Start a Campaign with Act Now

Act Now is a new people-powered campaigning community in Northern Ireland. It's a partnership between Uplift and 38Degrees and enables people to take coordinated action together,  to make Northern Ireland a better, fairer, more equal place for everyone - no matter where we come from. Start your campaign below!

New Campaign Campaigns

  • Pay the Nurses Strike Pay
    At the end of last year, nurses went on strike for the first time ever for fair pay and adequate staffing for the NHS. The Minister for Finance has confirmed that funding was secured to reinstate their strike pay, but it has not been paid out. Nurses are at the backbone of our NHS, and at the heart of the Covid19 response. They can no longer be at the back of the queue when it comes to pay.
    9 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Signe Browne
  • Lift Maternity Restrictions in NI
    We believe that the restrictions currently in place due to the Covid outbreak are not necessary, not based on scientific evidence, are disrespecting human rights and are not proportionate to achieve the objective of limiting the spread of the virus. We are concerned about Birth and Perinatal Trauma and the long term Mental Health issues that these restrictions are causing/will cause.
    8,632 of 9,000 Signatures
    Created by Meabh McGrotty Picture
  • Urgent Support for Trans Communities
    Since the start of 2018, no new patients have been seen in the Northern Ireland adult gender identity clinic. There are now over 400 on the waiting list, some of whom have been on this list for over 4 years. While a review of these services was commissioned late last year, progress has been slow, and the Department and HSCB have been unwilling to meaningfully include and consult with trans communities. As a result, the majority of trans people in Northern Ireland who are currently accessing gender affirming care are doing so through private services, including those in England and further afield, or through self-medication. Those who self-medicate have been doing so to reduce the harm that is being done to them by the failure of statutory services to provide support and care while this review is ongoing and in the two years before it was commissioned. There is a mental health crisis in trans communities; while trans-led support groups and advocacy organisations are doing our best to support our communities, these groups are chronically under-funded and under-staffed. There is an urgent need for statutory services to step up and provide support to trans communities who have waited years for action.
    2 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Alexa Moore
  • Free School Meals for All
    We know our members working in school catering do incredible work and we want to ensure they are both recognised and valued for the work they do. Sign our petition calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to support and properly fund the provision of universal free school meals for all children.
    423 of 500 Signatures
    Created by Nicola Browne
  • Support the Motion to Ban Drilling
    Dervilla, environmental campaigner says: "In the midst of a climate emergency there is evidence that the oil and gas industry is attempting once more to come in and put at risk the health and future of the public and the border regions. In 2014, then Energy Minister Arlene Foster issued an order which meant the licence to explore for shale gas in Fermanagh was terminated. We need her and her party to show that she will stand with us." Support the motion https://bit.ly/3nIw0ZC
    603 of 800 Signatures
    Created by Nicola Browne
  • Demand Randox release Covid-19 tests
    Randox received £23 million in public funds through Invest NI in 2018, and benefited from a research partnership with our two universities QUB and UU. Now they are selling at an extortionate price (£120 per test) at a time when people are worried about food and job security and how they'll keep a roof over their heads. Meanwhile our NHS is struggling as they don't have enough tests so that key healthcare professionals can continue to do their vital work on the frontline of the fight against this global pandemic. Demand that Randox releases the Covid-19 tests free of charge to the NHS and stops profiteering from this crisis. See: https://www.randoxhealth.com/product/coronavirus-covid-19-home-testing-kit/ and: https://www.randox.com/tag/invest-ni/
    12,628 of 15,000 Signatures
    Created by Lynda Sullivan
  • STOP using B&B’s & HOSTELS as emergency or temporary accommodation for young people aged 16-18!
    It is inappropriate for a vulnerable young person (16-18) needing temporary or emergency accommodation to be placed in a B&B or Hostel where adults are also placed. Gabby Connelly was only 17 when she was placed in a B&B where she was sexually assaulted. No prior police checks where carried out on those working in the B&B. The sexual assault impacted Gabby massively and when Gabby sought counselling she was told she would have to wait months. Tragically Gabby is no longer with us to fight for this change, however her mum Lisa has started this campaign #JusticeForGabby to ensure change happens within the care system. Gabby recorded her story a few months before her death where she highlights the failings within the system. Please support our campaign by signing and sharing this petition. This is only the start of #JusticeForGabby.
    7 of 100 Signatures
    Created by rory doherty
  • Make Sick Pay Mandatory in Ireland
    The pandemic has exposed big failings in how workers are protected against loss of income when they have to take days off work due to sickness. Ireland is completely out of line with European norms in not requiring all employers to continue to pay our wages if we are forced to miss work because we fall ill. We ask that a guaranteed period of paid sick leave of no less than 2 weeks and paid at 100% of the worker's wage is mandatory. Hundreds and thousands of low paid essential workers do not receive sick pay and face being financially compelled to keep working when sick.
    9 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Nicola Browne
  • Full Abortion Care in Northern Ireland
    The Department of Health NI are refusing to commission abortion services, despite regulations now in place which make abortion provision a legal requirement. This means that only limited abortion access has been provided and too many women and pregnant people have been refused treatment and told to travel. The Minister for Health has also stated this limited access is an ‘interim’ measure only, which means that there has been NO attempt by the Department to commission fitting, adequate and permanent abortion provision we need. We have the law. Now we need the access.
    1,286 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by Nicola Browne
  • Fund Perinatal Mental Health Care for Northern Ireland
    At least 1 in 10 women are impacted by mental health issues in the perinatal period, from pregnancy until their child is 2 years old. Specialist perinatal mental health services are desperately needed, comprising specialist clinical teams in every health trust, community support services, peer support, education and a specialist inpatient mother and baby unit. Campaigners and perinatal mental health experts have been working together for years calling for these vital services to be put in place but Northern Ireland remains far behind the rest of the UK as the only region with no mother and baby unit and extremely limited specialist service providers. The Health Minister has committed to establish new perinatal services as part of the 2020 Mental Health Action Plan but has not published any details about what will be included and states in the action plan that "[i]t is likely that creating this service will take some time." The Minister has still not agreed to meet the urgent need for a mother and baby unit so that women suffering from acute perinatal mental illness can be treated without being separated from their babies. Meanwhile, women in Northern Ireland have lost their lives and many more have suffered the consequences of being unable to access services. The devastating impact of covid-19 on women who have been allowed limited support from partners and family during their birthing experience and reduced access to health visiting services at home has made the situation even worse. We urgently need the Minister to fund these services and allow the professionals who are ready to deliver them to get on with this important work. Mums and babies cannot wait any longer.
    221 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Nicola Browne
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