Start Your Own Group
Make a place - they will come!
Many people want somewhere to gather
to share questions, wisdom, and knowledge.
Find a location
Where should your Uncorked group meet?
It’s important to weigh the relative costs, comfort, and privacy of each kind of venue. Here are some ideas:
A place where other workshops happen, like a dance or yoga studio or crafting space. These usually charge a fee, but are private and often will help you get the word out, such as through their website or newsletter.
A small performance arts space. The same advantages and disadvantages as above.
The back room of a restaurant or bar. These are usually free to reserve, but often require a minimum amount of money to be spent. Only semi-private because waitstaff typically check up on the group, and sometimes other patrons wander in.
A room in your local library or municipal center. These are often free and will help your advertising efforts, but alcohol isn’t allowed.
A private home. The ultimate in privacy and comfort, plus it’s free —but people who are new to the group might be uncomfortable knocking on a stranger’s door.
While your group is getting established, you might want to try out a few different venues and see what works best for you.
Advertise it
Get the word out!
If your Uncorked group will meet in a public space, the parent organization might have a newsletter or website where you can list your event.
Use Meetup or a similar group-for-groups. Look for groups in your area that use keywords like sexuality, feminism, or discussion, and suggest your Meetup on their page.
Post on a Facebook. Start a Facebook group and/or add your event to our existing Uncorked group.
Tell your friends.
Announce the meeting on neighborhood list-serves near the venue.
Hand out flyers, such as at nearby coffee shops or bookstores.
Put your event up on Eventbrite or other ticketing platform where it is discoverable.
What’s your goal?
What do you hope to accomplish? Some of my goals include:
Encouraging attendees to feel accepting or maybe even proud of their sex lives and their bodies.
Educating when needed, whether it’s about the HPV vaccine and birth control or correcting wrong info or assumptions.
Cheering for self-advocacy
Coaching consent conversations
Talking openly about STIs and how to protect your health
Facilitate it
It takes surprisingly little to get the conversation going, but here are some ideas to start with:
Have attendees pair off and spend five minutes interviewing each other about what they are interested in talking about. Then all return to the group and each person introduces the other.
Pass around index cards and have attendees write a topic or a question they'd like to discuss.
Reveal something about yourself to get the conversation going. Talking briefly about something you struggle with in your own sex life to set the bar for intimacy. People will respond with similar struggles and different ways they handle it.
Make some boxes with a slit in the top and put yes/no questions on the boxes. When women arrive, give them a handful of red and blue poker chips. Have them vote by putting a red chip for "no" or a blue chip for "yes" in each box. Then open the boxes and talk about the results.
Need guidance?
I would love to walk you through it!
Contact me to set up a time for phone call.
Photo credit Ann-Marie Van Tassell
