Building a vibrant, engaged community takes time, effort, and—most importantly—connection. If run local events, a charity, or a social group, you’ve likely wondered: How can I more people involved and get some of them to take on more responsibility?
The truth is, strong communities don’t happen by chance. They’re built through consistent connection and shared activities. But to get there, you need to understand where your members are in their journey and how to help them move forward.
We use something called the Community Engagement Pyramid to keep an eye on the overall health of of communities —a simple framework that helps guide members from passive observers to active leaders.
Community Engagement Pyramid
The Engagement Pyramid breaks down your community into five levels based on members' level of involvement:
Observers – People who are aware of your group but haven’t yet participated. Perhaps they follow you on socials but never actually come along to anything.
Attendees – Those who come to your events but haven’t committed further.
Regulars – People who consistently show up with a big lovely smile on their face.
Helpers – Volunteers who contribute to small, essential tasks. They keep the events running by selling the raffle tickets, baking the cakes.
Super Humans – Your community leaders who lead key initiatives and help others get involved. These are your committee members, trusted lieutenants etc.
Understanding these levels and how many members fall into each category helps you determine the steps needed to build a thriving community.
How to Help Members Move Up the Engagement Pyramid
The journey from casual observer to committed leader generally doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual process that requires consistent communication, encouragement, and timely opportunities. Here’s how you can help people move up the pyramid:
From Observer to Attendee
Create welcoming, low-barrier opportunities for people to get involved. Focus on marketing and communication by making your events easy to find, accessible, and clearly promoted. People are more likely to attend if they know what to expect and feel invited.
From Attendee to Regular
To deepen involvement, use techniques like buddying—pairing newcomers with regular members—and follow up with pre- and post-event communication. Familiarity is key: the more comfortable people feel, the more likely they are to return.
From Regular to Helper
When someone is ready to help out, be intentional about how you approach them:
Who you ask: Align the role with their skills or interests. Consider how you can match them to a role that lets them shine.
What you ask: Define the role clearly and emphasise its importance. Make sure they understand what success looks like. Make it easy for them to succeed.
How you ask: Approach them in a friendly, informal way. Gradually increase responsibilities while recognising their contributions.
From Helper to Super Human
Once someone has been helping for a while, it’s time to empower them to take on more. Give them ownership over a project or event—something they can lead and feel proud of. When volunteers feel their work has real value, they’re more likely to stay involved.
If you’re struggling with this transition, Daniel Pink’s book Drive explores how to motivate people beyond financial incentives—a lever not always available in community work. Pink identifies three key motivators:
Autonomy: The ability to make decisions and take ownership. Can you resist the lure of micromanaging?
Mastery: The sense that they have the skills to succeed, even if the task is challenging. If you can offer training and support, bonus points!
Purpose: The knowledge that their work matters and contributes to something meaningful.
By creating an environment where volunteers have autonomy, mastery, and purpose, you help them thrive.
Balancing Leadership Styles: People Managers vs. Resource Managers
A key part of leading a community is understanding your own leadership style. Are you a People Manager or a Resource Manager?
Most of us fall somewhere on a continuum between these two styles and may need to adapt depending on the situation. At different times, the situation might call for us being able to switch between these modes however, in general, I find that people tend to fall naturally closer to one of these than the other.
People Managers focus on relationships, creating a sense of belonging and connection. They decide what to do based on the people available. If you’re having trouble filling roles, leaning into a people-focused approach can help—building bonds, offering support, and ensuring everyone feels valued. People managers start with the people at hand and decide what to do based on that.
Resource Managers are task-oriented and focus on organisation and logistics. They start with the list of tasks that need completing and work from there. If events feel chaotic, it might be time to take a resource-focused approach, giving clear directions and putting systems in place. Resource managers, start from knowing what needs to be done, and then finding the people to do it.
The best leaders know when to use each approach depending on the situation.
Reflection: Where Do You Focus?
Building an engaged community requires a mix of strategy and people skills (like all community organising!) As you look at your own group, ask yourself:
Which part of the Engagement Pyramid needs the most attention right now?
What actions can you take to move people up the pyramid?
Do you need to adjust your leadership style to better support your community?
Taking time to reflect on these questions will help you strengthen your community, keep your volunteers engaged, and guide them on their journey—from observer to leader.
By building genuine connections, offering the right opportunities, and giving people a sense of purpose, you’ll create a community that thrives—and lasts.
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