Title: Action Plan for Developing an IMLG – “Informal, Monthly Local Gathering of Young Activists and Allies”

Introduction

In January of 2001 a group of young activists began to gather at a pizza restaurant in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on the first Monday of every month. What began as a casual gathering of friends grew into a well known monthly networking session and dinner. The group calls itself First Mondays and has an active Internet discussion list as well as a growing directory of young Sao Paulo social leaders and allies.

The First Mondays project is an excellent space for young people who are new to activism and to the third sector. It provides a very informal environment that welcomes all types of people and sustains the relationships of a community of young leaders who support each other.

This document seeks to document the concept of a “Informal, Monthly Local Gathering of Young Activists and Allies,” or IMLG, and help replicate it in various other cities around the world.

Mission

The mission of this project is to sustain the relationships of young activists in a local area and to provide a space for welcoming newcomers into the youth movement and the third sector.

The Idea

IMLG’s exist in many cities around the world. They are often created by groups of friends or networking organizations. An IMLG simply requires a critical mass of interested young activists and a convenient, accessible restaurant or eating space that will be available on a regular basis. If you wish to start a IMLG in your city we recommend the following steps:

1) Identify a handful of activists who are dedicated to networking and who often have new stories to tell or new ideas to share. Charismatic leaders and people who work in large well known institutions are good targets.

2) If these activists aren’t already friends then introduce them to each other and encourage them to help you in developing an IMLG.

3) Locate a restaurant that is a) easily accessible by public transportation, b) large enough to accommodate a crowd of 30 people that might unexpectedly show up on a given night, c) comfortable enough to let dozens of people sit and talk for hours without ordering food or drinks, c) not too expensive, and c) offering a cuisine that is suitable for most people – such as Pizza.

4) Chose a date, time, and routine. Gathering once per month is recommended. It is neither too frequent or too infrequent. Smaller cities might benefit from gathering on a more regular basis. Gathering on a set night during the first week of the month is also recommended because it is easy to remember.

5) Work with the team of chosen activists to launch the first gathering. Ask each of them to identify and invite 5 people. Encourage them to be diverse and inclusive. Distribute invitations through email but principally through phone calls or even in person. Invite people on the same day or even a few days ahead of time. Informal gatherings such as these are easy to organize because they do not require too much advanced planning.

6) During the first gathering encourage informal conversations. Create a moment for everyone to introduce themselves and motivate everyone to sit next to and talk to people they do not yet know.

7) Collect the contact information of those who participate in the dinner and re-distribute it to everyone via email.

8) Encourage everyone to invite friends and “friends of friends” to come to the next gathering.

Conclusion

IMLG’s function best when there is not one central organizer but many. It is best when the “identity” of the gathering becomes collective and no single group dominates the conversation or the management of the event. In this way the gathering will perpetuate even if a central organizer loses inspiration, travels, or moves out of town.

Activists always need to sustain their relationships with other organizers and new people always need to enter the movement. Gathering regularly and informally is one of the best ways to achieve these two tasks.