we built a community, so can you (indiecade east 2014)
TRANSCRIPT
We built a communitySo can you
Dames Making Games
We are a Toronto-based community organization dedicated to supporting women interested in making, playing, and changing games.
What we do
Monthly speaker socials
Game jams and skill-building workshops
Discussion salons
Long programs for first-time game-makers
Community vs. Social GroupWhy meeting up for beers might not be enough
You don’t all have to be friends
What I mean by “Community”
Built to serve common interests/goals
Consistency and continuity over time
Individuals come and go, but the community remains
If it stops at meeting up for beers...Dependent on a few key people
Difficult for new people to join
The people you want to have beers with might not be who can best support you
“Networking” doesn’t happen on its own
From less structure to moreAd-hoc meetups
Regular meetups at a consistent time and place
Regular meetups plus activity (talk, workshop, game jam)
Membership structure, multiple streams of programming, expansion
What you gain
More new people
More activity
A story to tell
A framework for accomplishing goals
How we did itPlus some advice
We started with a core group
We had evidence that our initiative would be popular
The interest didn’t always come from where we expected
Before you do anything else: Talk to people!
Every city and context is different
Find out who your people are and ask them what they want and need
Consider an “info session” before starting your programming
We Partnered with A Fantastic Space
Space is crucial
Having a good, consistent space to meet will:
alleviate logistical and planning headaches
contribute to a sense of safety and comfort
help build relationships
We settled on some goals and values
We are focused on supporting our local community
We want long-term engagement from members
Women-led, but not women-only
Make, play, change
Know what you’re about
Defining a concrete set of goals and values early on will help you make decisions and manage conflicts
Revisit them as you progress and make sure they still make sense
We made room for our members to grow
“Make your first game with us” is a compelling message, but only for so long
Gave members opportunities to promote their work, lead workshops, deepen their network
Think about new people as well as “Old-timers”
New people want to know: “Am I welcome here? Will I fit in?”
More established people want to know: “Will this be useful? Will I be bored?”
Solicit feedback frequently
Paying for it all
DMG is funded primarily by membership dues and in-kind donations
We’ve also received project-specific grants from academic sources
SustainabilityIt’s not just about money, it’s also about time and labour
Don’t try to do it all yourself
Make sure people are rewarded for the energy and time they put in
Build your own support network
Questions?
DMG Toronto@DMGToronto
dmg.to
Cecily Carver@cecilycarver
cecilycarver.com