A toolkit is essentially a set of adaptable guidelines or suggestions to get something done. The contents differ depending on what the aim of the toolkit is.
While toolkits have been around for decades, the accessibility of social media have brought them into the spotlight over the past few years. Often, it is a booklet or document created to explain a cause or issue. It identifies approaches to address the issue from the grassroots level.
References to toolkits for protesters can be found in the Occupy Wall Street protests of 2011, in the Hong Kong protests of 2019, several climate protests across the world etc. During the Hong Kong protests, toolkits advised participants to wear masks and helmets to avoid being recognised and ways to put out tear gas shells.
Example
>The Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Association, for example has several toolkits available online, such as those on efficient library systems and on working with teens.
>In the context of protests, a toolkit usually includes reading material on the context of the protest, news article links and methods of protest (including on social media).
>It is a routine document used by social justice campaigners to raise awareness about issues and suggest strategies to proceed.