How Do Groups Become Communities?
In the past, there were predominantly two ways groups became communities, but now there are three. At Kalliergo Community Building, we have developed a process to proactively foster a group’s evolution into community. Let’s look at all three ways groups become communities.
1 Spontaneously
Spontaneous community happens naturally during a crisis. Perfect strangers band together and support one another. You may have experienced this feeling of connection and empathy and the kindness of strangers that occurs during a crisis.
The problem with a spontaneous community is that once the crisis abates, the community connections dissipate. Because human beings are wired for social connection, some will try to maintain this closeness but it’s difficult to do when the crisis is over.
2 Organically
Groups of people can evolve into a community organically when they are together on a regular basis over a long period of time. For instance, in an apartment building, a Book Club, or a university residence.
There are three problems with organic community building; often it is passive, it takes a long time for the group to evolve into community, and the group may not be successful.
3 Intentionally
There is, however, a proactive way to build a community that doesn’t require a crisis or a great deal of time. It does, however, require the guidance of someone trained in community building to guide the group through the challenging parts of the process.
Intentional community building is when a group of people commits to building Community together. This is the best foundation for community building, one that ensures the community’s success and longevity.
Let Us Show You How
At Kalliergo Community Building, we have shaped the intentional community-building process into a fun and interactive Community Leadership Workshop. Here, my team and I pass on our community-building skills, live, and online via Zoom.
Contact me for a free consultation.
Lori
Photo by Caleb Jones on Unsplash