- Finding Other people

- A tip - What can I do

Chances are, if you’ve noticed that your neighbourhood can be more walkable, other people in the area have noticed too. One of the best ways to get the change you want is to find people with similar desires and interests, and invite them to get involved.

As well as being a great way to make new connections with like-minded people in your area, other people will often have skills, resources, ideas knowledge and contacts that complement your own.

 

Finding other people

So how do you find all these great people for your group?  You can:

  • Put the word out among your own local networks, and encourage them to tell their friends.
  • Create some eye-catching posters about your issues and put them in shop windows, on your front fence, and on friend’s fences.
  • Create a leaflet and put it in letter boxes around the area. You can also stand outside places where lots of people gather (like schools in the mornings and afternoons) and hand them out.
  • Write short, catchy messages about your issue in chalk on local footpaths.
  • Find out what recreational walking groups exist locally – such as seniors and pram walkers. Your local council, Neighbourhood House or Community Health Centre might be able to help you – and these groups might have members who share your interest.

 

Engaging other people

Once you've caught people's attention, you need to let them know how they can help make your neighbourhood better for walking. You might invite them to:

  • call you*
  • email you*
  • visit a website you’ve set up for the purpose (we can set up a WAG page for you).

*Consider setting up a separate email account and buying a low cost pre-paid mobile phone.  This means you can keep your personal contact details separate.  Very helpful when starting something new!

Once you’ve got a number of people interested, you will want to start working together. There are lots of ways to do this, but one of the most efficient will be to run a meeting (see links below).

Some of the people who contact you won’t be able to get actively involved in your group on a regular basis, but they may welcome information about how you’re progressing. They may even be able to lend a hand every now and then, where it’s needed.

 

Related Links

Watch George's attempt to start a WAG (funny video)