Events are one of the most powerful tools for community engagement — but when they’re planned with the community, rather than for it, something deeper happens. Joint events planning refers to the collaborative process of designing, organising, and delivering events by involving members of a community in meaningful ways.
Whether the format is virtual, in-person, or hybrid, the intention is the same: co-create experiences that reflect shared goals, collective knowledge, and mutual ownership. Joint planning doesn’t just distribute the workload — it strengthens relationships, trust, and commitment to the community’s purpose.
At its best, it transforms an audience into active contributors.
What is joint events planning?
Joint events planning is the practice of engaging multiple community stakeholders — not just organisers — in the end-to-end planning of a community event. This may include:
Defining event goals and outcomes
Selecting topics or themes
Suggesting or becoming speakers, hosts, or facilitators
Handling logistics or promotion
Supporting during or after the event
It’s not simply crowdsourcing ideas. It’s creating a shared container where different roles, voices, and contributions shape the final outcome.
Why it matters in community-building
Events are a natural convergence point — they bring people together in time and space. But without participation in planning, events can feel top-down or disconnected from what members actually care about.
Joint planning matters because it:
Builds ownership and pride among members
Reduces burnout for community leads by distributing responsibility
Encourages relevance, since content and format emerge from within the group
Supports leadership development among volunteers or emerging contributors
Reinforces community values through the process, not just the product
Increases engagement, because people show up to what they help shape
Community events aren’t just touchpoints — they’re rituals. And rituals are strongest when built together.
Common formats for joint events planning
Joint planning can be applied to a wide variety of event types, including:
Panel discussions or speaker series
Peer-led workshops or tutorials
Local meetups or pop-ups
Digital summits or conferences
Co-created celebrations or milestones
Skill shares, hackathons, or “unconferences”
AMA sessions or community town halls
The more participatory the format, the more value members derive — both as contributors and attendees.
Key elements of effective joint event planning
1. Clear purpose
What’s the goal of the event — and how does it support the community’s mission? When members understand the “why,” they’re more motivated to shape the “how.”
2. Defined roles
Not everyone needs to do everything. Break planning into roles such as:
Content lead (topics, agenda, speakers)
Ops lead (platforms, timing, logistics)
Promotion lead (flyers, emails, social assets)
Host/moderator (runs the session)
Community support (welcoming, feedback, follow-up)
This prevents overload and makes contribution feel manageable.
3. Collaborative tools
Use platforms that support transparency and async collaboration:
Shared docs or wikis for planning
Scheduling tools (e.g. Doodle, Calendly)
Communication hubs (Slack, Discord, Circle)
Event boards or task managers (Trello, Notion, Airtable)
The smoother the planning infrastructure, the easier it is for members to plug in.
4. Iterative planning
Joint planning works best when ideas evolve. Instead of locking in a full plan from the start:
Use surveys or discussion threads to shape direction
Host planning sprints or brainstorms
Run small-scale pilots or dry runs
Invite feedback post-event and adjust for the next one
Treat each event as a living prototype.
5. Recognition and follow-up
Celebrate contributors — visibly and meaningfully. Shout-outs, badges, profiles, or even small gifts go a long way in showing appreciation. After the event, close the loop:
Share what worked
Acknowledge learnings
Invite contributors to lead again or mentor others
This sustains momentum beyond the event itself.
Joint planning in distributed and virtual communities
In global or online-first communities, joint event planning can be even more valuable — but also more complex. Consider:
Time zone diversity when scheduling planning meetings
Low-bandwidth collaboration methods (e.g. asynchronous idea boards)
Role-based sign-ups to avoid ambiguity
Cultural sensitivity in event design, naming, and format
Making contribution visible, even if informal
Digital events shouldn’t be less collaborative — they just require better scaffolding.
Benefits beyond the event itself
Joint planning isn’t just about the event — it’s about what the event unlocks. When done well, it leads to:
Stronger relationships among members
Higher trust between organisers and the community
Emergence of new leaders, facilitators, or organisers
A stronger sense of “this is ours,” not “this is theirs”
A repeatable culture of co-creation for future projects
When people build something together, they’re more likely to stay — and to invite others in.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
Even with the best intentions, joint planning can stall or create frustration. Watch out for:
Lack of clarity: Avoid vague asks like “Anyone want to help?” Be specific in roles and timelines.
Overload on a few contributors: Distribute tasks and check capacity.
Endless planning loops: Set time-boxed decision points. Don’t let perfect block progress.
No decision authority: Clearly define who has final say when there’s disagreement.
Invisible contributions: Make sure every role gets recognised, not just the speakers or hosts.
Structure protects collaboration from chaos.
Final thoughts
Joint events planning is more than logistics. It’s an act of trust. It says: we believe our members are capable, creative, and committed — not just to showing up, but to shaping what we do together.
When planning becomes participatory, events become more than content delivery — they become community containers. They reflect the diversity, energy, and ownership that define the best communities.
Because in the end, the strongest events aren’t just well-executed. They’re co-created.
FAQs: Joint events planning
How is joint events planning different from volunteer-led event organising?
Volunteer-led events often rely on a few members to take charge, whereas joint events planning is a more distributed, collaborative process. It’s not about assigning tasks but co-creating the event together, with shared decision-making and open input on goals, structure, and execution.
What platforms are best for coordinating joint event planning in online communities?
Useful tools include:
Notion or Google Docs for collaborative agendas and planning
Slack or Discord for asynchronous discussion
Trello or Airtable for task assignment and progress tracking
Loom or Zoom for virtual brainstorms or planning meetings
The goal is to ensure visibility, ownership, and flexibility — especially across time zones.
What types of communities benefit most from joint event planning?
Joint planning is especially effective in:
Peer-to-peer learning communities
Grassroots and advocacy networks
Creator or contributor-based communities
Startup ecosystems or professional circles
Any community where engagement, alignment, and co-creation are priorities will benefit from the approach.
How do you encourage members to participate in event planning?
Make the invitation:
Clear: Specify roles, time commitments, and expectations
Inclusive: Invite contributions from new or less-visible members
Low-barrier: Offer micro-contributions (e.g. vote on themes, suggest questions)
Visible: Celebrate contributors during and after the event
Engagement increases when members feel their input has real impact.
Can joint planning be used for recurring events?
Absolutely. In fact, iterative co-planning makes recurring events stronger over time. Communities can build rituals around:
Post-event retrospectives
Rotating planning teams
Continuous improvement of content and formats
This creates a living system of events that evolves with member needs.
