Helping grow our quiet community in Cornwall

We’d love you to help us create the kind of community you would enjoy belonging to, wherever you are in Cornwall.

Quiet Connections brings together people who consider themselves introverted, sensitive or shy, or who experience social anxiety. Our community of ‘quieteers’ grows through the interests, ideas and contributions of the people who are part of it. So we’d love to hear from you, whether you have an idea for something you’d enjoy doing with others, would like to help welcome people at our Meet Ups, or want to plan the next Pop Up adventure with a little support from the team.

We know that socialising can mean wondering whether you’ll fit in, feeling expected to be more chatty than you are, or worrying that others might misunderstand your quietness.

We understand these experiences because every volunteer and staff member has moved through the world as someone who’s introverted, highly sensitive, shy or experiencing social anxiety. That’s why we make it clear that it’s okay to talk and it’s okay to be quiet here, too.

When there’s no pressure to be chatty, people can feel more comfortable and show more of who they are. Meet Ups often include laughter and shared stories, with time for people to get to know each other gradually. And the things we do together don’t all look the same.

Growing through shared interests

Quieteers from across Cornwall have been joining pub quizzes and ghost walks, exploring National Trust gardens, going on nature walks, visiting art galleries and enjoying live music together. They’ve tried costume life drawing, writing workshops, roller skating, birdwatching and escape rooms, alongside many other things they might not have done without the company of other kind and curious quieteers. (You can see our latest Meet Ups here).

It’s quite a mix of activities, and it shows what can happen when we make space for people to suggest the things they’d enjoy doing together and contribute in their own way. Some bring people together around local events and activities, while others offer an opportunity to try something creative or explore somewhere new.

A community for quieter people doesn’t need to revolve around quiet activities. We can enjoy all sorts of things, in our own ways, without having to be more outgoing than we are. Sometimes having something to do together makes it easier to spend time with people, particularly when we’re still getting to know one another.

We’d love to see more of this happening across Cornwall.

Perhaps there’s an activity you already enjoy and would welcome some company for. Maybe there’s somewhere you’d like to visit with other people, or a local event you think other quieteers might enjoy. You might even have an idea for a gathering that doesn’t currently exist.

We’d love to hear about it.

Share an Idea or Start Something New.

Having an idea for something you’d enjoy with others doesn’t mean you need to organise it all yourself. You might be happy to suggest a visit or share an interest, but feel less comfortable taking responsibility for arranging everything. That’s absolutely fine. You don’t need to have a date, venue or plan worked out before talking to us.

On the other hand, you might enjoy being more involved in bringing an idea to life. Some people like to take a more active role in shaping what happens, perhaps by volunteering to organise a Pop Up on their own, or as part of a pair or group of quieteers bringing something to life.

We can explore the possibilities together.

We don’t have a set programme of activities that we’re trying to replicate across Cornwall. We’d rather hear from people living in different areas about what they enjoy and what they’d like to do with others. An idea that appeals to people in Falmouth might be quite different from something people in Penzance, Newquay or elsewhere would enjoy.

As our community grows, it’s important our work reflects your interests and local knowledge. If you’d like to help make things happen, we’d love to welcome you as a volunteer. This could mean helping to organise Pop Up adventures around shared interests, or joining one of our weekly Meet Up teams. We offer training and ongoing support from the team, so you’re not expected to work everything out on your own. You’re welcome to get in touch to find out more about volunteering and what might suit you.

And of course, you don’t need to take on a role to be part of our community. You might simply want to come along, spend time with others and get to know people. There’s no expectation that attending a Meet Up will lead to volunteering, or that you need to take on more involvement over time.

Find a Meet Up at quietconnections.co.uk/meetups, or email Jo (pictured), our Community Engagement Lead, at jo@quietconnections.co.uk to talk about ideas and opportunities to get involved and help grow our community near you.