👥 Role Templates

Clear roles prevent burnout, confusion, and gaps. They enable skill development, accountability, and sustainable organizing that survives graduation cycles.

5 Essential Roles

Communications - Social media, press, internal comms
Outreach - Recruitment, coalitions, partnerships
Research - Investigation, fact-checking, education
Events - Planning, logistics, execution
Finance - Budget, funding, grants

Start with 3-5 people. One person can hold multiple roles. As you grow, split responsibilities.

📱 Communications Coordinator

Responsibilities:

Manage social media (Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook)
Write press releases
Coordinate with campus media
Design graphics
Maintain email list

Time: 5-10 hours/week (1-2 hours daily for social media)

Skills: Social media literacy, basic graphic design (Canva works), writing, photography, strategic thinking, consistent availability.

Set up: Create press release template, social media caption templates, email newsletter template, graphics style guide, media contact spreadsheet.

Daily: Monitor social media (15-30 min), post scheduled content (minimum 1/day), respond to comments and messages.

Weekly: Schedule 7-10 posts (2 hours), send email update to membership (1 hour), coordinate with other coordinators (30 min), track analytics and adjust (30 min), plan next week’s content (1 hour).

As needed: Write press releases, design event graphics, coordinate media interviews, live post from events.

Tools: Canva for design, Later/Buffer for scheduling, Mailchimp/Substack for email, platform insights for analytics, Google Drive for collaboration.

Critical: Batch create content. Build template library. Schedule in advance. Center Palestinian voices—share, don’t speak over. Track what works. Have backup admin—don’t lose account access.

🤝 Outreach Coordinator

Responsibilities:

Build coalitions with other student groups
Maintain relationships with faculty allies
Coordinate co-sponsorships
Represent the group at other organizations’ events
Recruit new members

Time: 5-8 hours/week

Skills: Interpersonal communication, coalition building, public speaking, cultural sensitivity, relationship management, networking.

Set up: Coalition outreach email template, co-sponsorship proposal template, faculty ally contact list, event partnership agreement, new member onboarding checklist.

Weekly: Attend 1-2 meetings with coalition partners (2-4 hours), follow up on partnerships (1 hour), coordinate joint promotion (30 min), onboard new members (1-2 hours), maintain relationship database (30 min).

As needed: Reach out to new groups, present to student organizations, coordinate with faculty, recruit at events, build alumni network.

Coalition partners on campus: Climate justice orgs, Indigenous solidarity groups, anti-racism orgs, religious/cultural groups, labor solidarity, student government, grad student associations, faculty unions.

Off campus: Local Palestine solidarity groups, faith communities, labor unions, community orgs, alumni networks.

Critical: Build genuine relationships, not transactional ones. Find shared values. Be reliable—follow through. Support others’ campaigns. Stay in touch between asks. Celebrate partners publicly.

🔍 Research Coordinator

Track university investments and connections to genocide, create educational resources, fact-check claims and counter misinformation, prepare briefing documents, monitor news and policy developments.

Time: 5-10 hours/week

Skills: Research methodology, data analysis, critical reading, source verification, report writing, attention to detail.

Set up: Research brief template, fact sheet template, investment tracking spreadsheet, source evaluation rubric, weekly news digest format.

Weekly: Monitor university board meetings/documents (2 hours), compile news roundup (1 hour), create 1-2 educational infographics (2 hours), respond to misinformation with sources (1-2 hours), update resource library (1 hour).

For divestment campaigns: File FOI requests for university investment information, analyze endowment reports, research companies using Who Profits and Investigate, document connections to occupation, track precedents at other universities.

Research areas: University investments (endowment holdings, complicit companies, board member affiliations, research partnerships), educational content (historical context, international law, current updates, myth-busting), monitoring (campus policy changes, Canadian developments, media coverage, opposition tactics).

News sources: Middle East Eye, +972 Magazine, CJPME, Google Alerts for your university + Palestine.

Critical: Cite everything. Track precedents—build database of wins. Stay organized with systematic filing. Verify before sharing—accuracy is credibility. Translate research into accessible language. Build expertise.

🎉 Events Coordinator

Plan and execute events (speakers, vigils, actions), handle logistics (booking, permits, equipment), create timelines, coordinate volunteers, run post-event evaluation.

Time: 5-15 hours/week (varies by event schedule)

Skills: Project management, budget management, problem-solving, attention to detail, leadership, flexibility.

Set up: Event planning checklist (6 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 weeks, 1 week, day-of), budget template, volunteer role assignments, room booking request template, event evaluation form, risk assessment template.

Timeline: 6 weeks before—confirm speaker/topic/format, book venue, submit publicity requests, create Facebook event, identify co-sponsors. 4 weeks—design promo materials, confirm co-sponsors, book equipment, prepare run sheet, apply for funding. 2 weeks—intensive promotion, confirm logistics, recruit volunteers, prep Q&A, security assessment. 1 week—final promo push, brief speaker, train volunteers, print materials, confirm equipment. Day of—set up 2 hours early, test all equipment, brief volunteers, run event, document (photos/video), collect feedback. After—thank yous within 24 hours, post recap, team debrief, update templates.

See detailed guide: Weekly Actions - Film Screenings

Event types: Educational (film screenings, speaker events, teach-ins, workshops), Solidarity (vigils, protests, day of action), Community (fundraisers, cultural events, socials), Organizing (planning meetings, training sessions, coalition meetings).

Critical: Start early (6+ weeks for major events). Build buffer time—things take longer than you think. Have backup plans—tech fails, speakers cancel. Over-communicate—confirm everything twice. Document process for next time. Celebrate volunteers.

Resource: Palestine Portal: Guide to Planning An Event

💰 Finance Coordinator

Track budget and expenses, plan fundraisers, apply for student union funding, handle donations (if applicable), report finances.

Time: 3-5 hours/week

Skills: Basic accounting, fundraising strategy, grant writing, attention to detail, transparency, trustworthiness.

Set up: Budget tracking spreadsheet, fundraising event plan, donation tracking system (if applicable), grant application template, financial report template, expense reimbursement form.

Weekly: Update budget tracker (30 min), process expenses/reimbursements (30 min), plan fundraiser (1-2 hours), research funding opportunities (1 hour), prepare financial updates for meetings (30 min).

Periodic: Apply for student union funding (quarterly/annually), prepare financial reports (monthly/semester), run fundraising events, track donations.

Funding sources: Student union (club allocation, event grants, special project funding), Fundraising events (bake sales, merch sales—t-shirts, kuffiyehs, ticketed film screenings, book sales, art shows), External (community grants, alumni donations, crowdfunding).

Check university policies on accepting donations. Some groups must route through student unions.

Typical expenses: Event costs (venue, equipment, speaker honorarium), promotional materials (posters, flyers), supplies (tabling materials, signs), food for events, website/domain, memberships in larger networks.

Critical: Track everything—every dollar in and out. Keep receipts—digital copies in cloud. Report regularly—transparency builds trust. Plan ahead—know costs before committing. Diversify funding sources. Build reserves for emergencies and opportunities.

🔄 Role Rotation & Succession

Rotate roles to prevent burnout, build capacity across more people, ensure continuity beyond graduation cycles, and develop leaders.

How often: Semester basis (good for trying roles), annual basis (builds deep expertise), or as needed when someone must step down.

Transition process: 1 month shadow period (new person learns from outgoing), 1 month transition period (new person leads, outgoing supports), then complete handoff with documentation.

For each role, maintain: Role description document, template library, contact lists, password/account access (stored securely), calendar of recurring tasks, lessons learned document.

Identify potential coordinators early. Offer co-coordinator positions. Mentor throughout. Make transitions smooth.

Getting Started

Starting a new group? Minimum viable team: 3-5 people. 1-2 focus on communications/outreach, 1-2 on events/logistics, 1 handles admin/finance. As you grow, split roles more specifically, add coordinators, create working groups.

Have more people? Add specialized roles (Media Coordinator for press, Legal/Safety Coordinator for Know Your Rights, Training Coordinator for onboarding, International Coordinator for global connections) or create working groups (divestment, education, action—each with own coordinator).

Filling Roles

Mix self-selection with needs assessment. Options: volunteer (people choose based on interest/skills), elections (larger orgs), appointments (existing coordinators recruit), applications (competitive groups).

Ask: What are your skills and interests? How much time can you commit? What do you want to learn? What support do you need? What does this role need right now? What skills are essential vs. nice-to-have? Can we provide training? Is there a mentor available?

For Coordinators

Understand your responsibilities clearly. Set up templates and tools. Have regular check-ins with the group. Ask for support when needed. You’re allowed to ask for help. You can step back if overwhelmed.

For The Group

Fill all roles (or distribute responsibilities). Hold regular coordinator meetings. Build documentation system. Create succession plan. Foster appreciation and support culture.

Working Together

Meet weekly or bi-weekly. Quick updates from each role (5 min each). Coordinate needs. Discuss upcoming priorities. Problem-solve.

Keep meetings efficient: set agenda beforehand, time-box discussions, assign action items with owners, share notes after.

Communication: Signal group for coordinators (secure), shared calendar (Google Calendar), task management (Notion, Trello, or spreadsheet), cloud storage (Google Drive).

Questions?

Email: mail@berryhouse.ca

Weekly Actions → - Activities for each role
Strategic Campaigns → - Long-term work requiring all roles
Campus Organizing Hub → - Main page
Support & Safety → - Take care of yourselves

Roles serve the movement, not the other way around. Be flexible. Support each other. Adjust as needed. The goal is sustainable organizing that builds power over time.

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. 🇵🇸