Across the movement for harm reduction and drug policy reform, campaigners often face comparable obstacles: repressive political contexts, hostile media environments, limited organisational capacity, and shrinking funding opportunities. While reports, workshops and networks help circulate knowledge, they do not replace peer-to-peer exchanges crucial for reflection, learning and movement-building.
At a time when funding cuts are increasingly constraining travel and convening opportunities, the Support. Don’t Punish Twinning Programme seeks to create space for decentralised one-on-one exchanges where campaigners can share tactics, troubleshoot challenges, build confidence, and strengthen cross-regional solidarity.
This pilot builds on lessons from the campaign’s Leadership Network and recommendations from the campaign’s lifetime evaluation, which emphasise the importance of nurturing decentralised leadership and stronger relationships across the movement.
What the Twinning Programme offers
Up to ten selected participants will be matched with another campaigner working on similar issues in different contexts.
Over six months, participants will commit to at least three exchanges, which can take place through formats that work best for them: online calls, messaging platforms, voice notes, or other accessible tools.
The programme is designed to be:
- Non-hierarchical
- Flexible and trust-based
- Focused on reflecting on practical campaigning challenges
- Voluntary and unfunded
The Programme is not a training programme or funding mechanism, but rather an organising and learning space where campaigners can reflect together on their work and strengthen connections across the campaign ecosystem.
Who can apply?
The programme is primarily intended for grassroots harm reduction and drug policy reform campaigners involved in the Support. Don’t Punish campaign — with room for flexibility for campaigners from intersecting movements (ex. racial justice, sex work, LGBTQ+, HIV, etc.).
Both emerging and experienced campaigners are encouraged to apply. Learning flows in all directions — and meaningful exchanges often come from sharing diverse perspectives, contexts and strategies.
Campaigners will be matched according to:
- Shared issue focus
- Similar campaigning roles
- Language compatibility
A learning pilot
The Twinning Programme is being launched as a pilot initiative. Participants’ reflections will help inform how the programme evolves in the future, including how the campaign can better support peer learning, solidarity and decentralised leadership across regions. Insights gathered through the pilot will be shared internally with the campaign’s Leadership Network to help strengthen future initiatives.
Apply to participate
Expressions of interest will be received until 26 March 2026.
Campaigners interested in participating can submit a short expression of interest through the form below.