giving them the opportunity to be a part of this change.
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Make a clear and tangible ask of someone
It’s important for someone to understand what you’re asking of them, so that they can make a decision on if they are available, interested and comfortable. If someone is unclear of what’s being asked of them, they’re more likely to say no!
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It’s OK to be nervous!
In our current world of being #girlbosses and #gymbros, it’s not often that we ask other people to do stuff. Doing this work is unfamiliar! It’s normal to feel uncertain or anxious about it. Remind yourself of what we are fighting for, to create a community in a world of lonely individuals, and the possibilities of thousands of young people holding those in power to account.
How do I have that conversation?
An example conversation script is presented below.
1. Connect
Set up the call – be clear about how much of their time you’re asking for. If not a good time – arrange for a time to call back. Introduce yourself and say why you’re calling.
Hey [their name], it’s [your name] calling from Tomorrow Movement. I’m calling because I saw you filled out [the YVB petition/for YVB updates/whatever form they filled] and I wanted to follow up. Is now a good time? I imagine we’ll chat for about 10 minutes.
2. Context
Provide some personal context for the current moment. Why are you calling them now? Why are you choosing to be involved with Tomorrow Movement and why is the thing you’re doing important? Describe the challenges we face and also the opportunities! Ask questions to draw out how they feel about it and what their values are.
Cool! I’m calling you today because I’m feeling really uncertain about my future and the future of my community, and at the same time really excited and motivated to take action to build a future with good jobs, great public services and a safe climate for all. Did you know young people make up more of the voting population than ever before? There will be more young voters – under 35 – than baby boomers for the first time, and we’re planning an action in [xxx] that I’m really excited about, and I think will tell that story and put some real pressure on my local MP.
I wanted to ask you – what made you want to sign up to Tomorrow Movement? How are you feeling about things right now with a federal election coming up?
Some other prompting questions:
- How are you going in the midst of the cost-of-living, housing and climate crises?
- What do you think young people need from politics that we’re not getting at the moment?
- What do you think it’s important to make part of the conversation?
3. Commitment
The hard ask! Explicitly ask the person if you can count on them to take that action with you. Be specific about the date, time, and place. Be specific about your ask & find common ground between what they think needs to be done & what we are trying to achieve.
What I wanted to share with you is what I’m using to keep hopeful and keep working for a world with good jobs, great public services and a safe climate for everyone. [Add some specific framing to connect to their context.]
Like I said before – 2025 is the election of young people. This is a real opportunity to change how democracy works in this country. We have the numbers to force politicians to be truly accountable to young people – we just need to get organised and show that power!
I wanted to offer you an opportunity to be part of grabbing this moment. What we’re planning is to show that our politicians have been captured by big business by showing how they’ve ‘sold out’ young people at MP offices all over the country. Imagine real estate-style signs saying “Affordable housing – SOLD OUT to property developers” or “A safe climate – SOLD to fossil fuel lobbyists”, or even mock auctions inside MP offices!
We’re planning an Action information session on Monday April 21st to help everyone get set up. It’s happening at 7pm AEST, 6:30 ACST, 5PM AWST, and is an opportunity to join a community of young people standing up to make politics work for us. Can I count on you being there?
4. Catapult
If someone says yes – give them a specific responsibility to help the event happen! Can they bring a friend, help find a venue or bring a particular resource?
Great! Can’t wait to meet you there. We’re really looking for folks in [their location] to join the training. Are you able to bring a friend along?
What if they say no?
Folks might have some hesitation about committing – and that’s fair enough! Some common objections are worked through below. We can use a framework called ‘LEAP’ to ‘leap’ over the barrier!
Listen: Ask questions and get people to open up to you, ask about:
– What what their values and what they care about?
– What’s motivated them to get involved.
These kind of questions help you understand an individual’s story of self, how they see themselves in the movement, and what’s their driving force to act now.
Explore: Find out why our solution could benefit them. Continue asking prompting questions to explore their values! Also share little about yourself to create trust & vulnerability to encourage them to share.
Acknowledge: Hopefully at this point they have shared their concerns or stories about their community, acknowledge their feelings & find common ground.
Pitch: Now is where we connect what they brought up to the solution we’re proposing. What can we do about it? What are you willing to do? Be specific about your ask & find common ground between what they think needs to be done & what we are trying to achieve.
If “No, not me”
- “Tell me more about what makes you unsure about getting involved?” → “At events, you’ll meet all sorts of young people discovering what we can achieve together. Whether it’s your first time or you’re already engaged, every voice adds to our power.”
If “No, not now”
- “What makes timing challenging for you?” → “There’s no perfect time to get involved, but right now feels like a big opportunity for young people ahead of the election. Start with whatever works for you.”
If “No, not unless”
- “What would make you feel more comfortable about joining?” → “Young people who care about our future are meeting up, sharing stories, and discovering what we can achieve together. Our Movement has places for everyone and every contribution is meaningful and worthwhile.”
If “No, too much”
- “What feels overwhelming about it?” → “Start by joining one event to see what’s possible. Whether it’s a social gathering or info session, you’ll discover how we’re building power together.”
If “No, not for this”
- “What kind of change are you hoping to see?” → “At events, young people aren’t just building power – we’re developing real leadership skills and connections that last beyond this election.”
Other opportunities
If the person is unavailable or interested in other opportunities, refer them to:
- Sign the Youth Voter Bloc petition – https://tomorrowmovement.com/events/youth-bloc-action/
- Our next big action after the election (sign up for more details): https://tomorrowmovement.com/events/youth-bloc-action/
- Upcoming events page – https://tomorrowmovement.com/get-involved/#upcomingevents
- A Welcome Call – https://tomorrowmovement.com/get-involved/#_welcomecall
Jack is a white settler on unceded Dharawal Country, in Wollongong.