Our biggest challenge, in rebuilding our neighborhoods, is rebuilding a sense of neighborhood, of community. How do we start? Come share your ideas, experiences, techniques that have worked for you? What would attract you to a neighborhood gathering? What have you tried that works? What would you help organize?
Many of us barely know our neighbors, much less feel a level of connection that motivates us to work together to rebuild our neighborhoods. Here in Nagog Woods, our one regular social activity - a book group - meets online. We seem to be far better at building community in our workplaces, on social media - in chat groups & video hangouts. How do we incorporate newcomers in a day when welcome wagons are a thing of the past?
What’s are some first steps in bringing neighbors together? How do we move from passing folks on the street, to serious socializing, to Community World Building? Do we start with online events for neighbors? Video hangouts from the local clubhouse or coffee shop? Happy hours? Game nights? Story hours? TED-like talks? Block Parties? Porch Fests?
Join the conversation, help build some community here - among those of us trying to build community in our neighborhoods!
For now, this chat is open to all. Please jump in!
One of our neighbors on our (short) block organized a block party BBQ once a year. Several people with big grills provided the basics, and others provided salads, desserts, etc. It included singing (the neighbor and others living on the block liked to sing, including some kids). It helped us to get to know our neighbors, and led to sharing rides for commuting, etc.
We would get a permit from the city and block off the street.
Even on our short block of about 25 total homes there was someone who didn't want it, so we could only block off half of the street.
Blocking off the street for a few hours won't necessarily be practical. I guess you'd have to use a nearby park or someone's larger yard. Maybe start with a smaller group and enlarge it over time.
Those gatherings didn't have a goal other than getting together. For this, I'd suggest that at the party, collect peoples' thoughts on what ought to be fixed, or changed. See how many email addresses you can collect. For some people a QR code will be appropriate; for others, pencil and paper. Start by listening.
Communication is key, from that smile and "Hello" when paths cross, to civil, open, forums pulled and held together by an anchor whether they be on line or in person or both and to get such a thing started, the first goal is to build critical mass.
In our neighborhood, I started with a couple topics near and dear to my heart ... my children and my neighbors. In talking to other people around me, I not only found others who felt and thought the same way I did, I found out about other issues/concerns/interests that they had a passion for that I appreciated, but perhaps didn't feel as strongly about and they just needed a medium to communicate.
I started an online forum including about 70-80 of my closest neighbors
... (Yeah, I talked to a lot of people on a fairly regular basis and not only gave out my contact like candy, I tended to collect theirs promising not to abuse the information.) and for the first 200 or so people to join our forum, I made it a point to meet them face to face in person so they knew who I was and I had a shot of being able to pick them out of a crowd.
And while the forum was a freely open discussion with hardly any oversight, we had a few "sandbox rules" and my method of conflict resolution was to invite "combatants" to coffee to resolve differences face to face. As I was often the only "common known" person, I often offered myself as buffer.
I have long since given up meeting everyone...our membership is over 800 at this point, I believe ... I have had to fight to keep discussions open (as I know it'd be easier to manage if the discussions were closed, but I think it defeats the purpose of a community forum) and it has spawned several other neighborhood forums over the past twenty years,any who have carried on the same sand ox rules and kept to the same open format policy.
Block parties, book clubs and Village days have also popped up with more frequency. Each neighborhood/community grew in its own way.
Sure, it originally may have needed a lot of persistence and energy, but once it grew to a couple hundred people ... it then took off and replicated itself and it became easier to find other energized people willing to help and have the passion to be a community anchor. I hope we continue to grow.
Thanks Greer. And I can attest to your success - got you elected to the City Council! I still recall setting up a community email list on your behalf - and your high-touch facilitation of communication (vs. heavy handed "moderation")!
My wife and I live in an urban area. Once a week we put on neon vests, go out into the neighborhood, and pick up trash. This has started a few conversations with neighbors. I think neighbors become curious when they see you doing something visible to improve the neighborhood. It works better than knocking on doors.
My neighbors do a block party just before sundown on Halloween. The adults (most of them) come in costume and announce that they will be open for trick or treating that night. It is a relaxed way to meet neighbors with or without kids.
Just attended a potluck "Steampunk Tea Party" - at Lars Anderson Park in Brookline - amidst a baseball game and a family birthday party. The event notice at https://fb.me/e/7pt3A3Iag
A really wonderful example of ad hoc community building - some folks who knew each other, a bunch who didn't, some who were attracted by the Facebook announcement, some who wandered in from the park. Something I think I'm going to try here at home.
One of our neighbors on our (short) block organized a block party BBQ once a year. Several people with big grills provided the basics, and others provided salads, desserts, etc. It included singing (the neighbor and others living on the block liked to sing, including some kids). It helped us to get to know our neighbors, and led to sharing rides for commuting, etc.
We would get a permit from the city and block off the street.
Even on our short block of about 25 total homes there was someone who didn't want it, so we could only block off half of the street.
Blocking off the street for a few hours won't necessarily be practical. I guess you'd have to use a nearby park or someone's larger yard. Maybe start with a smaller group and enlarge it over time.
Those gatherings didn't have a goal other than getting together. For this, I'd suggest that at the party, collect peoples' thoughts on what ought to be fixed, or changed. See how many email addresses you can collect. For some people a QR code will be appropriate; for others, pencil and paper. Start by listening.
Communication is key, from that smile and "Hello" when paths cross, to civil, open, forums pulled and held together by an anchor whether they be on line or in person or both and to get such a thing started, the first goal is to build critical mass.
In our neighborhood, I started with a couple topics near and dear to my heart ... my children and my neighbors. In talking to other people around me, I not only found others who felt and thought the same way I did, I found out about other issues/concerns/interests that they had a passion for that I appreciated, but perhaps didn't feel as strongly about and they just needed a medium to communicate.
I started an online forum including about 70-80 of my closest neighbors
... (Yeah, I talked to a lot of people on a fairly regular basis and not only gave out my contact like candy, I tended to collect theirs promising not to abuse the information.) and for the first 200 or so people to join our forum, I made it a point to meet them face to face in person so they knew who I was and I had a shot of being able to pick them out of a crowd.
And while the forum was a freely open discussion with hardly any oversight, we had a few "sandbox rules" and my method of conflict resolution was to invite "combatants" to coffee to resolve differences face to face. As I was often the only "common known" person, I often offered myself as buffer.
I have long since given up meeting everyone...our membership is over 800 at this point, I believe ... I have had to fight to keep discussions open (as I know it'd be easier to manage if the discussions were closed, but I think it defeats the purpose of a community forum) and it has spawned several other neighborhood forums over the past twenty years,any who have carried on the same sand ox rules and kept to the same open format policy.
Block parties, book clubs and Village days have also popped up with more frequency. Each neighborhood/community grew in its own way.
Sure, it originally may have needed a lot of persistence and energy, but once it grew to a couple hundred people ... it then took off and replicated itself and it became easier to find other energized people willing to help and have the passion to be a community anchor. I hope we continue to grow.
Thanks Greer. And I can attest to your success - got you elected to the City Council! I still recall setting up a community email list on your behalf - and your high-touch facilitation of communication (vs. heavy handed "moderation")!
My wife and I live in an urban area. Once a week we put on neon vests, go out into the neighborhood, and pick up trash. This has started a few conversations with neighbors. I think neighbors become curious when they see you doing something visible to improve the neighborhood. It works better than knocking on doors.
What a great idea. Leads to the more general notion of service days & projects. Thanks!
My neighbors do a block party just before sundown on Halloween. The adults (most of them) come in costume and announce that they will be open for trick or treating that night. It is a relaxed way to meet neighbors with or without kids.
Just attended a potluck "Steampunk Tea Party" - at Lars Anderson Park in Brookline - amidst a baseball game and a family birthday party. The event notice at https://fb.me/e/7pt3A3Iag
A somewhat blurry sideshow at https://www.facebook.com/share/v/dvtmXDWQ72kt219U/
A really wonderful example of ad hoc community building - some folks who knew each other, a bunch who didn't, some who were attracted by the Facebook announcement, some who wandered in from the park. Something I think I'm going to try here at home.