Authentic connections with like minded locals.
Through our Groups & Forums we’ve created a safe & welcoming space for our Members to connect, online or in person.
Groups & forums are more than just about connecting – they’re a space to come together to create positive change for the entire community, learn from one another, provide different modes of support & form new relationships through similar interests & shared values.
Groups
Forums
Search for a Group
Search our Groups which include special interest, that meet online or in person and volunteer Groups.
Check Out Our Forums
Have a look through our Forums which include local news, Q's & A's, ideas and suggestions & much more.
Join a Group
Find a Group that's interesting, join up and start connecting with other Members straight away.
Join a Conversation
Answer a question, comment on an ongoing chat or share ideas on an existing thread in a Forum.
Start Something New
Spark a new conversation and get people chatting or begin a new Group for other Members to be part of.
Need some answers about our Groups & Forums?
1) What’s the difference between a Group and a Forum?
A Group is made up of specific Members with a specific focus or shared interest. Groups have a permanent space on the platform where they can share photos and documents, organise Events, message one another and chat as a group on an ongoing basis.
A Forum is a discussion space where Members can post conversations about a specific topic, raise questions or share ideas. The conversations in Forums may last a few days, a few months or longer, depending on how many people are interested in the topic of conversation and want to keep it going.
2) What kind of Groups and Forums are there?
Whatever kinds Members make! We do provide categories for Groups and Forums to fall under, to provide some guidelines, but really it's up to our Members to think about the things that matter most to them and other Members. This could be anything from a gardening or bush walking group to a conversation about composting or local recycling facilities.
With Groups there are public Groups, which all Members can join and there are Volunteer Groups, which are private and where only specific volunteers working on a specific area of the project can access them eg. the volunteer marketing team.
3) What's involved in joining a Group or Forum?
Being part of a Group means that you actively participate with other Members over a shared interest. This may be online only or sometimes in person as well. You can choose how active you'd like to be by sharing photos and info, joining in conversations & attending or helping organise Events.
Joining in the Forums can be as simple as adding one comment to a conversation or answering a single question to subscribing to an ongoing conversation so that you get notified of new activity on the feed.
4) What's involved in starting a Group or Forum?
To start a Group you simply fill out a form and submit it to our team. Our team will review it and, once approved, will add it to the Groups area and send you instructions on how to begin.
Starting a conversation in the Forum is a bit quicker. You simply open one of the forums up eg. 'Local News' and click 'New Discussion'. You can then add a discussion title and start the conversation.
5) How much of the Connect area can Members and non-members access?
Our Connect area includes:
- About Connecting: info about the various ways you can connect with other Members
- View Groups: a place to view and join Groups
- View Forums: a place to view and join conversations with other Members
- Submit Group: a form to fill out if you would like to start a Group
If you are a Member you can:
- View all of the above pages
- View and join any Group of your choice
- View, join in or start a conversation in the Forums area
- Submit a form to start a Group
- Help manage or moderate a Group
If you are a non-member you:
- Can view the About page
- Can view the various Groups but cannot view the individual Group pages
- Cannot view any of the conversations in the Forums area
- Cannot submit, moderate or manage a Group
"The Village Project represents a model for a better life - and I can see how it has the potential to embody so many different facets of that in a fluid and natural way. I’d love for people to walk through the door and feel like they belong, feel safe, and feel inspired."
Ready to connect with like minded locals?
Or learn more about membership first!
