Tips
If your project is inspired by an idea that helps your local community, make sure your emphasis the fact that it can help solve a problem or create opportunities in your local community:
- Language - Make sure your communicate in languages that are understandable by your local community;
- Relate to your community problems - present your project from the scope of the local community;
If you are replicating/localizing an existing global project make sure your localize your materials to make it easy to involve your local community.
- Understand your local community - Spend time understanding why they are interested in your project. Make sure you engage them in the scope they are interested in, for example: A geek who wants to tinker has a different interest from a person who wants to eventually use your project/product.
// Find your friends
Which makerspaces can help you work on your project?
If there is no makerspace nearby, can you host sessions in a near co-working space?
If you don't have makerpaces or co-working or any modern facility, can you meet at the library or community center in the neighbourhood? (with this approach, however, you need to have existing team and community to start with)
If your project relates to a medical cause, or industrial, or elderly, etc, layout the scope of your project, and reach out to related organizations, or groups.
// Connecting the dots
- Make sure you build connections between the community of the makerspace and the new community that your bring for your project;
- Ensure that the local community can work together nicely;
- In tech projects, female participation could be challenging. Make sure females in your project are welcomed, trusted and can participate freely in areas that they are interested in;
- Follow up after the meeting: Whether you have a facebook group, or another online venue that the local community is found together on, make sure you follow up and remain in contact.