How to Organize a Local Group Gathering
May 30, 2009 | By
A great way to become personally acquainted with other members of your team or guild is by having a local gathering. There are many great sites that can help you get these meet-ups put together, such as Meetup.com. It is very easy to use and features a calendar, events page, forums, and more.
The first thing that is needed in holding a Group Meet-up is an actual event that requires your group to meet. Events can be business related, like a group craft show; or fun, like an outing at an amusement park. If every meet up is only about business, it can get boring very fast for some of your members. Take the time to get to know your members and have fun with them too. Trips to amusement parks, an occasional lunch outing, or just a get-together at a local park on a beautiful, sunny day can do a lot to boost the spirits of your members. This will also help your members become more familiar with each other and bring about a more unified group.
Keeping your calendar updated is very important for letting your members know of new events that they may wish to attend. If there are any local crafting events going on in your area, put those on your calendar as possible meet-up locations. You can easily use these local events to your advantage (read "Promoting Your Guilds and Teams at Craft Shows") and can even have a group table there with some of your members.
Try to schedule your meet-ups around the same time every month. This will help your teammates plan ahead on their schedules and create a familiar routine. There are many common places in towns and cities that would possibly cater to your gatherings needs. Some places around town that would cater to your gathering needs are places like craft stores, local schools, libraries, restaurants with VIP rooms, and book stores. Do not hold the meetings at members’ homes or your own house. Safety is the most important factor in planning these events and not every member is acquainted well enough at this point.
When calling these places to schedule a gathering, be sure to tell them what type of crafting might be taking place and do not be discouraged if they do not allow crafting meet-ups. If they do approve of your meet-up, do not try to schedule for the next month. Test the place with one engagement before you plan any future meetings. Once the first meeting has taken place, then decide if the venue is worth holding another of your meet-ups. If after the second meet-up proves to be beneficial to the group, then schedule them monthly.
Learning new crafts feels rewarding and, when you learn with a group, it can be a lot of fun. Group gatherings are a fantastic way for your members to learn new skills while creating friendships with fellow crafters. Establish a thread about your Meetup on website forums so your members can list what they are willing to teach. Have your other members vote in a week long poll on which classes they would most like to attend. Then, once the votes are tallied, assign the first class for the first meet-up. Once the first class has taken place and if the runner-up class has enough votes, schedule the second most popular class idea for the next meet-up.
Keep track of the class gatherings in the calendar so people do not forget about them. Ask each teacher if they could bring handouts or instructions that have to do with what they will be teaching. If they cannot print the instructions, help them out. If the teachers are unable to bring enough materials for the entire class, have them create a materials list and place it on the site so the class can garner the needed materials before the date of the meeting. If all members cannot afford the necessary materials, let them know that they can still attend by watching the class. Some materials may be extremely expensive so some classes may need to be presentation based instead of a hands-on course. Be a responsible leader and have all the proper safety equipment because anything could happen.
There are many things you can do at your gatherings: planning a future event, discussing group crafts, or just casual meet and greets. These will all build friendships and help your members mingle with fellow crafters, and it will help your Team or Guild unite. Listen to what your members have to say at each meeting and encourage them to share their ideas. Always remember that communication is the binding force that holds your group together.
Photo courtesy of Joe Shlabotnik.
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