How can I take action or connect with the EA community through the Forum?

The Effective Altruism Forum is not just a place to read posts — it also provides several entry points for taking action and connecting with others. Based on the site's own navigation, the main routes are: the Take action section, the Events calendar, the Groups directory, the People directory, and learning resources like the EA Handbook and EA Forum Podcast. If you want to move from reading to doing, start with "Take action"; if you want to find people, start with the directories.

Start with the "Take action" section

The Forum's navigation includes a dedicated Take action entry. This is the most direct starting point if your goal is to figure out what to do next rather than just browse discussion.

• Use it when you already accept the general idea of doing the most good with your resources and want concrete options.
• Treat it as a hub: it points you toward opportunities rather than being a single article.

The Forum's own framing question — "How can we do the most good with our resources?" — is the thread that ties these action-oriented pages together.

Find events and meetups

Two navigation items cover in-person and online gatherings:

Use these when you want to attend a talk, meetup, or community gathering rather than only read. Checking the calendar is the fastest way to see whether something is happening near you or online in the near term.

Find groups and people

If your goal is ongoing connection rather than a one-off event, the directories are the right tools:

• Groups directory — find local or topical EA communities. Use this when you want a recurring group (a city group, a university group, or a group focused on a cause area) rather than a single event.
• People directory — find individuals. Use this when you want to identify who is working on a topic or who you might contact.

A practical sequence: check the Groups directory first for a community near you or aligned with your interests, then use the People directory to identify specific individuals within it.

Learn before you act

If you are still building context, the Forum points to two learning resources:

• EA Handbook — a structured introduction to effective altruism ideas.
• EA Forum Podcast — audio versions of Forum content, useful if you prefer listening.

These are worth using before committing to a cause area or a group, so that your action choices are informed rather than arbitrary.

A simple path for a new visitor

1. Read a few Selected posts or the Best of the Forum to understand current discussions.
2. Go through the EA Handbook if you want a structured grounding.
3. Open Take action to see concrete options.
4. Check the Events calendar and Forum events calendar for something upcoming.
5. Use the Groups directory to find a community, and the People directory to find individuals.

What to keep in mind

• The Forum is primarily English-language, so most events, groups, and discussions will be in English.
• The site also lists How to use the Forum, which is worth reading if you plan to post or comment rather than just read.
• Availability of specific events and groups depends on your location and cause interests — the directories are the way to check what actually exists rather than assuming something is near you.

In short: use Take action for what to do, the calendars for when, the directories for who and where, and the Handbook and Podcast for background.