Holding Your Own Yes+ ("YesPlus")
As the summer approaches, we have been energized by how many YesAndians have stepped forward to create opportunities for our community to gather. YES! And… in managing these requests, we decided to set some guidelines to help preserve and promote the mission and values that people find so unique and inspiring about YxYY.
Here’s a helpful primer on holding your own YES+ gathering. And thank you!
Sample Yes+ Activities
To get started, here are some example activities that would make for an excellent YES+ gathering!
(For longer, more involved events, please see our note below the photos)
YES+ Dinner Party
YES+ Maker Day
YES+ Volunteering Day
YES+ Book Club
YES+ Conversational/Support Groups
YES+ Brunch
YES+ Picnic
YES+ Day Hike
YES+ Coffee/Tea/Juice Meetup
YES+ Happy Hour
Yes+ Gathering Guidelines
Here are the requirements for each YES+ gathering, to be upheld by their respective organizers and the participants/attendees therein
Inclusive
All are welcome at YES+ gatherings. There are to be no barriers to entry. This doesn’t mean you can’t hold events specifically for a particular minority or interest group, but rather that there are no metaphorical velvet ropes, no VIP sections, and no ‘elite group’ invites.Focus on Conversation
The primary activity of all YES+ gatherings is great conversation. YES+ organizers seek to create an experience that is conducive to conversation. YES+ gatherings are about people coming together to share ideas with one another, and not about watching a select few hold court in front of an audience. It is about valuing and making time for the contributions of all in attendance. All who attend a YES+ gathering are participants and have the option to contribute. You set the table, and your participants create the meal.Unscheduled
YES+ gatherings are spontaneous, free-form and allow people to be present with one another. YES+ gatherings do not have pre-set/pre-published schedules but rather, they seek to create a relaxed space of time to gather and allow conversation and activity to develop as inspiration strikes. In this way, YES+ gatherings often reflect the concerns and emotions of the world on the day they happen and are able to be relevant and responsive to the time in which they occur.Accessibility
YES+ gatherings are kept low-cost and accessible whenever possible. YES+ gathering organizers will think about possible economic or transportation access barriers for community participation and will seek to overcome these in their planning.Not-for-Profit
YES+ gatherings do not generate money for their organizers, other than to cover essential costs. YES+ gatherings are volunteer-run, not for profit.Ephemeral
YES+ gatherings are no more than one day long and are not repeated. They are short and sweet and leave you wanting more! For longer, more large-scale events see below.Use of YES+ and YxYY logos
If your gathering meets the above criteria, we are happy to provide our logos for your use and co-host your event invite within our official YxYY FB Group (private and only viewable to alumni) or on our public YxYY page (visible to invite new friends). If your invite lives elsewhere, you’re welcome to post a link to it in the FB Group or in the YxYY Slack community. In fact, posting for a draw of interest before you create an official invite will often give you several raised hands of interest to attend and collaborate!
What if I’d like to do a longer gathering, like a weekend get-away?
While we would be more than thrilled to promote your own events to our YxYY community and our broader communities, at this time, we are not currently sanctioning longer events using the YES+ or YxYY name.
We are excited to see more people energized to provide quality gatherings for all, so please, keep creating. We look forward to attending whatever you create!
Any other questions may be sent to the YxYY founders by emailing team@yxyy.us.