LocalGroups Create - thelastmile/FreeCodeCamp GitHub Wiki

How to Create A Local Group for your City

If you didn't see your city on our list of groups, you should create your own Facebook group.
We like keeping things as local as possible, so please create groups only for cities, or even smaller areas. The whole point is that your people shouldn't be more than 15-20 minutes away from each other.

Please, do not create groups for a whole State/province/department/county/etc. as they will not be added to the list.

Now, to the fun part! It's easy, just follow these steps:

  • Sign in to Facebook.
  • Click the down arrow in the upper right corner of the screen, then choose "Create Group" from the options.

A screenshot of Facebook showing the drop down menu that appears when you click the down arrow, with an arrow pointing to the "Create Group" option

  1. Set the group name as "Free Code Camp" + the name of your city.
  • Avoid using slang terms such as "Philly" for "Philadelphia".
  • If your city is not the biggest city that uses its name, also include the state or province. For example, the Free Code Camp group in Paris, France should be called "Free Code Camp Paris". The Free Code Camp group in Paris, Texas should be called "Free Code Camp Paris, Texas".
  • If you are in North America, we suggest you add the initials of your state/province here.

  1. Set your group to public.

  2. You'll need to add at least one person in order to create the group. Why not add Justin!? Furthermore, if you make him an admin, he'll be able to assist you in managing your members and events.

A screenshot of the Facebook group creation modal saying that your group name should be Free Code Camp plus your city name, that your group should be public, and that you need to invite at least one Facebook friend.

  1. Choose the graduation cap icon to indicate that this group is related to education.

A screenshot telling you to choose the graduation icon, which is on the forth row of icons, seven icons from the left.

  1. Click the "..." menu, then click "Edit group settings" in the dropdown menu.

a screenshot telling you to click the "..." button then choose the "Edit group settings" option

  1. Set the group's privacy setting to public.

  2. Set your group's membership approval to where any member can add or approve members a screenshot showing the Facebook settings panel and where you can click to set the group to public and allow all members to be able to add or approve members

  3. Click the "Customize Address" button.

  4. Enter "free.code.camp.yourcitysname" with each word separated by periods. Example: free.code.camp.london
    (Not "your.london" or "your.city.london"!)

a screenshot telling you to enter free.code.camp.yourcitysname with each word seperated by periods.

  1. Please feel free to personalize your local group's description, but be sure to include a link to Free Code Camp: http://www.freecodecamp.com. It makes it much easier for possible new members to find you if you mention the country your city is in (or its state/province if in North America).

Note: in this image, we also use "Testland" as an EXAMPLE, but you should use the name of your city instead.

A screen shot showing you the group description box on the Facebook page.

  1. Click the "Upload a photo button. To start out, you'll probably just want to use Free Code Camp's banner (download it here), or a scenic shot of your city. Later you can update this with a picture from one of your city's Free Code Camp events.

A screenshot showing the "Upload a photo" button.

  1. And finally, private-message Justin (@hallaathrad on Gitter) with a link to your city's group page. He'll include it in the list.

Additional tips: