The document provides guidance on starting a new village community by sharing lessons from founding other initiatives over 45 years. It emphasizes that both the idea and how you implement it matter. The document outlines tips for building a team, getting the word out, and turning an information meeting into a planning activity. At the meeting, the goals are to explain your vision, brainstorm ideas, agree on actions and responsibilities, and send a follow up with next steps. The overall message is that starting a community requires inspiring others and finding allies through various online and offline means.

1. Getting a new village started
Richard Lucas
richardlucas@richardlucas.com
2nd September 2020

2. Goals/Agenda
• Share lessons of founding/investing in many
community initiatives and businesses over the
last 45 years
• Actionable insights
BUT
• No magic – WWFMMNWFY! It’s Your Village,
• Both “Idea” and “how you do it” matter
• Not a “sales” document – for those who are
already convinced
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3. Why
What would success look like
Saying „hello” on the street
No one has to be lonely?
------ your idea of succees -----
Will this inspire others?

4. Your local
community
Where are you now?
Who does what where?
Starting points will vary
Talk to people/find allies
Online/offline
All walks of life….. (PLU?)
Venues
Hyperlocal, Local,
Regional, National
International…. twinning

5. Startup meeting/event
• You are going to do it.
• Balance between madness and faith
• Meta/Pilot - goal is to set goals
• Gives you an excuse to talk to everyone
• Aim high and rejoice in low
• Agree some actions you believe in/Who what
whens
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6. Pre event team building
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7. Startup meeting/event
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8. Types of event/project
(one offs/regular)
• Village fete
• Royal Wedding
• Monthly coffee morning
• Kids club
• newcomer club
• dog walking
• organisations fair
• Speaker meeting
• Weekly concert
• Monthly mixer
• Xmas Party
• Where are you from?
• meet the X (dustman,
postie, councillor, copper
• Chatty Weds
• TEDCircles
• Projects (noticeboard,
Graffiti, Littter,
flowerbeds… traffic …
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9. Tips and tricks
• You don’t need money! But COBA, dogwalking
easier than new building…
• Make meetings fun and social
• Get people talking about what they want, get
those suggesting ideas to lead, Leader follows
her/his troops Easy wins
• Get contact details
• Have your meeting summary written before
you start.. Fill in the gaps
• Embrace rejection, just say thank you and why
• More than :”just you” is a success
Easy wins

10. Links
• www.meetup.com/opencoffekrakow
• Getting buzz to your event
www.richardlucas.com/2014/02/community-building-at-events-
greatness-is-found-in-the-detail
• Getting anything started
• http://www.richardlucas.com/2020/08/getting-a-social-non-profit-
initiative-started/
• Richardlucas@richardlucas.com
• TED Profile www.ted.com/profiles/54403/about
• blog www.richardlucas.com
• www.linkedin.com/in/richardhlucas
• www.facebook.com/richardhlucas

11. Getting a new village started
Richard Lucas
richardlucas@richardlucas.com
2nd September 2020

12. Building a team
• Define your needs and roles. (Google is your
friend).
• Identify „allies” friendly, positive, optimistic,
high energy”, popular, well connected,
intelligent types who would be great to have on
your team and approach them to see if they
share your goals and want to help.
• n.
• If you can’t find one person on board before
you organise a meeting…. Is that a danger
sign?

13. Getting the word out
• institution(s) you are connected to (workplace, association,
school, university, club)….
• Review the ways that/those institutions communicates with
its members (website, newsletter, meetings, other)
• Make contact with those in charge of the institution(s), and
those running the web site/newsletter etc (remember face to
face is better than phone, phone is better than e-mail)
• Social media, event listings, media (the less important the
better) other people’s events, calling people up.
• Publicize the idea of doing your project, emphasize that in
other places, projects have already taken place.
• Organise an information meeting, asking for those who
might want to help you to come along, or e-mail you

14. Turn the „Information meeting”
into a planning activity
• Explaining your vision
• Do icebreakers, make it fun and social
• Have attendee sheets to get phone, e-mails,skills,
and what each person has to offer
• Brainstorm ideas of things that could happen.
Agree strongly with the ideas of others which
match your own
• Encourage those suggesting ideas to say what
they could take responsibility for personally
• Make a „who what when” summary, and send it to
everyone who attended „Who, will do what by
when” and set date of next meeting