With the emergence of the online world, it’s easier than ever to get a sense of community without leaving the comfort of your own home. You might have a whole bunch of like-minded people living in your phone and not see the point of meeting up with local vegans, but having vegan friends you see in person is life-affirming, trust me.
Before you consider starting a local vegan group, you should scout around to see if there is an existing one. Some neighborhoods are lucky enough to have a thriving vegan scene, whereas others may have less to offer. You may find an abandoned social media group that needs reinvigorating and bringing back to life.
Key Takeaways
Why You Should Consider Setting Up A Local Vegan Group
We all want to live in a vegan utopia, and setting up a local vegan group is the first step on your way to a thriving vegan community. Not only will setting up a social group for vegans connect you with existing vegans, it will also give new vegans a place to seek out local vegan wisdom. Here we're going to look at some of the benefits of setting up a new vegan group:
Having Local Vegan Friends Hits Different
It's nice having friends who get excited about the same things you do, whether it's about trying new vegan recipes, or just making positive changes in each other's lives. Friends who want to check out the new vegan cafe for mouth-watering vegan food, head to the local vegan festival, or see the new vegan documentary at the cinema. With compassionate vegan friends, you can chat about important things without judgment.
I am lucky to have a couple of local vegan friends, and it’s amazing. They share their baked goods, understand the frustrations of being vegan in a non-vegan world, and do the important work of showing my children that we’re not the only vegans in the world. You may not think you need vegan friends, but you’ll change your mind as soon as you make a few.
It Doesn’t Have To Be Hard Work
While you may not want to shoulder the responsibility of setting up a local vegan group, you’ll likely find other vegans willing to help run the group. Setting up a local group doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking; you can do as much or as little as you want. The most it will cost is time, and the benefits will come in the form of new friendships, supporting local vegan businesses, and, hopefully, more vegans in your local area.
You Can Help New Vegans
Think back to when you first went vegan and felt overwhelmed trying to figure out what you could and couldn't eat. In particular, remember the difficulty of suddenly uncovering the truth and being surrounded by people choosing to remain ignorant. It's a tough time. By setting up a local vegan meet-up, you can provide a welcoming space for new vegans.
Your social group could make the transition to practice veganism easier and provide a support system for those adopting a vegan diet. It can give new vegans a place to ask questions, seek advice, and build connections with other vegans. This support may help them on their journey and improve their chances of success. The more vegans there are, the better this is for the animals so that you can view your social group as a form of friendly vegan activism.
It Will Strengthen The Vegan Community
The vegan community includes people from all walks of life, and a local meet-up is a fantastic way to encourage a strong link and cohesion among members. We all benefit from stronger social relationships, especially those with people we may not usually encounter in everyday life. Like-minded people make fantastic friends, and having something fundamental in common is a great building block for a friendship.
How To Set Up A Local Vegan Group
If your searches for an existing group have proved fruitless, it’s time to set up your own local vegan group.
1. Choose a name for your group
The simpler, the better. You want a group name that instantly tells people what you're about and that is easy to search for online. Try ‘the name of your local town’ vegans, for example. You want something other lone vegans might type into a search bar when looking for a local meet.
2. Get online
The cheapest and easiest way to help people find your group is to create an online presence. Create groups on Reddit, Facebook, and other similar sites people may use to find local events. Create an introductory post introducing your new group to any existing local groups to reach any lurking vegans. Hopefully, any local vegans will see your group and join out of interest.
3. Plan your first meet
Planning a meet-up can be tricky because it's impossible to please everyone. People will have very different commitments, availabilities, and interests, so don't tie yourself in knots attempting to please every single member.
It's good to have a mix of meet-ups that will appeal to different sections of the community, but you don't have to organize them all. Members can use the online group to arrange a variety of meets, from nights at the bar to day hikes to playdates for vegan kids.
A local vegan eatery is an excellent location for a meet-up, and they might help promote your social event. You might need to pick somewhere else for your first meet if you don't have a local vegan establishment. Try to get an idea of numbers, so you know how much space you need. It's worth finding out availability before setting a date so you know people can make it.
4. Be consistent
Try to organize regular meetings so people can get to know each other. You should mix up the times, days, and locations of the meets to appeal to different members of the group. Reach out to other members to see if they’d be up for helping arrange future events. Some members may be keen to get involved with activism, whereas others might simply want to make some vegan friends. Your group doesn’t have to tick all the boxes; it simply has to provide a space for vegans to connect.
5. Ask for help
You don't have to do it all. Once your local vegan society is up and running, you can ask for other members to get involved in running the group. You might want social media volunteers to run the groups and promote new events and members to run their own meet-ups for the group. You don't have to do it all, so don't overwhelm yourself; keep it fun by creating a subcommittee of volunteers to help steer the group.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While the idea of setting up a local vegan community might seem daunting, it's absolutely worth the effort. Not only will you find out how many vegans live in your local area, but you'll also make new friends. A strong vegan community can provide support, knowledge and resources to new vegans, build friendships, and raise awareness about the value and positive impact of a vegan lifestyle.
