Your Party is a place for communities and campaigners of all stripes to come together to build power.
Ahead of a formal organisation, there's a need for interim democratic structures that are good enough for now, safe enough to try, and help us get everyone involved and active.
Examples
- A motion from some people in Sheffield to the local self-appointed organising committee. It suggests a process for electing a new organising committee.
Please email info@yourparty.tools if you're willing to share yours on this page.
Possible structures
A lot of political groups start by electing an organising committee to take responsibility for managing the group, but other approaches exist.
Option 1. Elected committee
Option 2. Elected committee + accountable working groups
Option 3. Sovereign member assemblies + interim working groups
Option 4. Local groups + delegates to the spokes-council
This is not an exhaustive menu!
Teams and groups
The way you structure your branch should reflect the kind of activities you collectively want to be involved in.
Member sections / fractions
Some organisations have open-ended, self-organised members' sections (a.k.a. 'fractions') based on their shared demographic or positional criteria:
- E.g. A youth section for members under 30, that meets every month and runs socials
- E.g. An energy industry section for members who are current or former workers, or family of workers, focused on rank-and-file organising or trade union campaigning, but maybe also discussing industrial planning and political programme
- E.g. A renters' section, interested organising within their tenants unions and discussing tenant rights and housing policy
- E.g. A campaigning forum focused on supporting local Apartheid Free Zones or Anti-Raids Groups
Project teams and task forces
Other teams might be more task-oriented, such as:
- A grievance collection team that organises doorstep canvassings, stalls and assemblies which can help shape branch strategy and goals
- A propaganda team that designs posters, leaflets and other materials in response to situations and requests from members
- A fundraising team that raises money to support the group's activities
What branch structure helps people do these activities and more?
Leadership as hospitality
Because Your Party is a place for collective action, people who are elected or appointed to leadership positions, like "officer" roles, should consider how they can act with hospitality in mind.