Planning Your First Community Meeting – a Local Community Initiative Update

April 11, 2013

In response to our call to action to form local community groups, Yoga Alliance^® members are starting to move past the initial outreach phase and plan their first meetings. Jessie Tierney, RYT 200 from Washington, started the conversation by uploading a sample invitation into the Local Community Initiative library. Use her template or share one of your own to send out your first meeting invitation. Join the conversation in our online forum on how to plan a meeting. 
 

Join us for a “hangout” on community organizing

Tuesday, April 30 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET
Let’s “hangout”!  Whether you are starting to plan your first or hundredth meeting, community organizing can be challenging. On April 30 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. ET, we will hold a Google+ hangout video chat for emerging and experienced community organizers. 

We will discuss "How to Get Started Building Community" with a panel of leaders including Alison West (E-RYT 500) from Yoga for NY; Jennifer Buergermeister (E-RYT 200, RYT 500) from the Texas Yoga Association; Joanna Dunn (E-RYT 500, RPYT) from Washington; Stacey Shanks (E-RYT 200) from Indiana; and Jenn Campbell Munn (E-RYT 200) from Maryland. We still have space for 2-3 more volunteers to join us by video chat live, so please contact Katie Desmond at community@yogaalliance.org if interested with two sample questions you would like to discuss with the group. 

While there is no limit on the number of participants for this hangout, Google+ only permits nine video participants at one time. All other participants can watch and listen live. For those that cannot make it, we will record the broadcast and share the recording after the session. To join, visit the event page on Tuesday shortly before the "'hangout" begins. 

What is the Local Community Initiative?

Yoga Alliance is launching a new initiative to cultivate local communities of teachers, school directors, studio owners and managers. We plan to work with local community leaders to help strengthen existing efforts and will help form new groups as needed. We envision these local community groups serving as a safe space for leadership development, networking and local educational opportunities. These local groups will also serve as an early warning system for regulatory issues and help establish relationships that could lay the foundation for successful grassroots organizing. In 2013, we will begin by establishing local community groups in the U.S.

Questions? Contact us at community@yogaalliance.org.

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