8 Essential Strategies for Planning Inclusive Meetup Events

Meetups can be a great way to bring people together around shared interests, ideas, and causes. However, not all meetups are created equal when it comes to inclusion and accessibility. As meetup organizers, there is a responsibility to create welcoming, inclusive spaces where all community members can participate and connect.

In this blog post, we’ll explore 8 inclusive meetup practices to help design and host meets that are open and welcoming to diverse attendees.

What Are Inclusive Meetup Practices?

Inclusive meetup practices refer to various policies, procedures, and approaches organizers can adopt to make meetup events more accessible, welcoming, and engaging for people from marginalized communities. The goal is to create a respectful environment where diverse attendees feel comfortable participating.

Some examples of inclusive meetup practices include:

• Selecting wheelchair-accessible venues near public transit
• Setting behavioral ground rules around identity respect 
• Promoting events broadly through community partnerships
• Ensuring gender and ethnic diversity among presenters 
• Offering live streams and recordings to enable remote participation
• Accommodating attendees with sign language interpreters or live transcriptions

8 Essential Strategies for Planning Inclusive Meetup Events

Here are 8 essential tips for designing radically inclusive meetups where marginalized communities feel welcomed, empowered, and heard.

1. Choosing an Accessible Venue

• Physical Accessibility: Look for venues with features like ramps, elevators (if multi-level), wide paths of travel between rooms, and accessible washrooms and water fountains. These features ensure that individuals with mobility challenges can navigate the space comfortably.
• Sensory-Friendly Options: Consider offering a quiet room or low-sensory space for attendees who may need a break from excessive noise or stimulation. Ample comfortable seating in the main area is also important.
• Proximity to Public Transit: Opt for venues located near public transit routes to make it easier for attendees who don’t drive to access the event.
• Affordability: Keep the affordability of the venue in mind, as it affects both the organizer and attendees. Choosing more affordable venues allows organizers to keep ticket prices low, making the event accessible to a wider range of people.
• Location & Neighborhood Safety: Consider the safety and comfort of attendees by selecting a venue located in a safe neighborhood and scheduling the event at a suitable time of day.

2. Setting Inclusive Behavioral Ground Rules

• Anti-Harassment Policy: Establish a zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination, bullying, harassment, threats, stalking, etc., and ensure that attendees are aware of this policy.
• Identity Respect: Encourage attendees to respect each other’s identities, lived experiences, and self-expression, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, nationality, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
• Thoughtful Debate & Disagreement: Foster an environment where differences of opinion can be discussed respectfully, without allowing discussions to escalate into conflicts.
• Accessibility Requests Welcome: Let attendees know that accessibility-related requests for accommodations are welcome, and commit to fulfilling these requests whenever feasible.

3. Promoting the Meetup Broadly & Thoughtfully

• Leveraging Existing Networks: Tap into personal networks and relationships to encourage attendance and promote the event.
• Community Outreach: Reach out to local organizations or groups relevant to the meetup’s theme to expand the reach and diversity of attendees.
• Hashtag Campaign: Use social media effectively to increase visibility and encourage community partners to amplify posts.
• Watch Advertising Language: Review all promotional materials to ensure they are inclusive and avoid stereotypes or assumptions.
• Scholarship Tickets: Offer free or discounted tickets to individuals facing financial barriers, thus making the event accessible to a wider audience.

4. Designing an Inclusive Program

• Code of Conduct Reminders: Reinforce the anti-harassment policy and ground rules during the event’s opening remarks to set expectations.
• Kick-Off with an Icebreaker: Facilitate icebreaker activities to help attendees feel comfortable and start connecting with each other.
• Speaker Diversity: Invite speakers from diverse backgrounds to offer fresh perspectives and ensure representation.
• Pace Topics Thoughtfully: Vary the topics covered to maintain engagement and prevent exhaustion among attendees.
• Interactive Format: Incorporate opportunities for attendees to actively participate through group discussions, promoting deeper connections and inclusion.

5. Making Community Partnerships

• Relevant Nonprofits: Collaborate with local nonprofits focused on relevant issues to showcase resources and offer speaking opportunities.
• Diversity-Focused Groups: Explore partnerships with groups supporting various aspects of diversity to enhance the event’s inclusivity.
• Educational Institutions: Engage with student groups from nearby colleges to increase involvement and offer benefits such as discounted rates.
• Local Corporations: Seek support from larger corporations through grants or sponsorships to fund inclusive community events.
• Government Agencies: Connect with government agencies focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion to explore partnership opportunities.

6. Ensuring Physical Accessibility

• Entry Access: Ensure clear pathways and accessible entrances, disabling any barriers that could impede access.
• Clear Paths of Travel: Arrange seating layouts with ample clearance for mobility devices to navigate comfortably.
• Reserved Seating: Designate front-row seats as reserved for individuals who need to be close to speakers for visibility or hearing.
• Table Height Variety: Provide tables with lowered heights to accommodate individuals using wheelchairs and ensure knee clearance space.
• Sensory Zone: Create a designated quiet area with comfortable seating and minimal noise for attendees sensitive to sensory stimuli.

7. Offering Hybrid Engagement

• Live Streaming: Enable remote participation by live streaming event programming on platforms like Zoom or YouTube.
• Remote Speakers: Allow presenters unable to attend in person to participate remotely via video conferencing.
• Local Viewing Parties: Encourage regional partners to host local viewing parties for attendees to watch live streams together and engage in online discussions afterward.
• Recordings & Transcripts: Provide archived video recordings with downloadable transcripts for those unable to attend live.
• Online Q&A: Facilitate interactive sessions by allowing remote attendees to ask questions via moderated chat or Q&A logs.

8. Collecting Anonymous Feedback

• Printed Feedback Forms: Distribute anonymous paper feedback forms during in-person events to gather attendee input.
• Virtual Suggestion Box: Create an online form for attendees to submit anonymous feedback before, during, or after the event.
• Small Group Discussions: Organize voluntary small group discussions focused on inclusion efforts, facilitated by unbiased individuals.
• One-on-One Interviews: Conduct confidential interviews with attendees to gather individual perspectives on inclusion.
• Follow-Up Surveys: Send out anonymous post-event surveys covering various aspects of inclusivity, with an open comment section for additional feedback.

Conclusion

While not exhaustive, these 8 areas provide a strong foundation of inclusive practices meetup organizers should keep top of mind. Each meetup community and setup will have unique considerations as well. 

The most critical factors are starting with inclusive intentions, inviting diverse voices to planning table, and continually gathering feedback to optimize engagement and accessibility for all. When hosted thoughtfully with care and awareness, meetups can transform into remarkable forums for intersectional connection.