Join the network
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*We use EU citizens as shorthand for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and non-EU family members with derived rights in the UK.
Key information
Location: Remote voluntary position with key dates for travel in the UK, with expenses covered by the3million
Duration: now until at least the next General Election (the date of which has not been announced yet, but is likely to take place anytime between April-December 2024)
We are recruiting members of the Network on an ongoing basis, however we are keen to build our core team by the end of October 2023, so the sooner you register your interest and book an introduction call with us, the better!
Main purpose
We believe that in order to achieve the kind of change in society that transforms the lives of EU citizens, our families and of migrants in the UK more generally, we need to become more powerful and organised. The EU Citizens’ Campaigns Network therefore aims to build a base through which to build the power of EU communities in the UK and, in turn, to direct that people power through strategic campaigns aimed at securing support from relevant decision-makers, such as the Home Secretary, Shadow Home Secretary, other MPs and regional leaders such as Metro Mayors and Council Leaders.
Our Network will bring together people who are either already playing a leadership role in their communities or who are committed to developing their leadership. We understand leadership in a broad sense: you may have a formal role in your community, for example you may be a teacher at a Supplementary School, a member of staff at a local charity or an active volunteer and point of contact in your faith congregation, or you may simply be connected to one or more European communities and eager to build more relationships with your community.
By bringing together EU citizens who are rooted in their respective European communities and are committed to working across other European communities in all our breadth and diversity, we aim to become a representative and authentic Network that takes effective action to tackle the root causes of the issues affecting us.
This means we will not deliver support services to alleviate the problems facing EU citizens, though we will of course sign post people to the many brilliant organisations that are in a position to deliver support. Rather, we will take a Community Organising approach which will roughly take us through the following key stages:
- Building our Network by recruiting a sufficient number of participants from all EU nationalities, living in all regions and nations of the UK, of different ages and backgrounds. We will pay particular attention to ensuring that we are accessible to EU citizens whose experiences are most often overlooked, e.g. people from racialised groups, people with limited English, etc.
- Carrying out Listening Campaigns to unearth the issues that are most affecting EU citizens in the UK, whether these be immigration related issues, issues related to other areas of Government policy or issues in their specific local communities;
- Developing our EU Citizens’ Manifesto for Change, after having collectively agreed what our priority issues are and what solutions we are calling for to address them;
- Organising an EU Citizens’ Accountability Summit ahead of the next General Election to publicly present our Manifesto for Change, demonstrate our people power by bringing hundreds of our wider community members together and engaging with decision-makers such as MPs in a public and transparent way;
- Holding MPs accountable on the basis of the commitments they have made in response to our Manifesto for Change, ensuring that the next Government implements our proposals.
The Network’s activities will be supported by a dedicated Community Organiser employed by the3million. However, the Network will be led by its members through collective decision-making.
Who we are looking for
- EU, EEA and Swiss citizens and non-EU family members with derived rights in the UK, who are over 18 years old;
- You must be motivated by a sense of anger at injustice and be excited to work with others to build people power and achieve systemic change;
- You may or may not have much experience in community organising or campaigning, but will be keen to learn and stretch yourself by attending our monthly meetings (which will include some training), by having regular check-ins with our Community Organiser to support you in your journey and by being willing to take action on agreed next steps in between monthly meetings;
- You should be interested in building relationships with others in the Network and beyond, and be willing to be responsive in communication with the group and the3million team.
- You should be committed to the3million’s values and vision of a world where EU citizens can thrive, reach their potential and have an equal voice in UK society.
the3million strives to be an actively anti-oppressive organisation, with equality and inclusion at the heart of our mission. We recognise the impact of systemic barriers and discrimination. Therefore, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from people of racialised backgrounds, LGBT+ people, disabled people and those who come from low socio-economic backgrounds. We also encourage people who live outside London, including in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to apply. Most meetings will be online, with travel expenses and accommodation covered for any occasional in-person meetings.
Time commitment
The minimum time commitment we are looking for is:
- 3 hours per month for remote meetings
- 3 hours per month for individual or small group work
- 3 full days during a 12 month period to attend face-to-face training and workshops (expenses are covered by the3million)
There will be a variety of ways to contribute and get involved, so the amount of time you commit beyond these activities depends on your availability and interest.
If you are interested in participating but are worried about previous commitments or barriers such as childcare, please get in touch as we may be able to help.
About the3million
the3million is the largest grassroots organisation for EU citizens in the UK, formed after the 2016 referendum to protect the rights of people who have made the UK their home.
Our vision is a world where EU citizens can thrive, reach their potential and have an equal voice in UK society.
We inform EU citizens about their rights, mobilise communities, campaign and advocate for social change and promote the lived experience of EU citizens through the media and communications.
How to join
Please register your interest for taking part in the Network by filling out a short online form, so that we can get in touch with you to arrange a call or meeting so we can get to know you better and discuss your suitability for joining the Network (or for any of the other exciting opportunities available). The purpose of the call would be to ensure that the work of the Network meets your interests and so that we can understand how to best support you as a potential Network member.
While recruitment of Network members will carry on, we aim to have our core team set up by October 2023, so please register your interest as soon as you can!
If you aren’t able to submit our online form to register your interest, or if you have any questions about whether this is the right opportunity for you, please do not hesitate to contact our Community Organiser, Daphne Giachero, directly at [email protected].
