Our community has at least five future residents from outside of Richmond. During the long months of planning and construction it’s hard for those outside the Richmond area to maintain a sense of affiliation. While the local group meets socially on a regular basis, the extended group yearned for more contact. An out-of-state member read in an article that connection was the single most important factor contributing to the success of a cohousing project, so how to build a sense of connection when people can’t meet in person?
Thus, Digital Tea was created. Bi-monthly gatherings for tea and conversation via online video conferencing sessions keeps the extended community connected to the whole. Attendees enjoy getting to know each other and chatting with the members from the Richmond area who occasionally attend. At first, Digital Teas featured a specific discussion topic. But after the initial gatherings, tea time was intentionally unstructured, allowing for a range of topics and deeper rapport.
In participating in Digital Tea, members discovered that a group of people who were initially camera shy became comrades by sharing their fears and a sense of adventure as the move in date neared. Connection is a universal human need, and can be a secret, important (and free!) ingredient to cohousing success.
If you are interested in joining a Richmond Cohousing Digital Tea – grab your mug and contact us.
Richmond Cohousing 