On February 12, CPD launched a two-week Canvass Director Boot Camp in Los Angeles for our largest-ever training with trainees from ten CPD affiliates from across the country, including Good Jobs Now in Detroit, UNE in Denver, Working Washington in Seattle, Organize Florida in Tampa and Orlando, OnePA in Philadelphia, ACCE in Los Angeles, Make the Road PA in Allentown, and VOCAL-NY.

At the boot camp, the canvass directors spent a week in the field learning the tools developed by our partners at Membership Drive, and learning from the canvass training manual developed by our own National Field Lead, Tiffany Cruz. During this first week, our trainees canvassed in Los Angeles on behalf of our CA affiliate, ACCE. Trainees signed up members and supporters for ACCE's work on education justice for students in the LA school district. Canvass directors trained on best practices for directing canvass teams in the field, from practicing the script to learning how to change course when events happen on the ground. 

During the second week of the boot camp, canvass directors participated in an intensive in-office management training. Training topics included recruitment, how to give feedback and conduct assessments, how to run team meetings, and how to manage personnel.  The CPD training team also conducted a series of one-on-one meetings with each canvass director to set individual goals for their respective canvass programs. The canvass directors will now head back to their communities to build their membership in the field and raise essential funds to help them move progressive policies forward at the local level.