No idea if this group will work, but if it does it'll be down to you guys, the members.
All other groups that I'm in, have a few organisers and assistant organisers, running around, doing a fab job organising great events for folks to go and do. Here I propose something a little different, you guys create your own events - perhaps stuff that you'd be doing anyway, but suddenly think hey wouldn't it be nice to have someone come along with me, with everyone being an event organiser, when you've created the event get the system to send out an email straight away, but in addition you do so spontaneously. (remember to set your settings for this group to receive emails as they're sent otherwise you'll probably miss out on knowing about a spontaneous events until after it's happened if you have a digest of emails...........).
Now obviously you need to give some advance warning, because people have to be able to get to where the event is, but my view was that nothing should be posted more than 24 hours before it's due to happen. The reason for this, is that organising an event, where folks are going to come along, is quite a commitment, it's not great to organise something, folks put it in their diary, sort out babysitters etc, and then it's cancelled, and that's one of the things that the great organisers on the other groups are really good about, committing to doing something once they've put it in the calendar (obviously sometimes things outside our control happen which mean an event has to be cancelled, but that tends to be pretty rare). And as I want this to be a group where every member makes it work, I don't want folks who organise something to feel under pressure, or folks who agree to come to something to then feel upset that it's been cancelled, so no more than 24 hours before hopefully will help that.
But feel free to put stuff in as close to the event as you wish. I suspect this'll be a suck it and see as to how far in advance things do need to be put in in order that we'll get people able to go to events, but this group is a bit of an experiment, so try it out and see.
If you put in things that you were going to do anyway, and someone comes along and joins you, then that's surely a bonus! For example as I sit and type this, I have the day off, it's glorious sunshine out there, and I'd love to head for a walk along the beach, I'll go anyway, but if this group was set up and had a few members, I'd be posting that up as an event for after lunch...... (in fact once I've done this blurb, that'll probably be the first event on here).
So as I say no idea if this'll fly or not, and I suspect that I'll probably need to organise a regular (spontaneous) pub night about once a month, so that folks can get to know each other, but other than that I hope that maybe we can get a spontaneous edinburgh group going.
Few basics if organising something to make things hopefully work a wee bit smoother.
when you've created the event make sure you use the facility to email the group straight away...... for obvious reasons! :)
Try to make sure that you have a picture of yourself up, it makes people trying to work out who they're coming along to join much easier (and this goes for members coming along to something organised as well, if you don't have a picture up, the organiser will hano idea of who to look out for).
Take along with you a printout of the meetup sign (below) http://www.meetup.com/Spontaneous-Edinburgh/files/ so members again can know who you are.
Either, close the event to additional RSVP's at the point at which you'll no longer be able to view who's coming along (ie when you're no longer able to access the internet, which for me is when I leave the house, etc, as I don't have an iphone), and/ or state very clearly on the event what time you'll be leaving the meet up spot, and that you won't be able to wait for late comers. This may sound harsh, but from experience of organising events it's the only way to ensure that you don't end up waiting around for extended periods of time for someone who then never turns up.
Have quite a clear meetup spot if possible (for example in Filmhouse perhaps inside the foyer, beside the uphill entrance).
You may be happy putting up your mobile number for people to contact you, but if you do, please remember that this is a totally public site and anyone/anywhere can see that information.
And lets give this a go, let me know if there are things that I need to do to help you guys organise, but let's suck this and see if it works!
One additional point, if you're posting up something that you personally will make money from, please contact me first. I pay the membership fee to run this group, and whilst I'm most likely to be fine with an event going up (and won't charge of anything), I'd just like it to be run past me first, before you get free marketing without any cost at all to yourself.
Tali :)
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