Local Group Events and Activities: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:31, 1 June 2026

Purpose

Provide an overview of how Local Groups use events and activities to support member engagement, connection, and community.

The Role of Events

Events are one of the primary ways members connect, participate, and build community.

Events help Local Groups:

Welcome new members
Build relationships
Provide intellectual and social engagement
Encourage ongoing participation

Events are important, but they are only one part of a broader member engagement strategy.

Activity Variety

Members have different interests, schedules, and comfort levels. A strong activity program offers a variety of ways to participate.

This may include:

Social activities
Intellectual activities
Active or experiential activities
Virtual activities
Casual and recurring gatherings

See Ideas for Local Group Activities.

Engagement Levels

Not all activities require the same level of commitment.

Some members prefer low-pressure opportunities to connect, while others seek deeper involvement and leadership opportunities.

See Engagement Levels Overview.

In-Person and Virtual Activities

Not all engagement happens in person.

Virtual activities:

Increase accessibility
Support remote and homebound members
Provide flexible participation options

Virtual and in-person activities should complement one another rather than compete.

See Supporting Virtual Engagement.

Planning a Balanced Calendar

A strong event calendar:

Offers a variety of activity types
Includes different engagement levels
Provides regular opportunities to connect
Communicates events clearly and consistently

See Designing Your Event Mix and Event Calendar Best Practices.

Creating Welcoming Experiences

Events are most effective when they are welcoming and accessible.

Provide clear expectations
Reduce barriers to participation
Support first-time attendees
Foster connection among participants

See Welcoming New Members and New Member Events.

Roles and Collaboration

Events are often a shared responsibility.

Common contributors include:

ExComm and event hosts
Membership Officer
Communications volunteers and editors
Area Coordinators

Local Groups may divide responsibilities differently based on their size and structure.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 == Purpose ==
-Provide an overview of how Local Groups design, organize, and support events as part of member engagement.
+Provide an overview of how Local Groups use events and activities to support member engagement, connection, and community.
 == The Role of Events ==
-Events are one of the primary ways members connect, participate, and build community.   Events help Local Groups:
-* Welcome new members
+Events are one of the primary ways members connect, participate, and build community.
-* Build relationships and community
-* Provide intellectual and social engagement
+Events help Local Groups:
-* Support ongoing participation
-Events are one of many ways members engage — not the only way.
+* Welcome new members
+* Build relationships
+* Provide intellectual and social engagement
+* Encourage ongoing participation
-== Virtual Engagement ==
+Events are important, but they are only one part of a broader member engagement strategy.
-Not all engagement happens in person.
-Virtual activities are an important part of a strong event ecosystem. They:
+== Activity Variety ==
-* Provide access for remote or homebound members
+Members have different interests, schedules, and comfort levels. A strong activity program offers a variety of ways to participate.
-* Offer lower-barrier ways to participate
-* Create flexible options for different schedules and comfort levels
-Virtual and in-person activities should be viewed as complementary, not competing.
+This may include:
-See: [[Get Involved Virtually]]
+* Social activities
-== Types of Activities ==
+* Intellectual activities
-Local Groups benefit from offering a range of activities.
+* Active or experiential activities
+* Virtual activities
+* Casual and recurring gatherings
-See:
+See [[Ideas for Local Group Activities]].
-* [[Ideas for Local Group Activities]]
-* [[Designing Your Event Mix]]
 == Engagement Levels ==
-Not all activities require the same level of involvement.
-== Planning and Calendar ==
+Not all activities require the same level of commitment.
+Some members prefer low-pressure opportunities to connect, while others seek deeper involvement and leadership opportunities.
+See [[Engagement Levels Overview]].
+== In-Person and Virtual Activities ==
+Not all engagement happens in person.
+Virtual activities:
+* Increase accessibility
+* Support remote and homebound members
+* Provide flexible participation options
+Virtual and in-person activities should complement one another rather than compete.
+See [[Get Involved Virtually]].
+== Planning a Balanced Calendar ==
 A strong event calendar:
-* Offers a mix of activity types
+* Offers a variety of activity types
 * Includes different engagement levels
-* Provides clear and consistent information
+* Provides regular opportunities to connect
-To design a balanced and sustainable mix of activities, see [[Designing Your Event Mix]]
+* Communicates events clearly and consistently
-== Communication and Promotion ==
+See [[Designing Your Event Mix]] and [[Event Calendar Best Practices]].
-Events should be easy to find and understand.
-* Use multiple communication channels
+== Creating Welcoming Experiences ==
-* Keep information consistent across platforms
-See [[Event Channels and Platforms]]
-== Creating Welcoming Experiences ==
 Events are most effective when they are welcoming and accessible.
 * Provide clear expectations
 * Reduce barriers to participation
 * Support first-time attendees
+* Foster connection among participants
+See [[Welcoming New Members]] and [[New Member Events]].
 == Roles and Collaboration ==
-Events are a shared responsibility across multiple roles.
+Events are often a shared responsibility.
 Common contributors include:
-* ExComm and individual hosts (planning and logistics)
+* ExComm and event hosts
-* [[Membership Officer]] (member experience and outreach)
+* [[Membership Officer]]
-* Communications / Editor (promotion)
+* Communications volunteers and editors
-* [[Area Coordinators]] (local events)
+* [[Area Coordinators]]
-Local Groups may divide responsibilities differently.
+Local Groups may divide responsibilities differently based on their size and structure.
 == Related ==
-=== Planning ===
+* [[Ideas for Local Group Activities]]
+* [[Designing Your Event Mix]]
+* [[Engagement Levels Overview]]
 * [[Event Calendar Best Practices]]
 * [[Event Channels and Platforms]]
-=== Engagement ===
-* [[Engagement Levels Overview]]
-* [[Ideas for Local Group Activities]]
 * [[Get Involved Virtually]]
-=== Execution ===
 * [[New Member Events]]
-=== Member Experience ===
-* [[Welcoming New Members]]
-* [[Member Engagement]]
-=== Roles ===
 * [[Membership Officer]]
 * [[Area Coordinators]]