Community Grounds

Have a Question? With Community Grounds you have the opportunity to directly ask other Fair Trade advocates how to navigate through obstacles and thorny issues. First search or filter to pull up previously considered questions, because others may have had the same issues! If you can't find anything then submit your own question below and advocates from across the country will chime in with their knowledge and experience.

You must have an account with FairTradeCampaigns.org and be affiliated with a campaign to post a question on Community Grounds.

What events have you hosted that have had the biggest impact in your community?

Asked by Nickolas Faynshteyn in Congregations, Schools, Towns, Universities, Fair Trade Events

Was there some event you’ve hosted that attracted a lot of people? Or that visibly left an impact on those that attended? Have you had an experience with an individual or a group who attended who became really involved in the Fair Trade movement after your event? Was there an event that marked a turning point in your campaign (i.e. was the final push to get your town, city, school, college, etc. declared)?

1 Answer - 7 years ago

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What were some of the most successful events that your campaign hosted for fair trade month?

Asked by Ryan in Congregations, Schools, Towns, Universities, Fair Trade Events

Are there any new ideas that worked well in your campaigns? Anything that’s old but good? How are you keeping people engaged?

How has your campaign planned for the beginning of the 2016-2017 academic year?

Asked by Jessamine from California Lutheran University in Universities, Fair Trade Education

The fall semester is right around the corner. What have your campaigns planned or are planning in order to hit the ground running with educating and campaigning about fair trade?

4 Answers - 8 years ago

How have you found success with social media?

Asked by Jackie Cummings in Congregations, Community Organizations

Some campaigns excel with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or even YouTube. What are some of the most successful techniques you’ve used in your campaigning in the digital sphere? What are some struggles you’ve had with social media? Have you found one social media outlet draws more interests and attention than other outlets?

5 Answers - 7 years ago

How do you respond to people who argue that conscious consumption isn’t effective for bringing about safer, better-paid, more humane labor conditions?

Asked by Sean Murray from Fair Trade St. John’s University

Anyone read this Huff Post piece (“The Myth of the Ethical Shopper”), or seen articles/videos like it? Thoughts? Further Questions? Ideas on how Fair Trade advocates can respond?

http://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/the-myth-of-the-ethical-shopper/

3 Answers - 8 years ago

Best Fair Trade event so far this year!

Asked by Vincent Sullivan-Jacques from Fair Trade Assumption College in Congregations, Fair Trade Events

Hello FT Congregation and Community campaigns,
What has been your best event so far this year that has supported Fair Trade?

3 Answers - 8 years ago

What is your campaign doing for World Fair Trade Day? Please share your events, pictures and ideas.

Asked by Vincent Sullivan-Jacques from Fair Trade Assumption College in Congregations, Fair Trade Events

What is your campaign doing for World Fair Trade Day?

This Saturday, May 14th, people across the globe are celebrating World Fair Trade Day. Please share your events, pictures and ideas with us.

3 Answers - 8 years ago

What Fair Trade products have the most success selling in bookstores or campus stores?

Asked by Vincent Sullivan-Jacques from Fair Trade Assumption College in Schools, Offices and Catering, Bookstore

Our campus is bringing in another corporate partner to operate the bookstore. We would like to make some recommendations to this new company.

What Fair Trade products have success selling in your campus store or bookstore?

6 Answers - 8 years ago

How do you recruit new leaders as the end of the school year approaches?

Asked by Vincent Sullivan-Jacques from Fair Trade Assumption College in Schools

Since it is the beginning of April, it is a good time to start thinking about new leadership or how to sustain a successful leadership structure. If anyone one wants to share thoughts on this transition for your campaign or ask questions about best practices, let’s open up the discussion.

3 Answers - 8 years ago

What were your goals at the beginning of the year? What have you accomplished.

Asked by Katherine Chen in Towns, Fair Trade Events

It is the end of March, and one-fourth of the year is already gone. Recall the goals that you have set for yourself or your campaign at the beginning of the year.
What have you accomplished? What did you learn? How do you plan to complete the rest over the remaining time?

1 Answer - 8 years ago

How to recruit new members?

Asked by Jessamine from California Lutheran University in Universities, Build Your Team

Almost everyone in my club is a senior who is graduating in May, and I am having a hard time recruiting new students to guarantee the club and campaign will stay alive. If you are dealing with this also or have dealt with it in the past please share any tips, ideas and or recommendations you have!

6 Answers - 8 years ago

Sourcing Fair Trade Products Challenges and Solutions?

Asked by Tori Curbelo in Towns, Offices and Catering, Bookstore

Let’s work together!

What obstacles has your campaign faced while trying to source Fair Trade products?

Any tips for speaking to outlet managers? Any recommendations?

Please provide any insight below and let’s work out any problems together.

2 Answers - 8 years ago

How do you plan to Fair Trade your Valentine’s Day?

Asked by Sean Murray from Fair Trade St. John’s University in Towns, Fair Trade Events

The holidays often provide us with opportunities to choose Fair Trade gifts and raise awareness about Fair Trade through events, fundraisers, etc. Valentine’s Day, of course, is no exception. How do you plan to Fair Trade your community’s Valentine’s Day? Please share your ideas and plans…

See the blog below for Fair Trade products and more ideas:

https://fairtradecampaigns.org/2016/01/three-ways-to-fair-trade-your-valentines-day/

3 Answers - 8 years ago

What resources do you need for this spring?

Asked by Jackie Cummings in Universities, Fair Trade Education

As the spring semester is getting under way, many of your campaigns will be coming up with different events to host. What sort of resources do you think you’ll need to help with your events?

9 Answers - 8 years ago

What are some of the best recruitment practices?

Asked by Jackie Cummings in Towns, Build Your Team

With many individuals graduating or moving on to other positions, they leave behind them their campaigns. In some cases, this might mean that the campaigns are losing their leaders. How do we fix this situation? RECRUITMENT 🙂

What are some of the best recruitment strategies/tactics that you’ve found to be the most helpful when there is a potential turnover in leadership for your campaign? Which strategies/tactics did you not find to be as helpful?

2 Answers - 8 years ago

Connecting Fair Trade With Seasonal Holiday Shopping

Asked by jpeterson from Media-Providence Friends School – Friends for Fair Trade in Towns, Fair Trade Education

Winter holidays present the perfect opportunity to promote thoughtful gift-giving. How is your organization/institution spreading the word about the benefits of Fair Trade shopping this holiday season? Please let us know what worked well/received positive response, as well as what wasn’t as successful so the larger Fair Trade community can benefit from your experience!

3 Answers - 8 years ago

What training/resources/education do campaigns need most to move forward with declaration?

Asked by Nisha in Towns, Build Your Team, Bookstore

What specific questions or needs do you have to move forward with specific goals?
Any specific areas of training, resources, education needed?

1 Answer - 8 years ago

What contributed to the success of your 2016 Fair Trade Month event(s)?

Asked by jpeterson from Media-Providence Friends School – Friends for Fair Trade in Towns, Fair Trade Education

Take a moment to reflect upon what you think helped make this year’s Fair Trade Month activities in your school, university, town, or congregation a success. Briefly describe your event/activities and share what worked and why.

For bonus points (:-D), tell us what you might do differently next time and why.

1 Answer - 8 years ago