Having a structured process for welcoming new people into the community is essential to ensure its growth. To be perceived as approachable, it is important to take a clear and direct first step: the community needs to open a space beforehand that encourages new participation. In doing this, it is important to consider the economic, social, emotional, and cultural dimensions of potential new members so as to avoid creating unintentional barriers. Here are some dynamics that can foster openness:
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Have a designated person (or a couple of people) in charge of receiving and reaching out to people interested in participating, with a time and space set for that.
Select a person (or a couple of people) that has an open, friendly and approachable demeanour.
Define with them a schedule to allocate time slots to welcome and brief new community members.
Select a space for these encounters to occur, it should be somewhere the community presence is actively felt.
Post through digital and physical channels the name, place, and time to meet with “the mentor” so that aspiring community members know where/when to go.
Engage with new members on a weekly basis. In these encounters “The Mentor” should share the manifesto of the community, its history (what has happened so far), and explore in which ways the new member can contribute.
Organize a time for new members to meet others who are participating. New members should be “introduced” to the community by sharing their stories through digital and physical channels.
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A community works in a lot of ways like an organization, where different people execute different roles in order for things to work. Therefore, there are several tasks that need to be done. A bulletin board is a great way to share these tasks with everyone so that aspiring members know beforehand how they can contribute. This could be in specific ways (such as “cleaning up”, “delivering items”, and “setting up a place”) or it could be through roles (such as “content creator”, “planner”, or “treasurer”). Leaving a “blank role” or wildcard opens space to welcome new ideas or ways in which someone can contribute.
Create a digital or physical bulletin board where these listings are placed alongside their description.
If done physically, place it somewhere that is frequently visited by the general public (not only community members). If done digitally, keep it visible on social media (for example, highlighted in an Instagram story).
Include a form of contact in the bulletin, this could be the phone number or social media handle of “the mentor” so that people know who to contact if they are interested in participating.
Download a template here