The core goal of this programme is to support rights advocates to successfully carry out info-centric advocacy and campaigning so they can turn information about an issue into action that will address it.

The ACT programme is based on the belief that information is fundamental to the way social, environmental and political issues are perceived. When information is used well, it can facilitate a 'tipping point' in public perceptions and reactions; it is within these tipping points that social change is made possible. So the activities in this programme focus on information as an essential and strategic resource to plan, develop, implement and evaluate effective actions that will support rights advocacy.

We believe that discussion about the benefits and potential pitfalls of digital technologies needs to happen at a local level. The activities in this programme aim to bring together traditional rights advocates, new style digital activists, independent journalists and community organisers into a dialogue about the possibilities for digital technology to contribute to info-centric advocacy and campaigning.

The ACT programme creates resources to support info-activism (such as 10 tactics for turning information into action) and leads and supports info-activism through hands-on training events as well as by providing project implementation and mentoring. Since 2003 Tactical Tech has coordinated 6 large-scale events in three different regions, bringing together over 600 technologists, rights activists and designers to work together, share/learn skills and develop info-activism projects. Our 2009 Info-activism Camp directly supported the development of more than 40 tech-activist projects.

Key Questions for the ACT programme:

• How can digital technology be used to support effect info-centric campaigning and advocacy?

• How can we make sure that digital technologies provides the desired impact and that opportunities, resources and hard work are not wasted or misused?
• Which tools and tactics work best in certain contexts and how can decisions be made in a timely and effective way? How can advocates access the support and expertise they need and how can new skills best be developed and shared among rights-focused groups?

To address these kinds of questions and to support info-activism at the grassroots level, Tactical Tech's ACT programme focusses on three main areas.  

The ACT programme will:

• Support info-activism projects to be developed and nurtured through targeted hand-on training activities, consultancies and curricula development. 
• Grow and support a vibrant info-activism network through strategic, regional partnerships that support knowledge exchange and skill-sharing. 
• Document, critically assess and reflect on info-centric campaigns and advocacy efforts to enable advocates to learn from one another's mistakes and successes.

Image: Outcomes from Tactical Tech's Info-Activism Camp 2009, a project of the ACT programme.