10 Ways to Get Involved - The Just Love Network
What is the Just Love Network?
The Just Love Network is a lifelong space of support and action for all connected with Just Love.
Here's what that means and how you can get involved.
Exactly seven years ago, we launched the Just Love Alumni Network, as a way to continue to support graduates in their pursuit of justice after their time in our Just Love groups during university. Since then, so many fantastic communities, relationships, and initiatives have emerged from the Alumni Network. However, we believe that the seasons have changed. It's time for something new.
The newly relaunched Just Love Network keeps the best of the Alumni Network but also does new things in new ways. Above all, we want to emphasise the power of networks to reimagine everything and put that into practice. For a simple breakdown of why we're making this shift, see here.
We’ve taken this relaunch as an opportunity to put forward 7 Network Practices to express what we, as a Network, really care about. We hope these aspirations and commitments are broad enough for all of us, narrow enough to mean something, and that they ring true with what Just Love is all about. We're sure that these practices will shift and change over time. They're not the 100% finished product. But do take a look.
Otherwise, read on below for 10 key ways to get involved in the Just Love Network!
Sphere, Hubs, and Sixes
1) Join, suggest, or start a Sphere Group
Issue-based and workplace communities
Spheres re-imagine entire sectors of society, and work to turn that vision into a reality. Spheres have always been at the heart of the Just Love Network, and that's not about to change. However, we are making some big tweaks:
Issue-Based Spheres - From now on, we are proactively seeking to set up lots of interdisciplinary, issue-based spheres, gathering people around specific issues. We believe that in-depth, focused collaboration is likely to yield the greatest lasting impact.
Target Spheres - We're particularly eager to set up spheres around Housing, Refugee Rights, and Prisons, and are also excited about your suggestions, including Peace & Conflict, Creative Arts, Slavery & Trafficking, and Equitable Mental Health Provision.
6 Big Spheres - Until other spheres come into being, we are focusing on 6 big, long-standing Just Love Spheres - see here.
Read more about the long-term strategy and vision for spheres, join or suggest a sphere, or come to our Spheres & Projects: Open Call on 6th December to find out much more!
2) Join or start a Just Love Hub
Meet quarterly (or more) with Just Love people in your region, building relationships around social justice at a local level.
Last year, we surveyed 100 of you about the future of the Just Love Network. The overwhelming response was a desire to "go regional" and create more opportunities for local connection. So we've done just that.
From January, we're launching 12 Just Love Hubs, 11 in the UK and 1 online "Global Hub." Several are already in motion, with events this December in London, Oxford, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Birmingham. Each one will look slightly different, with some hubs focusing on prayer, others on networking, and others still on teaching and learning. At core they're all about relationship and mutual support. Some will organise around local action and impact, but that's not essential.
Read more about Hubs vision and strategy, or sign up below!
3) Sign up for Sixes
Justice is complicated. Join a group of six (or so) people going learning together about theology, leadership, and impact.
These small groups meet in-person, online or a bit of both to sharpen, stretch, and champion one another. Some meet monthly, while others take it a bit slower. Some even go on retreats and weekends away!
In the New Year, we'll work through our waiting list to set up a bunch of new Sixes groups, and will release Sixes Series 4. Don't miss out!
Projects
4) Clean Air Campaign: Open Call
Help launch the Healthcare Sphere's new campaign.
Air pollution shortens the lives of millions of people every year, both here in the UK and around the world. The medical benefits of cleaner air are well known, but governments and healthcare institutions are not moving quickly enough to reduce pollution and respond effectively.
Healthcare professionals in Just Love are responding to this by putting together a campaign on clean air issues, and are workshopping several different ideas. Join the next Open Call to find out more (Dec 7th, 7.30pm), or get in touch to express your interest.
The Clean Air Campaign is a project from the Just Love Healthcare Sphere, but all are actively encouraged to join, to build a dynamic, creative, and balanced team.
5) Take the Bank Well Survey
Influencing 100 high-wealth churches to switch bank.
A rapid shift away from fossil fuels is required, but governments, banks, and oil giants are not reacting. Many banks profit from investments in the global arms trade and fossil fuel expansion. In the 7 years since the Paris Agreement, the world's 60 biggest banks have put £4.5 trillion into the fossil fuel industry, including classic high street names. We want to change that story.
Join our campaign asking 100 high-wealth, high-influence churches to switch to an ethical bank account - one that doesn't invest in fossil fuels or the arms trade. The best way to help right now is to fill in this simple 2 minute form, whether to boost our data or to get involved! You can also read this PDF for a summary of why we believe this campaign is important and impactful.
6) Come to Catalyst / Propose a Project
Release the potential of the Just Love Network.
Join us at a high-impact incubator event catalysing new justice-focused campaigns, projects, and collaborations from the Just Love Network.
Big change starts small. The Just Love Catalyst brings the Just Love Network together to spark new projects, equip with key skills and launch focused campaigns. Come with a desire to do something about the state of the world. Leave energised, connected and empowered, and with new collaborators, mentors and a concrete plan for change.
Catalyst brings people together for a day of prayer, ideas, and equipping. We aim to run these regularly, 2-3 times a year. Sign up here to be involved in the first, taking place in Spring 2024. Or, propose new Just Love Projects any time via this simple form!
Shape the Network
7) Just Love Retreats: Vote & Sign Up
Residential Weekends & Day Events Across 2024
Over 2024, we will trial 4 small scale retreats for the Just Love Network. Vote now to express your preferences.
Just Love Retreats will be spaces of rest, reset and relationship. Some will be more content-focused, whereas others just create space to connect, reflect and recharge.
Follow the link below to find out more, express your preferences, and get on the waiting list. You can also indicate if you'd be interested in helping lead or design a retreat, or in helping with practical bits.
8) National Gathering: 2024 Team
Help design Just Love's National Gathering 2024
Ever wanted to help run a Just Love National Gathering? Look no further.
We're already thinking about next year's event, and are building a team to make it happen. Apply now to get involved.
Have experience in event planning? Want to get some? Have exciting ideas about what an incredible Just Love space could look like, or exciting sessions that you dream of running? Apply here as we develop this small team to pray, design, and deliver next year's National Gathering. You'll have a blast.
9) Build our Network Notion (or similar)
Design & create a stunning online space for Just Love
Soon, there will be 1,000 people in the Just Love Network. How can we connect well online?
Already, our staff capacity, network groups, and infrastructure are straining to keep up with the scale and growth of the Just Love Network. Even as we add Hubs, Projects and Retreats to the mix, these feel like a drop in the ocean when it comes to connecting this network.
The smart move is to do less centrally, and to create more space for spontaneous networking. The problem is that we live across the UK, still more the world.
We want to build a stunning, simple, and highly usable Network Directory, using Notion, AirTable, or similar. We don't want something expensive or complicated, but a powerful online space that enables simple interaction and connection. Let's get our best brains on this - click here to send us your ideas, give us tips, or be involved. It'll be fun.
10) Take the Just Love Network Survey
Be part of our biggest research study, ever.
From January to March next year (2024), Just Love is undertaking its largest ever survey. We want to understand deeply how our network is engaging with social justice, both conceptually and in the everyday.
We're looking for a sample of 200+ Just Love Network members, alongside control samples from the wider population. There is an option to take a one-off survey in early 2024, or to be part of a crucial 10-year group taking the survey once a year, every year for a decade.
Sign up now to make sure you get involved. The data will not only be instrumental to Just Love, but a powerful tool for churches and charities across the UK and beyond.
