This has been my current endeavor here in Columbus. It is going better than expected, and has been easier than expected.
What worked for us, but is possibly generalizing from one example: First, develop a close-knit group of equals (good for discussion and socialization) . THEN (my personal aha! moment here)… recruit a whole bunch of newbies all at once (good for having organized workshops and classes). You can ask people from the first group to lead various classes for the people in the second group, so that you don’t have to do it all yourself. Note: Don’t ask people as a group. Ask specific individuals for specific workshops.
It is significantly harder to organize workshops and classes among people you think of as your approximate equals in the skill in question, even though every single individual there may prefer it. (This had been our failure mode for a while)
(@Vaniver- I know you, so I know that you personally probably already know all this. This comment is more for LWers in general who are thinking about going the “organizer” route.)
So, a vaguely similar plan is in the works here in Austin, but unless it goes spectacularly I don’t expect that to happen unless I move to SF or NY.
This has been my current endeavor here in Columbus. It is going better than expected, and has been easier than expected.
What worked for us, but is possibly generalizing from one example: First, develop a close-knit group of equals (good for discussion and socialization) . THEN (my personal aha! moment here)… recruit a whole bunch of newbies all at once (good for having organized workshops and classes). You can ask people from the first group to lead various classes for the people in the second group, so that you don’t have to do it all yourself. Note: Don’t ask people as a group. Ask specific individuals for specific workshops.
It is significantly harder to organize workshops and classes among people you think of as your approximate equals in the skill in question, even though every single individual there may prefer it. (This had been our failure mode for a while)
(@Vaniver- I know you, so I know that you personally probably already know all this. This comment is more for LWers in general who are thinking about going the “organizer” route.)