I don’t think it is fair to say he is being quiet about this. I don’t think it comes up much in media interviews and such like as it is more a Labour activity than a national policy issue.

But he was pretty energised when talking about it at various hustings events and he seems actually to be trying to do it, which suggests it isn’t just a campaign stunt.

Sunny, I have two concerns regarding D Milliband’s sudden conversion to community organising. The first is whether his embrace of organising is essentially a means to an end, i.e to form a broad based Labour movement opposed to the coalition only to disband it after ejecting the Condems from office and returning to top-down ‘business as usual’. If organising is an end in itself then those advocating this approach need to clearly articulate how new activism and potentially parallel structures will be incorporated into the existing structures of the party.
The most serious concern though, has to be the fact that D Miliband has completely ignored the TUC’s organising academy model and the recent experience of trade unions in campaigning and building social capital though organising campaigns. This may well explain why he has so far only been able to secure the support of two unions.

Well, if he can’t find a thousand Labour activists who want him to be their Party’s leader and are willing to be rebranded as community leaders to that end then his campaign has no chance.

Still, maybe he is the right guy to lead Labour to a bigger defeat than 1983. After all, the Tories are at 44% in the polls and climbing…

This isn’t the right place to have a detailed discussion about this – all I’ll say is that there are many good local organisers in the Labour Party who do everything DM’s community organisers are supposed to be doing and more, but who are better integrated into the party’s membership structures. Where they are employed directly by CLPs they are directly accountable to members. But because of funding resources there are few and far between. I don’t want a private army of community organisers, I want a better-resourced network of Labour organisers.

I was quite interested in doing this but assumed that meant nailing my colours to the David Miliband mast in the leadership election. If thats not the case I may have a closer look at it.

I can see a need in my local area for community acitivism/organisationj on behalf of the communuity to deliver what the community needs and to attempt to protect services against the forthcoming cuts. It also puts the party at the heart of the community campaigning, as all CLPs generally are anyway. The other thing that would be useful in this is to look at what the leaders are wanted to deliver and how they interact with existing structures (to ensure there is no duplication).

Although I agree with Tim fs point on better resourcing for labour organisers.

@ Lee, Tim

Quite. Why invent new infra-structure? It seems almost sinister.

David’s Little Organisers.

My point should have been a bit better articulated.

That people who wish to get involved in community organising should be encouraged to utilise the structures that exist where possible and that additional support is given to current organisers who are working very hard. If this resource is used in addition too and is accountable to the local CLP then all well and good. If its David M s army. Not so.

Out of interest, isn’t this all a little bit..erm…’Big Society’? Unless I misunderstand the nature of what community organisers are supposed to do.

Sunny,

Totally wrong in what you’re saying about David being silent on this part of his campaign.

This was from today:

http://yfrog.com/n47fgj

It’s David at a Movement for Change event with the Ugandan community where leaders in the Ugandan community received some of the Future Leader training. He attended a similar event for the Congolese community yesterday which he blogged about here:

http://www.davidmiliband.net/2010/07/26/we-must-use-our-energy-and-voice-to-fight-for-human-rights/

There are also plenty of account of Future Leaders and mentions about the Movement for Change on his website:

http://www.davidmiliband.net/2010/07/26/i-came-away-from-m4c-feeling-positive-about-the-change-i-could-make/

http://www.davidmiliband.net/2010/07/20/we-must-stand-for-a-bigger-society-not-the-big-society/

http://www.davidmiliband.net/2010/07/19/can-labour-learn-from-london-citizens/

http://www.davidmiliband.net/2010/07/15/obama-style-community-organising-in-st-telios/

http://www.davidmiliband.net/2010/07/14/were-beginning-to-see-results-with-the-m4c/

And what about the exclusive article that was in the Sunday Mirror:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/2010/07/11/miliband-s-army-take-on-the-cuts-115875-22404371/

i feel as though I’m about to expose myself as a David Miliband supporter, which actually I’m not (I remain undecided between three candidates as to which one I think is best)

But this plan for commmunity organisers is very much what Obama did with the Democrats before his election and it is largely about getting Labour members more actively involved with their party locally. It isn’t explicitly about that as such – but that’s very much the intention behind it.

Doing that in the states saw democrat activism boosted and membership rise significantly in the communities involved. And if it runs alongside a membership drive through the unions it could really boost the party and ensure that members have greater influence over its direction.

That’s an optimistic outlook. It may fail miserably. But it seems a fairly decent lesson to try to learn from the Democrats in the states.

I am one of these Future Leaders.
As an ordinary member of the public, who has only recently joined the Labour Party, I have complete respect for David Miliband, regardless of whether or not I support him for leadership.
Sceptics may say it’s all about getting more votes, but at the end of the day – I have just received the most valuable “free” training on how to get things implemented in my community properly, experience I can keep for the rest of my life! How can this be frowned upon???
We’re facing difficult times with the inevitable cuts which will affect everyone, so why shouldn’t something have been put in place so that many of us can be ready to fight them?
I’m already working on the first steps of building up a team of people locally, some of whom are Labour Party members and some non-members also.
I want to do something constructive rather than just moan about the cuts, and this community training was the first step. We may not get a result everytime but at least I know we can make a real difference on behalf of people in our local communities.
Three other members of our CLP accompanied me also, so we are going to feed this back to the rest of our members and hopefully strengthen our community on top of what we already do now.
I fail to see how anyone can see this as bad thing and David Miliband will get my vote above any of the others for having the ability to get this implemented so quickly during his campaign. Yes the initial financial backing may have helped (followed by £26k in smaller donations since) but I’m not ashamed of supporting him, just because richer people see him as the best candidate for leadership. If I had the money, I’d throw it at him too, especially as a third of it is going to help our communities in one way or another!
People came from all over the North West for the Future Leader training I attended – a good sign, in my opinion, that many of us want a Movement For Change beginning right where it matters – at the heart of our communities!
I would never have really thought about doing something like this either, if I hadn’t noticed David Miliband banging on about it throughout his campaign!
No doubt you’ll hear lots more about it in the coming months.

More evidence…

http://www.youtube.com/user/MilibandD

More evidence for David’s dedication to the Movement for Change

http://www.youtube.com/user/MilibandD#p/u/0/heRTZ04P6s0

Let me start by saying your cynicism overlaps your ability to see what is foremost clear: that is,  that people WANT to be part of something & have an active role  in making yours, mine and their areas of living & working better for all. We’ve seen and experienced the breakdown of our communities over the last two decades, much of which I blame Labour for as it pursued high rise penthouses for the rich city workers. Howcver that does not justify dismissing M4C & David Milibands committment to it as circumstantial and benefiting his selfish political agenda – both of which I strongly disagree with.  Fact is, David Miliband’s been involved in community work for a very long time -especially with his work in South Sheilds & his time in the DMPU, and much later at CLG & the FCO. Indeed I recall my brother telling me that when David became CLG Minister he sent an email to everyone to get together at a local venue where he went about running everywhere in the venue with a mike speaking to peope and encouraging them to also speak about how they could improve CLG work delivery. May I also add that the venue was packed out max with several dozen denied access due to their being no space. Some people may have a perception that David is only interested in M4C coz he wants to be the Labour Leader & PM, but you are wrong. M4C was always part of David’s agenda, though people didn’t recognize it as he was Foreign Secretary & we saw him everywhere but here. But you see, Community leadership was always part of David’s agenda and he has always been hugely passionate about empowering ordinary people like you and me to believe that with a little guidance here or there, we could all be that community leader that made a small significant contribution to society. And just as David showed through his work in FCO – we live in a global village, where much in society, be it standard economics or our different cultures, hopes or dreams are quite the same. Now I dont know David very well at all & have briefly met him 3x, but having met him, been to around 6 hustings and a Q&A session, I can telll you that David Miliband is 100% with the Movement For Change agenda & no amount of cynicism will make his geniuine supporters doubt that.

Liza, I’m interesting in the people who came from ‘all over the North West’ for the training. Is it that only people who can afford to travel vast distances are able to attend?

I note that the Future Leader training sessions are only available in four English cities – London, Manchester, Newcastle and Plymouth – and all during the school summer holidays. I guess what I am querying is how inclusive is this opportunity? Are there creches for people with children etc. or is it for childless people who can afford the travel and time to attend training sessions?

Why not provide training sessions online?

Earwicga,
It’s open to everyone and I assume the venues/times were arranged in accordance with response from all the people who expressed their interest when it was first advertised, right at the beginning of the campaign.
As far as child-care arrangements were concerned, I wasn’t aware of any although I am a single parent of two young children myself and the fact that it took place on a Saturday made it easier for me to arrange my own child-care.
People, of all different backgrounds, made their way from St.Helen’s, North Wales and Cumbria and paid for the travel themselves and I reject the fact that you think it is only for well-off people!
I’m on benefits myself and haven’t got two pennies to rub together at the moment and wouldn’t have thought twice about asking for help in travel costs had I lived further afield. The fact that the actual training was free was what attracted me in the first place.
It’s only one day’s training in total and I’m sure I can speak on behalf of all those who attended, it was worth the travelling time/expense and giving up your Saturday for. We’d gained knowledge that perhaps some CLPs were doing partially, but not using the organised and constructive methods this training sets out.
Please note also, that training took place in Glasgow on the same day as ours as well. I don’t have details of further sessions country-wide myself, but I do know another session in Manchester has been arranged for August 14th if anyone is interested in attending or you can email movementforchange@davidmiliband.net for details of other venues/dates or further info about the training itself.
David Miliband set out his intentions clearly at the start of his campaign, that he wanted 1000 Future Leaders trained ready for September once the leadership campaign had finished regardless of whether he wins or not. This will be an on-going community movement for the Labour Party and anyone else who’d like to get involved, hopefully gaining more new members to the Party in the process.
The reason why it’s not done online is because it involves interacting with others to demonstrate what we’re learning, and works very well in my opinion.
Hope that answers all your questions, Earwicga – anymore, don’t hesitate to ask.
Liza

Jeremy Gilbert’s ‘Democratising the Party’ in ‘Labour’s Future’, (Rutherford & Lockey) is an essential read for anyone with an interest in these themes.

Well now I’m truly suspicious.

Using novices instead of existing party members neatly sidesteps the kind of awkward questions experienced party members are likely to ask. Its smacks of Mao’s indoctrinated children during the Cultural Revolution.

Why would anybody join a political party that so readily insults the people who have worked and paid for it for years? Are Labour members going to fall for thiscontinuation of New Labourism?

@ Yurrzem!

Novices?

Just because I am an inexperienced member of the Labour Party, having only recently joined, doesn’t mean that I haven’t got as much right or ability to take action in my community as experienced members do. I’m an experienced mother of two young children who didn’t really believe I could have a say in what happens locally, until now! Movement for Change has encouraged me to get off my backside and help make a practical difference for my local area!

I haven’t got a clue what you’re talking about re the history of Labour in your opinion, but it does reek of belittlement towards people like me and to those who already work hard in the community, Labour Party members or not! We don’t need labels and as far as “David’s Little Helpers” goes – how childish! Just remember that a true leader leads and empowers at the same time!

I’m not interested in Old/New Labour at all, what concerns me is what I can do now with the help of the Labour Party I’ve joined today – I’m not suspicious of any of it, especially once I’m seeing results!

Moving on,

Liza.

Liza

There are no courses in Scotland. Do you know if any will be held in Scotland?

On my comment, I think its admirable that people get involved in community leadership and I am interested myself but I would talk to people at my local CLP to see what they are doing to see if I could add to what was being done or supplement it. I think this may fall down a bit if the volunteers are perceived to be in competition with work thats already being done.

Hi Liza,

Thank you for your comments – it’s great to hear that you found the Future Leaders scheme so good.

I don’t know what support the M4C offers to help leaders in their community activism after their training, but if you’d like any advice or get stuck on anything while you are doing stuff and want some help, do let us know.

Hi Peter,

There have actually been two Future Leader sessions in Glasgow in recent weeks and having spoken to the team, there may be more lined up in Scotland (and England) depending on interest so please email movementforchange@davidmiliband.net and let them know as soon as you can.

Also Peter, there is absolutely no competition whatsoever. 3 of my fellow CLP members regardless of whether they were David Miliband supporters or not, joined me for the training with a view to feeding it back at the suggestion of our constituency MP Kate Green. They all do work very hard at our CLP already but anything extra that may help our cause is welcomed with open arms also.

We’re not stepping on anyone’s toes either because the building-up of community teams is re-addressed in this training, taking us back to basics enabling us to build a movement to have the power to make change.

Do speak to your CLP about it and yes those who have already been following David Miliband’s campaign at http://www.davidmilband.net/ do have the information first-hand, but it is to open to everyone interested.

Liza.

 
The politics of cynicism would be to doubt the credibility of a strong candidate, to ridicule the legitimacy of a policy based agenda, to be ignorant of the power politics has in empowering the disengaged, and ridiculing the people who choose to be part of an agenda that drives, implements, energises and achieves a movement for change.
 
I was for many years a non member strong Labourite, but I passionately believed in Gordon Browns agenda, and passionately believed in David’s work as Foreign Secretary. They’ve got very different working styles, very different agenda’s and strengths and weaknesses. Brown and Miliband have both strongly and passionately advocated community work as a springboard for a better society and key to integrating secularised communities into the mainstream, where common traits are a source of familiarisation, and the diversity something to learn from and embrace – though not a necessity to conform to,
 
Post GE2010 I joined Labour for 1 reason and 1 reason only: to use the power of my vote to get David Miliband elected Labour Leader then to fight the government and be ready any time, any day to become Prime Minister. Part of the way we do this is via the Movement 4 Change (M4C) programme.  I was invited to the launch of M4C in early June. I was initially apprehensive about giving up a warm sunny Saturday shopping session to sit in a hall for the day listening to political jargon, but thought I’d give it a go.  I along with around 100-150 others didn’t just sit on our seats listening to David talk about what he wants, or to listen to others suck up to the next potential leader. Instead we all had very active parts throughout the day. M4C is not just about doing what’s cool, or adopting Obamaism tactics that bring us all together. It is a vehicle for members of our communities to reach out and say ‘I am not happy with this’ or ‘what can we do to improve this’. We on M4C are not the driving force – the people of our communities are. We are the non – town hall, people who live amongst our communities. We’re the bridge between the people and the power-brokers. We’re the people who others in our communities are starting to recognise and identify as the people who got the speed bumps on the local road, who spoke to the local councillor about dog mess, and who passionately cares and actually gets things done. In addition, David phone banks are packed out every day Monday – Sunday. We’re doing this voluntarily, we’re students on academic leave; we’re single parents, fathers, teachers, unemployed, full time employed. We’re part of the Westminster village and outsiders. We’re teenagers and pensioners. We’re everybody in our community and we’re leading the way to something better than before. We’re the globalised multi-cultural world making local impact for greater good.
 
Dismiss David Miliband and his Movement 4 Change as much as you like, just as Glenn Beck does of Obama. David and his supporters are too busy making a difference – we’re on an amazing journey of self discovering and awareness. We’re a group that is far too strong to be broken down by your cynicism of politics. We believe in the Movement 4 Change because it is happening.

On a final note- dontchya know there is no “typical” party member & the argument that there is, serves only to be a lame duck argument for a very weak opposition.

Hi Don,

Thanks very much, I should have made it clear earlier that once we had received the initial training, we’re not left high and dry to follow it all up by ourselves.
We will receive on going support/advice/future visits from the Movement For Change team themselves, whilst we get things set-up and hopefully implemented and this will be on-going regarding future issues also.

Thanks,
Liza.

To whoever talked about the lack of inclusiveness of the Movement for Change; I attended two training sessions in Cardiff and am aware that the Organisers also went into a small part of Cardiff due to demand. That part of Cardiff has high unemployment, high crime and not much wealth. So yes, the Movement for Change IS inclusive.

Can anyone please explain where trade unions fit into this community organising nirvana? In working class communities trade unions and faith groups remain the major repositories of social capital. London Citizens were extremely quick to recognise this. Importantly, many Labour Party affiliated unions have adopted ‘organising’ strategies for more than a decade with extremely impressive results in recruiting and mobilising members, often radically altering their traditional membership profile. Nonetheless, the experience of trade unions demonstrates that maintaining an organising focus requires profound institutional and cultural change. Why is the party not tapping into this?

I have just received the most valuable “free” training on how to get things implemented in my community properly, experience I can keep for the rest of my life! How can this be frowned upon???

Liza – no one is FROWNING upon this, my article above clearly states:

This aspect of DM’s campaign has potential and I hope it succeeds in convincing more Labour MPs this is the way forward. But it needs serious pushing from DM himself.

How is that frowning on what you’re doing or what Miliband is doing in this part of the campaign?

Thanks Liza and Reece. When I looked at the site it only mentioned 4 sessions but obviously there have been others.

I didn’t realise that DM was personally involved in the sessions, knowing that makes it a no go area for me.

Hi Sunny,

I was referring to some of the comments afterwards, not your actual piece – sorry, I should have made that clearer.

The fact that people are raising questions about David Miliband’s intentions for setting this up, does suggest to me that some of the people commenting are frowning upon it and I stand by that. So what if he wants more votes for himself and to entice new Labour Party members, he is the most credible candidate for leader and for a future Prime Minister and the best person to do so! Plus above all, the people who also win here are those in our communities which Sunny, I know you’re not disputing yourself.
David’s not daft, he knows what community effort is all about and how hard people work from experience in his own constituency of South Shields.
His campaign speeches right from the beginning, which I have followed every single day since May 6th have been all about a Movement for Change starting from the bottom up and he’s always stated that if he can bring out the best in us, we will bring out the best in him. You can’t start a movement without building teams and that’s what the Labour Party should be about – something in which everyone can be a part of, not just the elite few.
It’s frustrating to see people trying to knock something just for the sake of it, when I’m working my backside off day in day out like many others including himself to make this happen although we’re not getting paid – but we’re still doing it because he’s inspired us to begin with and we believe in him to keep to his word and help us deliver these things.
Wherever David Miliband has been all over the country, whether it be a Hustings or an individual visit, he’s talked about this Movement for Change and his 1000 Future Leader’s training – how can he do much more than that until the results start pouring in once we as Future Leaders get our teams built up and start making some real change.
I’ve followed him since the day he announced he was going for leadership and this was one of his earliest commitments he spoke about and put up on his website http://www.davidmiliband.net/ (see the calendar at the bottom of the page and click on dates in May/June for his updates back then.)
As far as left wingers are concerned, I think it’s high-time we stopped sub-catagorising the Party and lost the Blair/Brownite comparisons also and just got on with the jobs at hand, as one whole united team. As a new member, I am completely bored of people trying to stop progress and most existing members are also and no doubt the public too.
Perhaps people do struggle to see David Miliband as genuine, but I don’t. I can assure anyone, I will be the first to bring him down if I ever suspect otherwise, having invested a lot of time and energy in supporting him and the Movement For Change while I struggle on with my own problems at the same time.

To Earwicga,
David didn’t attend our training himself as there were a few sessions taking place on the same day – he’s actually out there spreading the word about them instead.
Try not to look a gift-horse in the mouth, see beyond preconceptions if you can.

Liza.

@earwicga

David doesn’t attend training sessions. Like Sunny says in the article, the training is done by professional community organisers. My training session was not a campaign event in any way.

If Cruddas is the key to the membership why isn’t he running?