Over the past seven months, we, the GM SC Temporary Stewards, have invited GM SC partners to come together through a series of forums to shape the next phase of Greater Manchester Systems Changers. The conversations have been meaningful, sometimes challenging, but always valuable, and we’re deeply grateful to everyone who has contributed. Now, we are at the crucial turning point we’ve been preparing for the past year: transitioning into a member-led network that continues to centre care, solidarity, and liberation.

 

What partners agreed

From the forums, one thing that kept coming back about the future of GMSC was that it needed to be built on collective governance. So on the 20th of March, partners agreed that:

• GM SC is now a membership network, where members commit to our vision and mission, have decision-making power, and can work on proposals aligned with the themes from the forums held in early March. 
• All 72 organisations and individuals, who have worked closely with or received funding from GM SC over the past five years, will be invited to become members.

 

•  The roles of members will be to collectively continuously shape GM SC, what it is, and what it does, in line with its vision, mission and red lines. 
• There is no fees or funding attached to membership at this stage.  
• Temporary Stewards will facilitate the transition process until a new admin team (voted in by members) takes over governance from June 1st. 
• The exact terms of membership will be decided by members. The Temporary Stewards will suggest some initial options for members to discuss, develop and agree on. Right now, becoming a member means agreeing to the mission, vision, red lines, and principles of how we work together.

 

 The New GM SC Vision, Mission, and Red Lines

On the 20th of March 2025, partners agreed on the following vision, mission and red lines:

Our new vision:

Greater Manchester Systems Changers (GMSC) envisions a world where power and resources are redistributed to dismantle exploitative and oppressive systems and build alternative ways of existing. Rooted in abolitionist, anti-capitalist, anti-racist and anti-discriminatory principles, GMSC supports both collective and personal liberation through action, centering care, reciprocity, and continuous collective accountability in all its work.

Our new mission:

Greater Manchester System Changers (GMSC) is a sustainable, self-funded network governed by its Members. It is grounded in solidarity with working-class women and young people, predominantly but not exclusively of colour. Centering and stewarded by those most impacted by systemic injustice, GMSC challenges exploitative and oppressive structures and systems. This work includes creating and supporting the evolution of alternative realities towards collective liberation.

Our new red lines (not exhaustive list)

GMSC will not be:

• a replacement for services – GMSC will not fill the gaps left by government funding cuts or replace essential services that should be publicly funded. GMSC is not a charity delivering services. 
• a Government Initiative – we will remain independent from national and local government, councils, the NHS or any large funder or institution such as Lankelly Chase (although we may engage critically)
• a bureaucratic institution – GMSC will not become another top-down hierarchical organisation that prioritises red tape over real change.
• Neutral or apolitical – GMSC will not sit on the fence when it comes to challenging exploitative and oppressive systems.
• a gatekeeper of resources – GMSC will not hoard power or funds but will redistribute them to grassroots movements and those most impacted by systemic harm.
• an exploitative organisation – we will not exploit people’s living and lived experience nor use them for tick box exercises, nor use people as research subjects. 
• an organisation that receives funding from organisations/individuals that compromise our vision, mission and values. 
• an organisation that contributes to the climate emergency.

We will also need to make decisions and have a deeper conversation about red lines with who we take funding from, how we make investments (non-exploitative and non-extractive) and ownership structures.

 

Who are GM SC members

GMSC will have members who sign up to actively commit to our vision and mission, have voting rights, decision-making power, and the ability to work on proposals based on the themes from the world cafe forums. 

After today, we will invite all 72 partner organisations (and individuals) who have been funded by and worked closely with GMSC over the past five years to join the network as members, recognising that there may not be any funding available. We can invite people to stay/join the mailing list (to be informed). We are asking partners to be part of a conversation on what being a member means. 

Once the members are confirmed, we will collectively decide if and when to open the network to others outside the initial group (knowing there were organisations that may have dropped off that may wish to join again later).

 

Financial & Governance Structures

At the moment, the SMORS group (Sense-making, Organising, Reflection and Strategy) makes decisions on finances, payment, comms, emails, strategy and does the admin for GM SC. 

We propose that some decisions are made and actioned by the SMORS group (the current core organising group) and some by the full membership of GMSC. The breakdown of these decisions will be decided upon by all the members. Each member of SMORS will be voted in every two years at which point anyone in the membership can put themselves forward for a role. 

Once the SMORS group has been established, we propose that budgeting should remain with SMORS without the need to consult the whole membership. Two delegated people within SMORS will look after Social Change Nest and will approve payments. 

Decisions on grants should not be made entirely by SMORS. If grant-making is a strategy that members have voted in, then a grant-making working group should be set up, which should be made up of members. 

Members will also have transparency on the budget.

 

The Transition: From Temporary Stewards to SMORS

The Temporary Stewards were invited by the previous Core Team to hold this process from January 2024 to March 2025, working as democratically as possible to ensure equity. 

Given there is work that needs to be done on setting up the next phase, we propose that through April and May that some of the current Temporary Stewards work to support the handover (i.e. accountability and everything that has been worked on so far) to a new SMORS team (as voted in by the members) to steer GMSC into its next phase from the 1st of June.

Over the next 2 months, Temporary Stewards (whoever has capacity to) will hold the process for:

• To confirm the membership network
• Create a transparent process for members to put themselves forward for roles within the working groups which the members vote on. 
• Hold the comms for putting the new vision, mission and aims on the website and other social medias
• Organise transition and potentially a celebration event for the end of the current phase and the beginning of the new phase for GMSC 
• Ensure that from 1st June, the newly elected SMORS team is equipped to take over governance, decision-making, and strategic direction.

 

What Happens Next?

If you have been part of GMSC’s journey, we are now inviting you to officially become a member (you will receive an email first week of April). This is your opportunity to be part of a radical, member-led network committed to real change. If you do not want to be a member, or have not been part of the GM SC’s journey so far, you can stay informed through our mailing list and social media.

We are excited about this new phase and look forward to continuing this work together.

With solidarity,

The Temporary Stewards of GMSC