There comes a point where understanding is no longer enough. Up to now, much of what we’ve explored in Has2BGreen has been about making sense of the world — the systems, the structures, the forces that shape outcomes. That matters. Without that clarity, it’s very difficult to act in a way that is effective. But there is another step. What happens when you move from understanding… into reality? This new series, Inside the System, sits within our broader In Real Life course. It exists because that transition — from knowledge to action — is not straightforward. In fact, it can be one of the most disorienting moments people experience. When you step into a role — whether that’s as a councillor, a campaigner, or someone trying to make change locally — the expectation is often that things will begin to move. You have a mandate. You have ideas. You have intent. And then something else happens. Processes appear. Decisions seem to have already been shaped. Questions do not always receive clear answers. Movement is slower than expected. It can feel confusing. And, at times, personal. This series was created to make sense of that experience. Not to criticise individuals. Not to encourage confrontation. But to understand how systems behave when you enter them. Across these lessons, we look at things that are rarely explained openly: Where decisions are actually made. Why process can feel overwhelming. What role gatekeepers play. How resistance shows up — and how to recognise it. What it means to stay effective over time. And how influence begins to build quietly, often before it becomes visible. This is not a set of tactics. It is a way of seeing. Because without that understanding, it is very easy to become frustrated, to push in ways that don’t work, or to step back entirely. And that’s not a reflection of the individual — it’s a reflection of how complex systems respond to change. With that understanding, something different becomes possible. You begin to see where movement can happen.

Over the past couple of weeks, my focus has been on preparing seven candidates for the upcoming county council elections. Each candidate requires six forms to be completed, along with two local supporters to act as proposer and seconder. These supporters must live within the candidate’s division and provide their electoral numbers. It’s a detailed process, and accuracy matters. Each nomination also needs to be signed off by the candidate’s agent and authorised by a Green Party official. To simplify things, we appointed a single agent to act for all seven candidates, which made coordination much easier. Alongside the formal process, we wanted each candidate to appear on our website with a short biography and a clear explanation of why they are standing. This led to some important conversations. At county level, you have to be careful about what you promise. There is no value in offering solutions to issues that sit outside your sphere of influence. Clarity here matters, both for candidates and for voters. One of our members, who works professionally in photography, took portraits of each candidate. The difference is striking. Instead of looking like generic campaign figures, they look like real people who live locally and care about their communities. Another of our members is a professional communications expert and graphic designer. His work has significantly raised the quality of our leaflets and social media posts, both in terms of design and messaging. We now have everything prepared and ready for submission this week. It has been another steep learning curve. This year we are standing seven candidates. Next year, the plan is closer to twenty-one.