Let's Get You Started!
Download our printable guide and start a Democracy Club Today!
How to start a Democracy Club in three easy steps:
1. Identify your group.
Gather 5-10 like-minded friends. You can gather a local group so you can meet in person, or a virtual group of friends who live all over. No political experience required! A Democracy Club can be for anyone regardless of political experience, work status, geographical location, or educational background.
2. Set a date and start/end time for your first meeting.
You can host a socially-distant meeting outdoors or a video conference via Zoom.
3. Plan a simple agenda.
Ask people to download and read the guide before they arrive. Jot down a few notes to help you stay organized once your meeting is underway.
Sample agenda
1. Greetings/introductions
Sample ice breaker: say your name, how you know each other, and your #1 priority for defending and strengthening our democracy.
2. Overview
Describe what a Democracy Club is. Explain why it’s important to you, and what you hope to accomplish together. It’s okay if you’re not sure! Simply committing to learn together is a wonderful first step. Listen to each others’ hopes and ideas for what you might do as a group.
3. Brainstorming
What might your Democracy Club do together? Refer to the Idea and Resource List. Does one activity jump out as something you’re excited to try? If not, choose something simple, like identifying your state- and federal representatives or discussing a recent article.
4. Logistics
How will you keep in touch between meetings: group text, email or a social media group? Exchange phone numbers and email addresses. Schedule the next meeting.
5. Go over action Items for next time
Agree on who will do what before the next meeting. If there are meeting notes, decide how you’d like to distribute them, or if each person will keep their own notes. Finally, give people friendly permission to opt out if they decide Democracy Club is not for them.
Not sure where to start? Check out our Ideas and Resources page.
