This article was originally posted on LinkedIn on 27th June 2022.

There is no doubt that community provides the glue that brings travelling nomads together and cements their place in any destination, and events are the backbone of these communities; connecting nomads fully with each other and with the locals. But what if you are a newbie event organiser and you want to create that first get-together or meet-up event? Read on to hear some top tips from the experts!

 Introduction

Last year when I was visiting the Digital Nomad Village in Madeira, I was delighted to find that almost every day there was an event or activity. From walking excursions on a Sunday to Kombucha tasting at the local coworking (with the donations going to the local animal rescue centre), to yoga sessions in the morning, multiple times a week there was the opportunity for nomad residents to join-in, connect and share with other nomads and the local community in Ponta do Sol. 

All these events inspired me so much that I decided to volunteer and offered to hold an interactive workshop on “Remote Work Skills” for the community. The organisers and community hosts there made the experience delightful and easy: from adding the event to the Weekly Activities Calendar via Slack, to finding me a venue and helping to promote to encourage attendance. In the end, almost 30 people participated and the workshop got super feedback. It was a wonderful experience and felt great to give back to the community in such a proactive way.

 Many nomads (and locals) want to follow this same example, but what if you are new to the event organisation game!? Read on to get some great advice on how to organise your first event.

Make the decision and commit!

You know there are lots of benefits to running a community event, both for the host and for those who participate, so once you have decided to organise an event, go for it! Move into planning mode by following the tips outlined below, it will really help to give you focus.

As nomad events expert Mandy Fransz said, “joining events are a great way to connect with a like-minded community. If it's not there yet, organise one yourself and 'pass the torch' to leave a positive impact."

Prepare fully with good research

Start by researching if other events have been held in your location, reviewing what has been previously done and learning from that. For example, if you find previous meet-ups or community events online, you can borrow from their format and/or contact the people involved to ask for their support again for your plans. Also, many of the platforms that support event organisation, like Meet-up or Eventbrite, have simple guides and support on offer, like this one.

Connect with the community

Find a community partner or connection to work with. Gonçalo Hall (founder of the Digital Nomad Village Madeira) advises:

If you don’t believe me, then trust Hannah Talbot (here is her Twitter handle: @hanmeetsworld) - Host of The Remote Life Podcast - an experiences event organiser for nomads: “if there is an activity you would like to do and with people, don’t be afraid to reach out in nomad groups on social media. More often than not, there is a handful of people keen to meet up for an extra coffee (or something stronger) or to do something fun! If you’re nervous to post, chat to the group admins in their DMs first.”

Newbie? Take small steps to start

If it is your first time organising an event, organise something smaller and more manageable to start. Another great way of gaining experience is helping someone else: check out the sites, messaging groups or apps for your nomad destination and offer to help actively with an upcoming event. 

Attending these local events also makes you a supporter and advocate, so make sure you get active and contribute! 

Focus on enhancing social connections

Serial event organiser and active Digital Nomad supporter, Tanja Polegubic had this advice for wannabe event hosts and organisers, “ensure you look for opportunities to foster social connection in everything you do event wise, from simple efforts like introducing people to each other as a host (to spark introductions and conversations) to inviting people to chat via games and icebreakers at the start of any session” Tanja who is the co-founder of the Digital Nomad Association Croatia, and who has extensive experience in organising events added, “utilise your digital networks strategically, starting conversations digitally and then moving those dialogues into real life to support true human connection”. 

Interests make it interesting

Consider running a small simple event based on your interests. For example, a movie night, book club discussion or surf trip – basing an event on one of your passions can really help you find a group of interest and support. Here are some examples of existing communities you can join depending on your interests: Nomad Surfers, Nomad Families, Portugal Digital Nomad Village, Female Digital Nomads, Sustainable Digital Nomads and so on…

In closing

When we think of events, we often focus on what happens during them and underestimate what needs to happen before and after to maximise impact. 

Organising a community event effectively means thinking and planning how to engage community members well before the event day, and keep engaging them well after. This is why behind every successful community there is a knowledgeable host and organiser: when you take on that mantle and “carry the torch” forward - you keep that community vibrant and alive! 

This article was originally posted on LinkedIn on 27th June 2022.