We Built a Community, So Can You (IndieCade East 2014)

We built a communitySo can you

Dames Making Games

We are a Toronto-based community organization dedicated to supporting women interested in making, playing, and changing games.

What we do

Monthly speaker socials

Game jams and skill-building workshops

Discussion salons

Long programs for first-time game-makers

Community vs. Social GroupWhy meeting up for beers might not be enough

You don’t all have to be friends

What I mean by “Community”

Built to serve common interests/goals

Consistency and continuity over time

Individuals come and go, but the community remains

If it stops at meeting up for beers...Dependent on a few key people

Difficult for new people to join

The people you want to have beers with might not be who can best support you

“Networking” doesn’t happen on its own

From less structure to moreAd-hoc meetups

Regular meetups at a consistent time and place

Regular meetups plus activity (talk, workshop, game jam)

Membership structure, multiple streams of programming, expansion

What you gain

More new people

More activity

A story to tell

A framework for accomplishing goals

How we did itPlus some advice

We started with a core group

We had evidence that our initiative would be popular

The interest didn’t always come from where we expected

Before you do anything else: Talk to people!

Every city and context is different

Find out who your people are and ask them what they want and need

Consider an “info session” before starting your programming

We Partnered with A Fantastic Space

Space is crucial

Having a good, consistent space to meet will:

alleviate logistical and planning headaches

contribute to a sense of safety and comfort

help build relationships

We settled on some goals and values

We are focused on supporting our local community

We want long-term engagement from members

Women-led, but not women-only

Make, play, change

Know what you’re about

Defining a concrete set of goals and values early on will help you make decisions and manage conflicts

Revisit them as you progress and make sure they still make sense

We made room for our members to grow

“Make your first game with us” is a compelling message, but only for so long

Gave members opportunities to promote their work, lead workshops, deepen their network

Think about new people as well as “Old-timers”

New people want to know: “Am I welcome here? Will I fit in?”

More established people want to know: “Will this be useful? Will I be bored?”

Solicit feedback frequently

Paying for it all

DMG is funded primarily by membership dues and in-kind donations

We’ve also received project-specific grants from academic sources

SustainabilityIt’s not just about money, it’s also about time and labour

Don’t try to do it all yourself

Make sure people are rewarded for the energy and time they put in

Build your own support network

Questions?

DMG Toronto@DMGToronto

dmg.to

[email protected]

Cecily Carver@cecilycarver

cecilycarver.com

[email protected]