Have you ever returned from a canvass demoralised that you only ended up preaching to those already converted? Wish there was some way to build bridges to cross the chasms that are growing wider with every day in an increasingly fractured and polarised political landscape?

The technique of deep canvassing was created to respond directly to these concerns. With its origins in the fight for marriage equality in California, practitioners of deep canvassing have employed radical empathy and listening in order to reach people and change minds on issues ranging from trans rights and health care to immigration and encampments.

It may not be a silver bullet but, given the success it's had in the states, it's no surprise that Canadian organisers are beginning to pay attention.

This week on the show, Rocky will get the straight dope on deep canvassing as they talk to Nicholas Schmidt, a deep canvasser with Down Home North Carolina: a group that has made the technique a corner stone of reaching out and building bridges with voters in the deeply conservative south.

Nahum Mann will also return to the show to discuss the work of the Encampment Support Network which has helped pioneer the technique in Canada to change the conversation around the encampment in Dufferin Grove Park.

[LINKS]

Atlas of Resistance – TWITTER

Atlas of Resistance - FACEBOOK

Down Home North Carolina - WEBSITE

Down Home North Carolina - TWITTER

Down Home North Carolina - FACEBOOK

Encampment Support Network - WEBSITE

Encampment Support Network - TWITTER

[DEEP CANVASSING RESOURCES]

As Nicholas and Nahum made clear, effective Deep Canvassing is predecated on a lot of preparation. Those who wish to incorporate the technique into their own organising and coalition building would be wise to read up from the experiences of others who have gone first. Below is a selection of some resources to help you and your group get started.

Miami Report on Deep Canvassing on Trans Rights

Changing the Conversation - About Deep Canvassing (Great Starting Place)

Deep Canvassing to Change Hearts and Minds

NPR - A New Way to Talk about Abortion...