You ask the interesting question, “When does a gathering become a community?” This question is intriguing because built into it are issues about how to make a one-off event something that can be continue. Many people have struggled with this issue and you will find much in the Community Toolbox that is relevant: Chapter 3: Assessing Community Needs and Resources, Chapter 6: Communication to Promote Interest, Chapter 9: Developing an Organizational Structure, and Chapter 18: Deciding Where to Start.
So, if I might, let’s “take apart” this question. A gathering is presumably something that occurs with the idea that it will happen at least once. What takes place at that gathering and how the gathering is put together will likely influence whether there is a continuation. For example, is the gathering where people just happen to come together? Or was thought put into how to ensure that certain people are there (“at the table”)? The amount of prework to decide who should be there and why can shape the likelihood that what happens will be continued. In addition to who is there, it can also be important to have a plan for what will happen at the gathering. Has attention been given to activities, discussions, and processes? The best gatherings often have a spontaneous quality that, paradoxically, isn’t spontaneous--lots of planning may have gone into designing what will happen at the gathering so there is forward momentum to create a community.
Now, back to the issue of when a gathering becomes a community. Communities have continuation. They often involve shared goals, collaborations, and resources. Getting from a gathering to a community may entail putting into place activities that help participants see some of the ways that they share goals and by working together they have a better chance of achieving those goals.
Here’s an example. In Canada and the U.S., the musical instrument the ukulele (a funny little instrument with origins in Hawaii and in Portugal) has become very popular in recent years. There are frequently gatherings in which people come together to play together, show each other their tiny instruments, and have fun. What has been intriguing is that increasingly these gatherings are turning into communities. People have begun to think about how children aren’t having opportunities to learn music and about how elders in nursing homes aren’t having chances to find a connection to music. In other words, there are challenges that uke players see in their towns that they believe can be addressed through making ukes more available. And that is what they are doing. All over. With deliberation and thoughtfulness they are moving from gatherings to communities and using this seemingly insignificant instrument as a means for making connections and solving problems. Uke players are so enthusiastic about their instruments that they convey this excitement in ways that can help others.
