Building resilience of environmental initiatives - new toolkit!

Our new toolkit, “Tools for Resilience: Experiences in Building Resilience of Environmental Initiatives”, is designed to empower activists and groups with strategies and resources to sustain their well-being, enhance their effectiveness, and build stronger, more inclusive movements. It combines Zelena Akcija’s 35 years of experience in the environmental movement with insights gained from the one-year project, “Resilient Activism in Times of Uncertainty”. During this project, we evaluated and introduced several organisational protection mechanisms and engaged in discussions and exchanges with colleagues, activists, NGOs, and groups from Croatia on the topic of resilience.

What we learned is that, at its core, resilient activism is about more than enduring the pressures of advocacy and addressing climate and environmental urgency—it’s about thriving amidst them. Resilience requires personal care, supportive communities, adaptable strategies, and a commitment to justice and inclusion. With these principles in mind, this toolkit focuses on what we believe are the key areas for ensuring the long-term sustainability of activists and their groups.

Content of the toolkit includes:

• Internal organisational resilience
• Financial resilience: Example of Croatia
• Co-creating networks of resilience
• Starting and nurturing an activist/volunteer group
• Leading with values
• Cultures of decision-making
• Practicing what we preach: Working with people
• Individual resilience and avoiding burnout

Whether you’re a seasoned activist or just beginning your journey, we hope this toolkit serves as a valuable resource to guide and sustain you. By weaving together care, strategy, and justice, we aim to help create a lasting impact while preserving the heart and health of the individuals and communities driving change.

With this toolkit, our intention is to spark discussions that we found instrumental in building resilience. We hope it serves as a flexible list of options and recommendations that can be adapted to various cultural and political contexts. Our goal is to inspire others to deepen their understanding of personal and organizational resilience and to continue exploring and experimenting in this area.

---

This toolkit is funded by the PROTEUS project of the Transatlantic Foundation co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency.  Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.