Our Community Organizing practices and principles stem from the founding organization, Industrial Areas Foundation. The organization was developed in 1940, and it has since become the nation's largest and longest-standing network of local labor, faith and community-based organizations.
The central goal is equipping our affiliate organizations to develop their own alliance of organizers and leaders who have skills or want to develop those skills of being relational and strategic to take action that then brings about meaningful change for the common good.
Training:
The leaders and organizers across the IAF Northwest / Canada / Australia /Aotearoa New Zealand have adapted the training to make it applicable across diverse settings and contexts.
Since 2006, our organization has been hosting 6-day Leadership Training, in cities across USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Through the exchanges of our regional leaders and organizers, we bring creativity, imagination and inspiration to the application of IAF organizing practices.
Organizer Support:
The Regional Leaders of IAF Northwest help Organizers from our 12 Affiliates recruit, identify and support the start-up and maintenance of their local Alliances onsite, online or at Region wide training opportunities.
Regional Organizers also support more informal exchanges among the international cadre of local organizers and top leaders.
In turn, our experienced Community Organizers provide support and training to local organizers and also network with other leaders in our Affiliate organizations.