We get a lot of emails at Mappy Hour from people looking to bring Mappy Hour to their cities. In short: the answer is yes, of course, let’s do it! But in reality, creating and growing a Mappy Hour community is something that, like anything else you want to grow, takes nurturing, time and care. Mappy Hour is not just a monthly event but a community of people, and the Mappy Hour volunteers in each city are tasked with creating a unique space every month for people to connect, share their passions and learn together.
Before we dive in, here’s a bit more about us!
Mappy Hour started in February 2014 in NYC and has been spreading ever since. We believe that the outdoors are for all and are committed to working towards that goal by bringing together outdoor enthusiasts who live in urban environments and creating and strengthening local community. Our “formula” to do this is to encourage adventure planning, education, and good old socializing through monthly Mappy Hours.
We will provide you with a guide for how to execute Mappy Hour along with support from our HQ to help you learn how to run community events. Since we want each Mappy Hour location to reflect the local community, there’s a ton of flexibility. And of course we want you to have fun!
What Type of Events Will I be Organizing?
Mappy Hour Chapter Leaders host 3 main types of events:
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The Classic
Drinks + Maps = Community
A casual event focused on fostering intimacy, collaboration and connection
2. Speaker Series
Curated speaker events highlighting local leaders and inspiring stories
3. Field Trips
From forest bathing in a local park to a weekend camping trip, field trips facilitate communal outdoor adventure
Still feeling inspired to step into leadership? Here are a few questions to ask yourself:
1a. If starting a new chapter: Why does my city need Mappy Hour?
1b. If joining an existing chapter: What works (or doesn’t work) about the current Mappy Hour community?
2. Who are the partners that will help make this happen (breweries to host, other volunteers to help organize)
3. Do I have time in my crazy, busy, over-scheduled life to put thought and time into creating this community?
What does it take to be a Mappy Hour chapter leader?
As a chapter leader, you’ll be at the helm of your cities community. You and your local team will find awesome locations for Mappy Hour every month along with an inspiring local speaker. We provide training and guides to do all of this (plus a few year’s of best practices). The team at Mappy HQ will be there for you every step of the way but you’re the local representative, informing how Mappy Hour should look in your specific location.
What’s the commitment?
We look for leaders ready to take on a full year of Mappy Hour-ing. We suggest doing a Mappy Hour every month and require at least 8 over the 12 month period. Setting up an event could include things like:
- Sourcing a venue, speaker
- Spreading the word – letting people in your community know about the event
- Capturing the event by: photos, and a post-event blog post and/or recap
- Communicating with MH HQ in NYC on a bi-weekly basis
- Approving members on the Mappy Hour platform
The more consistent your community, the more connections and relationships you’ll see blossom. Plan on spending about 15 hours/ month planning Mappy Hours and growing the community.
What can I expect to get out of this for myself?
Like everything in life… you get what you put in. Here are a few perks some of our chapter leaders have gotten over the past few months:
- Occasional gear and pro deals
- Invite to the Mappy Hour Leadership Summit
- Leadership and organizational skills
- An amazing set of new friends
- Free access to other local outdoors events
What are the steps to becoming a chapter leader?
Apply
1. Fill out the interest form here.
2. Participate in a phone interview
3. Fill out some paperwork
Build your team
1. Find 2-3 other ambassadors in your city who you will work with each month to create Mappy Hours.
2. Find 3 or so extra volunteers to join the team who can help run the event (check in, clean up etc.)
Launch your chapter
1. Set up an initial event and marketing it as the “launch” of a new city
2. Plan venues + speakers for 3 months out from the first Mappy Hour* This means if you want to launch in January, you must have January —> March planned (venue/speaker minimum) before launch.
NOTE: Even if you’re not ready to take on Chapter Leadership – we still love you! Join the Digital Mappy Hour chapter and we’ll announce there when we launch new chapters in cities around the world.
