What should I expect on an Hour of Action?
An Hour of Action is not a meeting or a training: in these calls, we’re actually doing the work to make our world a better place. But what actually happens?
As the name suggests, Hours of Action are all about climate action. TLDR; They are 60-minute events with live and productive action-taking where we advance U.S. climate policy through timely, strategic civic action. The host will have everything you need, so no prep is needed, ever. Just drop in anytime to a warm welcome and by the end of the call, you will have accomplished something meaningful.
The first 10 minutes:
When you join the video call (we use Zoom), expect a warm welcome and a facilitated call. We always start with a round of introductions, where folks say hi to one another in the Zoom chat. Camera-on is more fun for everyone! The host then takes 10 minutes to explain the action opportunity. Our weekly Action Plans always feature one Issue Briefing and one Action Playbook – the host will screen-share both and give a quick overview of why it all matters!
Then, we take action…
The next 45 minutes:
During each Hour of Action, we spend most of the session working our way through an Action Playbook together. In this way, Hours of Action are like “co-working” sessions: Each changemaker takes action at their own pace, leaning on the group for accountability and inspiration, while the host is there to answer questions and share their experiences.
Attendees generally stay on mute for the majority of the call because the Zoom chat is active with Q&A, helpful tips, and cheerleading.
The content of an Hour of Action varies according what policies are timely and high-leverage. We want to make sure our time is well-spent! You can see our library of Action Playbooks here for a sense of the tactics we use to advocate for climate solutions, anything from contacting Congress to writing an opinion piece for your local newspaper.
The final 5 minutes:
Each Hour of Action ends with a brief reflection and share back, and then we’re done by the 60-minute mark. Every time. You’ll end the call having accomplished something meaningful and that’s an incredible feeling.
“Of all the things that can boost emotions, motivation, and perceptions during the workday, the single most important is making progress doing meaningful work.” – Harvard Business Journal
The community:
Since community is such an integral part of the Hour of Action experience, we encourage everyone to be present. This is time on your calendar that you’ve carved out for climate action — all you have to do is show up. At our virtual Hours of Action, changemakers keep their video on when possible and participate in the chat. At our real-world Hours of Action, changemakers show up on time and minimize distractions. Joining an Hour of Action also means that you agree to our community guidelines.
We host multiple virtual Hours of Action a week. You can expect the same framework and same Action Plan on each of them, just pick the time slot that works best for your schedule! All Hours of Action are drop-in, open-invite events (and if you attend the same weekday Hour of Action consistently, you’ll start seeing familiar faces!)
Sign up for an Hour of Action here! Add one session to your calendar or, to instantly carve out time for weekly climate action, RSVP to a full series. We’re so happy you’re here and hope to see you soon.
——
Want to host an Hour of Action for your community? Awesome! We also equip changemakers and organizations to host Hours of Action for their friends, coworkers, or local community members — or invite Climate Changemakers to host one for you. Reach out to madeline@climatechangemakers.org if that’s you!
© 2023 Climate Changemakers
