Words Matter Community Organisers (WMCO) is a migrant-led programme supporting organisers to challenge the stories, language and political ideas that shape how migration is understood.
About Words Matter
Language underpins how the politics of migration are understood. The way migrants are spoken about helps justify policies, institutions and everyday practices that divide communities and make violence against migrants appear normal.
Words Matter looks beneath individual words to ask where these narratives come from, who benefits from them, and what we can do together to interrupt them.
About Words Matter Community Organisers (WMCO)
Through WMCO, MRN trains, resources and pays migrant organisers to take that work into the communities, organisations and campaigns they are already connected to. The first cohort delivered around 30 Words Matter workshops across London. For this next phase, we want to go deeper rather than simply deliver more workshops.
Applicants should be able to commit to the programme between October 2026 and March 2027. This commitment includes: attending the core training in October, designing and developing two Words Matter interventions (one of which will be a Words Matter workshop), engaging in feedback sessions and cohort reflection and development spaces.
While completing the programme, organisers will join the existing cohort in a wider community of practice, with opportunities to meet, share learning, experiment with ideas and support each other’s work.
Organisers who complete the programme will join the wider pool of existing Words Matter Community Organisers and facilitators and as opportunities become available will be offered paid freelance facilitation and organising work through MRN.
WMCO 2026/27 Recruitment and Application Details
We are looking for a smaller cohort of organisers who already have a place, community, organisation or struggle they are connected to, and who want to use Words Matter as one tool within that organising.
We are particularly interested in exploring how Words Matter can support place-based organising, where organisers already have relationships and a reason to intervene locally
We are also keen on working with organisers who want to explore creative, cultural and participatory approaches.
Recruitment process
1. Attend a Words Matter workshop
Applicants need to have attended a Words Matter workshop before joining the programme.
Anyone who has not done one previously will be able to attend one of the open workshops in September 2026. Book your place in one of the open Words Matter workshops below:
– Workshop 1: Wednesday, Sept 16th, 6 – 8 PM, In-person (London, location TBC)
– Workshop 2: Wednesday, Sept 21st, 6 – 8 PM, Online
2. Submit an application and intervention pitch
Applicants will be asked to complete and return the application form (below) including a brief pitch for the two interventions they would like to develop through the programme.
The pitch should explain:
- The organising, campaigning or community activity the applicant is already involved in.
- Who or what community, organisation or institution they want to work with.
- What narrative or issue they want to intervene in and why it’s important.
- What their proposed interventions could look like.
- What they hope the activity could move people towards afterwards.
At least one of the proposed interventions should be a Words Matter workshop. The second can be another workshop or a different creative, public, organisational or organising intervention.
Applicants will be able to submit the intervention pitch in writing or, where helpful for accessibility, as a short video.
3. References
Applicants will be asked to provide two references.
At least one should be an employment reference. The second can relate to other relevant experience, including employment, organising, activism or volunteering.
4. Interview
Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an interview.
The interviews will be held in late September and early October. The applicants will be interviewed by a MRN staff member and an organiser from the existing Words Matter Community Organisers cohort.
For more information and guidance on requirements, please refer to our application pack
To apply, click below