14 Best Practices for Turning a Class Into a Community

You’ve identified some of your clients who could benefit from some new skills. It’s easy to say, “Let’s teach a class.” But let’s be honest, running a class is tough. 

We’ve collected some advice from experienced leaders and programs so that you can make your class a time of real transformation and community—and something everyone looks forward to.

1 Acknowledge roadblocks from the outset: Classes can fall apart when participants stop attending because of unreliable transportation, changing work hours, or small domestic crises. These are realities for many people living in poverty, and everyone—participants, allies, facilitators—should affirm, discuss, and plan for them from the very first class. Jobs for Life, a program targeted toward underemployed individuals, suggests writing on a whiteboard: “What may keep me from completing this course?”, then talking through solutions or preventions to the problems raised.

2 Incorporate allies: Forming deep social bonds is a critical step on the path out of poverty. Ask volunteers to serve as mentors, or “allies,” learning alongside participants in class, and forming a friendship with them outside of class and even after graduation. You can schedule a time for mentorship immediately after class, or simply encourage allies to invest in this relationship during the rest of the week—whether that means grabbing coffee together or inviting their family over for dinner.  

3 Ask participants to invest: Before the program begins, invite participants to contribute a certain amount toward materials and meals. Whether it’s $5 or $100, this buy-in gives the attendee the pride of knowing he is investing in his future.  

4 Check in the day of/before each class: Allies or the class facilitator should text or call the participant before every class. This may genuinely remind the attendee of the meeting, and gives him or her an opportunity to bring up any possible conflicts: “My mom can’t watch the kids this time,” “Peter’s car broke down today.” Then, the troubleshooting begins.  

5 Expect punctuality: Some individuals living in poverty may not be used to having obligations at a particular place and time, so facilitators must be clear about graduation requirements and expectations from the outset. This insistence on participants’ growth is especially crucial for job-related classes. The Chalmers Center’s Work Life guide points out: “If sites never ‘fire’ anyone from class for not showing up on time or coming to class, they probably aren’t truly preparing participants for the real world of work, and thus cannot with integrity tell potential employers that they ought to hire graduates.” 

6 Follow up: If an attendee misses class, mentors should follow up to find out the real reason. Mentors should also reach out if a participant is too disruptive or not participating. Although these conversations may be uncomfortable, they send the signal that each individual is truly valued and held to a high standard. Participants will soon learn that mentors are interested in real, not superficial, relationships.  

7 Serve a meal: Food not only serves as a powerful incentive for attendance, but also facilitates good conversation and community. Meal preparation is a great way to involve volunteers who can’t commit to being an ally, but still want to be involved. 

8 Play music: Uplifting music creates a warm, friendly environment. Set a welcoming tone from the very first interest meeting by playing music as people enter, exit, and during breaks. 

9 Provide childcare: Unreliable childcare can result in spotty attendance. Recruit younger volunteers to help out, and/or encourage participants and allies to bring along their older children for a free meal and a chance to serve.  

10 Always include discussion: Lecture plays an important role in classes, but discussion is where participants digest, synthesize, and apply the information they just learned. Incorporate not only large group, but also small group and partner discussion throughout to bring in those who are naturally more quiet. 

11 Add to the program to meet participants’ unique needs: If a mother tells you about her struggle to parent her child with special needs, offer to connect her with your friend who is a special-ed teacher. If a man in your budgeting class expresses an interest in stocks, bring in a guest speaker to address the basics of investment. An active ear for what participants want to gain from the class fosters your personal relationship with attendees, builds up their sense of ownership, and puts the participant in the driver’s seat on his path out of poverty. 

12 Invite guest speakers: Guest speakers don’t just give participants a break from the main facilitator—they are an embodiment of the positive life attendees hope to experience. Invite previous graduates to share their testimonies, employers to speak to the importance of soft skills, or subject-matter experts to talk about their work or lead an activity. 

13 Build in natural off-roads: A twelve, six, or even two month commitment may feel daunting to some potential participants. Consider breaking up the class into several manageable portions. In addition, not every attendee will complete a longer program, especially when that program requires significant lifestyle change or freedom from addiction. When you incorporate four week to three month breaks or checkpoints along the way, participants have a short-term goal to meet, as well as a chance to celebrate their success. This also allows individuals who can’t commit to the next leg of the program to leave while still retaining a sense of accomplishment, making them more willing to try again in the future. 

14 Host alumni gatherings: Consider working with graduates to plan reunions every couple of months. Not only does this encourage accountability for keeping up what they learned, it gives graduates a chance to coordinate their own events, decide on relevant topics, and share their accomplishments and struggles. These gatherings can also serve as a natural stepping stone for graduates to then take part in subsequent classes as allies.

Want to share a program you love with the True Charity community?  We’d love to hear about what has and hasn’t worked for you. Reach out to info@truecharity.us to share about a class you’ve used or developed.  

I’m very grateful to True Charity Network Members, John Boyd, Teddy Steen, Doug Gamble, and John Pace for their insight and advice in the writing of this article.