Starting a Circle from Scratch

This guide is for one or two people who want to start a circle. It explains how to find additional members, how to screen for fit with care, and how to set a clear intake process. The aim is to form a small, trust-based group that practices mutual aid, plans civil resistance when appropriate, and supports one another over time.

How to Find People

Warm Network Mapping

• Create three short lists: nearby neighbors, people you already collaborate with, and values-aligned acquaintances you respect.
• For each person, write a one sentence “why you” note, such as a shared project, a skill you admire, or a common concern.
• Start with brief one to one conversations, 10 to 20 minutes, that share the circle’s purpose, the basic commitment, and a first meeting window.
• Track outreach with a simple spreadsheet, including date contacted, response, follow up, and notes, so no one falls through the cracks.
• Prioritize reliability, curiosity, and kindness over volume or intensity, since follow through matters most.

Place Based Outreach

• Post in building chats, tenant channels, Buy Nothing groups, and neighborhood forums, and invite private messages for next steps.
• Show up at libraries, union halls, faith communities, mutual aid fridges, and community gardens, and keep a small sign up sheet or QR code handy.
• Host a low key meet and greet in a park or courtyard, bring name tags, offer tea or snacks, and keep the conversation focused on mutual aid and civil resistance.
• Prepare a one page explainer with what a circle is, time expectations, and a simple interest form, and include an email for questions.

Issue or Identity Based Outreach

• Connect with groups organized around issues you care about.
• Co-host a short listening session, and invite a handful of participants to explore forming a circle together.
• When bringing together people who do not yet know each other, use a buddy system at the first meeting, and keep early commitments small and clear.

Location Signups

• Share a short form for people to join by neighborhood, and collect name, contact info, nearest intersection, availability, skills or interests, access needs, and comfort level with civil resistance.
• Be transparent about privacy, who can view responses, and how information will be used, and provide an option to withdraw at any time.
• Follow a simple workflow: acknowledge within 48 hours, schedule an orientation window, and confirm a first date once you reach a workable number.
• Pause new intake when the circle feels full, usually 6 to 10 people, so trust and rhythm can develop before inviting more.

Screening for Fit with Care

• Purpose and values: Share a short description of the circle, and name core values such as mutual aid, consent, reliability, and non hierarchy. Ask what resonates, and what does not.
• Time and cadence: Offer a starter rhythm of two meetings per month, 60 to 90 minutes, with optional tasks between meetings, and confirm what is realistic for each person.
• Needs and offers: Ask what support someone hopes to receive, what support they can offer, and any limits or boundaries they want honored.
• Accessibility and safety: Invite people to share access needs, dietary needs, language preferences, and any safety concerns, and state clearly how you will accommodate them.
• Reliability and communication: Propose simple agreements such as responding within two days, communicating if you cannot make it, and keeping stories confidential unless permission is given.
• Document the basics: After screening, share a one page summary that includes agreements, meeting cadence, and tools used.