What should we do in our very first meeting as a founding group?

K Answered by Kibutz

Keep the first meeting simple and personal. You’re not deciding anything big yet — you’re finding out whether you want to keep meeting.

A two-hour outline:

1. Arrival and food (20 min). Eat together. It matters more than it sounds.
2. Stories (40 min). Each person: what drew you to community living? What’s your situation — household, work, timing?
3. Hopes and worries (30 min). Go round: one thing you’re excited to share, one thing you need to keep private.
4. Next steps (20 min). Agree a date for the next meeting, who will host, and one small task — for example, everyone takes the Community compass before then.
5. Check-out (10 min). One sentence each: how was this for you?

Take notes. In a year, you’ll be glad you remember where it began.