About Stories for Change
EU citizens' campaigning programme
On this page:
*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
Programme time: 6 months, between October 2022 and March 2023
Closing date: 6th October at 5pm
Applications have now closed for this 2022 programme. If you'd like to take part in the future, you can express your interest.
Main purpose
Our campaigning programme is one way in which the3million works to have EU citizens’ voices heard directly by the media and policy makers, raising EU citizens’ issues and bringing our community together.
The programme’s aims are to:
- Enable EU citizens to speak out in the media, producing content advocating for our community’s rights by sharing their voices and lived experiences.
- Inspire and connect EU citizens to speak up on the issues affecting us, including migration, identity and community.
- Skill up EU citizens on public speaking, confidence building, media training and storytelling.
Some of the specific issues to be explored from your perspective as EU citizens include, but are not limited to: migration, the hostile environment, belonging and identity, mobility, the cost of living crisis, benefit stigma, intersectionality (compounded inequality which draws across boundaries of race, gender, sexuality, age, disability, socio-economic background), education, work, precarity, housing, love, family.
Here are some great examples of EU citizens exploring some of these topics:
- An exploration of identity by a third generation Italian British woman
- Barbara Serra exploring EU citizens’ lack of representation in UK institutions
- A piece about finding power in the intersections of our identities by Marzena Zukowska
On the programme you will explore the issues you care most about through activities such as:
- Developing and sharing your own story to bring awareness to the diverse lived experience of EU citizens
- Share opinion pieces through the3million’s communications channels
- Pitch your ideas to media outlets
- Organise events online, in your local community or with decision makers (eg in Parliament)
- Develop your ideas through your creative skills (eg photography, film making, painting etc)
- Interview other EU citizens and community leaders
You will be supported through bespoke training workshops:
- Media training including principles of storytelling and how to get messages across
- Communications for social change workshops
- Mentorship from EU citizens who are experts in their field
- Social media content production
You will have ownership of the medium you want to express yourself through (writing, videos, podcasts, photography, events, discussions) and the issues you will approach.
Who we are looking for
- 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.
- A willingness to take part and contribute in training sessions and programme meetings.
- A willingness to be responsive in communication with the group and the3million team.
- Strong commitment 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 are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive organisation which represents EU citizens.
We welcome applications from everyone regardless of disability, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, faith or background. We recognise the systemic barriers people face and the lack of representation societal oppression causes.
Thus, we particularly encourage applications from people of colour, LGBT+ people, as well as people who come from low socio-economic backgrounds. We would love to represent EU citizens who live throughout the UK, so we encourage participants who live in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to apply.
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 the 6 month period to attend face-to-face training in London (one Saturday in Oct 2022, one Saturday in Dec 2022 and one Saturday in March 2023). 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, advocate and influence for social change and promote EU citizens’ lived experience through strategic communications.
How to apply
Applying is easy. All you need to do is fill in the form here. If you don’t feel comfortable with forms, you can also send us a video or a voice recording to [email protected].
Applications have closed on 6th October at 5pm. If you are interested in taking part in future programmes, please express your interest here and sign up to our newsletter.
This programme will be a small tight knit group, of maximum 10 people, to ensure everyone gets the support they need during the process. Unfortunately this means not everyone who applies will enrol on the programme this time.
If you’d like to find out more about the programme before applying, please get in touch with Communications Manager Andreea Dumitrache on [email protected] and we’ll arrange a call.
