Action Network Introduction and Support

📚 Resources, Guides & Procedures Online Tools: The Base, Mattermost, etc
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#1

Action Network support

Need help with Action Network? Look through the information below first, and if it doesn’t answer your questions, then post in the Action Network channel in Mattermost. (Reply to this thread below if you can’t access the Mattermost channel.)

Note: All rebels must sign and agree to the XR Aus Action Network User Agreement before being given access to Action Network.

Action Network Training

Here are some recent training videos that provide an overview of Action Network along with explanations of how to create events and send emails. These videos are recorded by @amorph from XR Vic. The content is largely applicable to all XR groups. Download the training notes so you can refer to them later.

Action Network Training

Action Network (AN) is the activist management tool that we use within Extinction Rebellion Australia. It allows us to bulk email activists, create events, forms and reports. This document provides resources for learning Action Network and details how we are using it within XR Australia.

Before starting it’s important that you both read through and accept the Action Network User Agreement.

Learning AN

We recommend following the Getting Started Guide provided by AN. In particular we would recommend the following videos and pages:

The next step is to get familiar with particular features in AN. Below are some video tutorials and resources on the commonly used features by XR SA. You can watch and read these as needed.

These resources should give you a solid foundation in AN. If you’re looking for more information then consult the Knowledge Base. AN also offers online training sessions.

Data Safety

We ask that you always use data from within Action Network and only export it out of the system in exceptional circumstances.

ASK yourself:

Question 1

“Can I use the data directly in the system rather than exporting it?”

  • Yes ✓ yay!
  • No ✗ then go to question 2

Question 2

“Can the team managing the system configure it so I can?”

  • Yes ✓ yay!
  • No ✗ then go to question 3

Question 3

“Do I need to export personal information?”

  • Have I exported the minimum required for the job - do I really need donation amounts or addresses?
  • Do I absolutely have to print it?
  • Have I deleted/destroyed the file as soon as I don’t need it?
  • Is the information secure and locked away when I’m not using it?

How is XR Australia using AN

XR Australia has its own AN group. Each state/territory within Australia is a child group that is linked to the national group. Local branches are child groups for the appropriate state group. This setup allows us to share paid AN features and to synchronise activist records across all branches.

Rebel Sign Up

New rebels can sign up to XR through the national sign up form which has been embedded into the national website. AN has been configured with ladders such that new sign ups will automatically be added to the appropriate groups based on their postcode.

Training Events

NOTE: This section was taken from this original document which was created for South Australian rebels. Have left this part in as other groups may choose to use a similar approach.

Where possible we are only sharing the locations of our CP/NVDA and Marshal trainings with those who have registered for the event.

To do this in AN you will need to select ‘No Physical Location’ when creating the event and then manually add the location to:

  • ‘Instructions For Your Attendees’ section that is displayed after activist RSVP’s
  • Auto Email Response
  • 24 Hour Reminder Email

Shared National Fields

The following fields are shared from the national group to all child groups.

  • experience - Experience/skills field from sign up form
  • Location - Field representing state/territory the user is from (State field in Action Network describes US States)

We also use Action Network’s built-in fields First Name , Last Name , Email , Mobile Number , ZIP/Postal Code , City which are also shared between all groups.

Shared National Tags

The following tags are from the national sign up form.

Question: Would you like to help organise in your city?

  • Yes = YesOrganise
  • Maybe = MaybeOrganise
  • No = NoOrganise

Would you like to participate in our non-violent direct actions?

  • Yes = yesNVDA
  • Maybe = maybeNVDA
  • No = noNVDA

Have you had non-violent direct action training already?

  • Yes = AlreadyNVDAtrained
  • No = InviteToNVDATraining

In addition, people who attend a “Welcome to XR” talk held by XR Victoria (but open to rebels nationwide) are tagged with BeenToOrientationTalk. This tag is shared across state groups.

Removing activist from all groups

Please forward any requests to remove users from all XR Australia Action Network groups to support@ausrebellion.earth.

Other Resources

1 Like
🔥 National Actions Updates
#2

Thanks Max and Andy, looks a good resource. Will look at it in more detail when I get a moment.

1 Like
#3

Here’s Luis from Queensland’s guide to onboarding people onto Action Network for the purposes of disseminating newsletters:

  • Learn how to use well, before showing others.
  • AN is easy, systems feeding the info in is the crucial part. Can use Signal Groups or an MM channel (or the Base)
  • However the group is organised, info comes from media team, actions, facebook/events… UK newsletter for rebels to feel part of the global movement.
  • All images 700px so newsletter doesn’t fall apart in some browsers. Free resizing software https://www.fotosizer.com/
  • To clean hidden junk code from Word or similar, paste in a .txt and copy again.
  • Main themes of the newsletters:

Inspirational Welcome Quote Inclusivity in a Global Movement, Education, De-escalation, Regen Culture, Celebrate Victories, Featured Activist(s) in your area, Groups in your area, Meetings in your area, Events in your area, Further Reading. Acknowledgement of Country

  • On average, takes about 10 hours over a few days to get a group running smoothly.
  • Proofreading! Extra person to proofread.
  • Best tool I know to say more, better and write less is “Elements of Style” by Strunk & White. Attached

Hope this helps.

2 Likes
#4

And there is also a Private Action Network channel on the National Mattermost . If you wish to join to trouble shoot there with quicker comms then message me or max to be added.

1 Like
#5

Attachment now attached: Best tool I know to say more, better and write less is “Elements of Style” by Strunk & White.
Luis
The-elements-of-style.pdf (672.7 KB)

#6

Just want to confirm if Action Network should be used for self registration by informed and committed XR members who are volunteering time and ideas to organising and administering our rebellion?

Or could it be used as a more general member database and tool to assist in managing general public expressions of interest and tracking follow up phone calls and emails to get support getting new members introduced to relevant Affinity Groups?

XR-ACT have been trying to manage with spreadsheets and phone up parties, but the record keeping is cumbersome and can get a bit messy. I saw a post in the global IT channel about a Client Relationship Management system coming in March or April, but if Action Network already provides the suitable tools we could adopt it.

#7

In my opinion it’s best for managing general contact with your rebel base, and you are best off using other tools to keep track of your “core organizers” who do work in your working groups. You could also use it to track who’s done NVDA training and things like that for more targeted communications.
In Vic we are definitely not using Action Network for its full potential.

1 Like
#8

Does anyone know of or have access to a kind of memorandum/guideline/agreement for use of AN - to ensure correct and proper use for XR purposes? :slight_smile:

2 Likes
#9

I think there should be one - a privacy / proper use contract of some sort.
There’s some stuff about data safety in the guide’s above but no formal contract as far as I know.

1 Like
#10

do you know who is in the group that could write one? Apart from @Chris who is a bit flat out?

#11

@ageorge
Hi, took me a couple days but finally got round to watching the intro to Action Network. It looks like a really fantastic tool for us.
The relevant postcodes for the Frankston area would include;
3199, 3910, 3200, 3198, 3930, 3911

1 Like
#12

@sam_clarke ball is rolling on this :slight_smile:

2 Likes
#13

Hi Max. Qld created these guidelines:


Your comments appreciated

Project: Initiating new XR local groups
#14

Hi Jem
Repeated message reply to Max.
Qld created these guidelines:


Your comments appreciated

#15

Could you please create a publicly sharable link for this file? At the moment no one else is able to read this file.

You can create this link by selecting the ‘Share Icon’ (three connected dots) and then selecting ‘Share Link +’.

#16

Sorry, everyone. Should be fixed.

#17

Hi all, For XR Youth I have been trying to set up the activist list, but when I go to specify which state to include it only has states from the U.S even though in settings the default country is Australia. Does anyone know what the solution to this issue might be? Thanks

#18

If I remember correctly, there’s a little hyperlink under the State select field that says “Not in the US?” and if you click it it lets you select Australia, or something.
For automatically adding people to their state group when they sign up on the website we specify using postcode ranges.

#19

@ManicMax could you please edit the post to remove the above line? We have now migrated over to Action Network’s built-in mobile field so this no longer applies. Thanks!

From now on, we use the builtin Mobile Number field (aka can2_phone) for storing mobile numbers.

#20

So should I change it to

can2_phone - Phone number provided to us on sign up.