that encouraging participation in a group is tied to levels. Sure, you've got the advantage, once you're level 5 or 6, to receive notice about new people joining in, which allows you to timely welcome someone, which helps them feel at ease as soon as they arrive. Lack of a proper welcome can become an issue when all levels 6 and 5 are on leave for one reason or another. That's where you're really stuck with a dormant group (dead? If inactive groups should be called dead, then I have seen deads rising on many occasions at AW!) because you can't get anyone promoted, including level 1 if new members arrive through that level. When such a situation happens, I think indeed it is a duty to find people, if possible from within the group, who can be promoted at least temporarily by the demis to a level 5 to ensure that basic "administrative" can be covered, until a better solution can be discussed.

Otherwise, I think something that we could do, and which I'm planning to encourage as soon as time permits, is to have members level 4 and below joining in for the welcomes. A few people do that spontaneously, but it's pretty rare, compared to many forums outside AW. One example would be Deliver Us of Evil, where one of my alternate persona joined to be welcomed by 6+ people (most of them didn't know that persona at the time, so they were welcoming a perfect stranger). They would do so both on the board and at my home by leaving me a short, but sweet, welcoming message. I know from having talked about it with other members that it was very appreciated and made them want to jump in asap.

More welcomes from all levels of membership would help 1) make someone feel even more so welcome and 2) relieve the leaders somewhat. Of course, that does mean that at least one level 5 or 6 is around to initiate those rounds of welcome, and actually promote new arrivals to level 2 at least where the membership is "closed" (i.e. that people start at level 1, which doesn't allow them to post right away).

As for encouraging discussions on various subjects....well, you could do that at level 2. Actually, I demoted myself in a few groups from level 6 or 5 to lower as other personae (after discussing it with co-leaders to make sure it wouldn't burden them if I left said level), and let me tell you that it makes no difference if you want to start a conversation, or even an activity. A conversation relies sorely on 1) the quality of the subject/question that starts it and 2) the availability/willingness of the other members. Your level doesn't enter in the equation here. Your ability to post is dictated by your persona level at AW, and not within the group itself.

Of course, there is the fact that levels 5 and 6 are the only ones who can create boards (remember though that level 4 can create threads as well, with which you can already do a lot). But people who absolutely want to be able to wield such power should also remember that they are "part" of the group admin (unless they are the only ones at those admin levels); which means that going ahead and create new threads as they pleased without consulting others is at best thoughtless. As a member of many many groups at level 2 to 4, I have gone to the leaders many times to suggest a new thread/board/ or even an alteration to the header of an already existing thread/board. Of course, in slower groups, that means I would have to wait up to a couple of months. Is that really so dramatic? I don't think so. Besides, if you think it can't wait, you can usually at least test the waters on the always present admin/ooc/general discussion board: that way, you can actually judge for the response to your idea from fellow members. If it is positive, that will give you all the more rights to require that a thread be created, or, if everyone at the appropriate levels are really missing, it will give you more rights to ask for a demi's help.

The point to that already waaaaay too long post (which, by the way, isn't sorely prompted by the previous posts, but is more a reflection on the experiences I've had at all levels in groups)? You need levels 5/6 in a group. That's a given. It is their role to nurture the group itself. However, you can do just as much nurturing from lower levels. And I totally agree with you Cail when you say "we can only do what we can, with the time we have, and with those who are actually willing to contribute." Let's do what we can from where we are, and not worry too much about our level. And as leaders, maybe what we can do is create an atmosphere that encourages all members to participate by making them feel confidant about the weight given to their voice - whether they are level 2 or 5. Not all interesting activities ideas have to come from the top (but they can be rewarded....)