Gather your people

Ask for support​

It's always ok to ask for support. And there's often some group members able and happy to give it.

Put a message out to see who would be up for stepping in if you are ill or unavailable. Try to have these conversations with people in advance so you know that if something happens, you already have someone to rely on.​

​Set up a team​

There can be a lot of work behind the scenes when starting or running a group.

Tasks can include

• finding the best meeting times
• keeping individual group members happy
• sending out meeting reminders
• finding new members
• setting up and managing social media accounts
• designing promotional material
• active listening and facilitating
• taking notes.

Don't be afraid to ask for volunteers to help out. For some members it might be good practical experience for them. 

Making sure everyone feels welcome

When starting a new group a warm welcome helps everyone feels comfortable and keep them coming back!​​

• If you're meeting online it’s a good idea to appoint someone to welcome people when they first join. A friendly greeting on arrival can make all the difference. ​​
• If you can, make an effort to introduce someone new to others you think they'll get along with.​​
• If you can, try to check in on people during the group session,  some may be naturally quieter, make an effort to bring them into conversations. ​
• If you’re meeting online, you might want to set some ground rules at the beginning to make sure everyone has the chance to speak if they want to. Some people may just be happy sitting and listening at first – and that's fine too! ​

What's next?

We hope these questions have helped you think about getting support to run your group. Go back to the start page to explore next steps.